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Ant's Journals:
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009
Aug 2009
Sep 2009
Oct 2009
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The Ant Diplock Journals
Ant Diplock was born in the former Transkei and grew up on a sugar farm on the Natal south coast. He spent his youth hunting, fishing, surfing and skippering dive and fishing boats. Once he completed his National Service he returned to the Eastern Cape and worked in the wholesale and rural market supply. He then progressed and was employed by the Coca-Cola Company to market the product in the rural areas. He disliked corporate life and soon was on the ocean again. He got a low paying position as a skipper on Benguerra Island as a fishing guide and left behind him the discomfort of wearing shoes, belts and ties. When he’s not fishing or diving he is in the bush hunting or guiding.
Ant has a respect and love for Mother Nature that has become his life and he shares his knowledge in angling, hunting, animals and the ocean. He has a passion for photography and has started professionally guided ocean experience trips for photographers and nature enthusiasts alike. Spending most of his time between Mozambique, Botswana, South Africa and Kenya, he does private trips that are personalized and simple. He speaks six languages of which four are black languages and has a vast knowledge of the Southern African continent. He is passionate about his friends and having a good time and works equally as hard with enthusiasm when at sea or on land. He loves to learn more about Africa and its animals every day and competent off road driving instructor. He takes safety seriously and has a wicked sense of humor. He can be very serious at times and equally humorous. Ant is easy going and charismatic with a hunger to show people the experiences that he had first hand. Personal and private trips are what he specializes in and there are no frills and complications, just keeping things simple.
Please feel free to contact him for advice on boating, hunting, off road driving or fishing issues. In any day in Ants life he is using his gear in a harsh environment. He, like all outdoorsmen, has his preferred brands of gear that is either rugged or efficient. That’s why he chooses to insure with Cross Country Insurance.
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Alan's Journals:
June 2008
July 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
June 2009
July 2009
September 2009
January 2010
March 2010
Apr-May 2010
Jun-Jul 2010
Aug-Sep 2010
Oct-Nov 2010
January 2011
February 2011
March 2011
April 2011
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The Alan Goodway Journals
Alan Goodway was born in Pinelands, Cape Town in the early 1960’s. He is married to Charmaine, and has 2 children, Tamsin (18), Keanan (10). The family moved to Gauteng in April 2001 and currently reside in Centurion. Alan and his family share a passion for people, the outdoors and quality family time. The move to Gauteng opened up new opportunities to explore a part of Southern Africa, they would never really have had an opportunity to explore.
Alan has had a passion for the outdoors since early school days, participating in hikes and kloofing across the Western and Southern Cape. These include, amongst others, the Otter Trail, Swellendam Trail, Boland Trail, in excess of 30 day hikes / kloofing in and around the Western Cape, caving in the Kalk Bay and the Hottentots Holland Mountains etc.
Then the 4x4 bug bit in the mid-nineties, and Alan and his family joined 4x4 Offroad Adventure Club in Cape Town. Here, within a very short period of time, Alan played various organisational and leadership roles including being a very active member of 4x4 Offroad Adventure Club - Cape, being appointed a Day Trip Guide in the club, doing 4x4 product promotion and sales for GRS Trading (mail order) etc.
Alan has also introduced Information Evenings for the 4x4 public at large in Gauteng, and the meetings, held every second month, are exceptionally well attended. Attendees get to see and hear about new products, places and lifestyles in the ever competitive 4x4 market.
Alan has completed a National Certificate in Tourist Guiding under the new DEAT and THETA regulations, and has qualified as a Tourist Guide (NQF4) across all 9 provinces in South Africa. Alan is also a qualified 4x4 Trails and Overland Guide. During 2007, Alan also qualified as a Driver Trainer Assessor, and also carries many Level 1 – Level 3 Offroad Driver Training Certificates. Alan sees this as a further fulfillment of his commitment to offer quality service and experience to both the members and communities he operates in, whilst formalising a part of the dream he has for his retirement years.
Alan is the Owner of the 4x4 Offroad Adventure Club - Gauteng.
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Uncle Doug's Journals:
January 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009
October 2009
December 2009
February 2010
May 2010
July 2010
November 2010
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Uncle Doug's Journals
“Who am I?”
I have been fishing, off and on for over 50 years, in between school, work and other sports, including being an international golfer. I live in Zimbabwe .
I just love the bush, started camping out by myself while I was still at junior school. Many a weekend I was not at home. I saw the evolution of the boat and trailers in Zimbabwe.
Because of this, I feel that my knowledge and views would be of great interest to others. I ask myself questions when I see trailers broken down on the side of the road . I look at the load the trailer is expected to carry, which in most cases, exceeds it’s max load by many hundreds of kgs. You can see the people standing looking at the breakage with amazement on their faces, “why?”, “what has happened?”, “why does it always happen to us?”
I treat my assets as part of my family. You often hear people referring to their car or boat in a female name, or “she is really going well”. I take it the next step. I talk to them. I get to my destination I thank my car or truck. If I am going thru a storm in my boat, I talk to my boat during the trip and say well done when I arrive. I am sure, like most people the boat and car are serviced before a long trip. Important question, how many of you service your trailer before a long trip? Just drag it out from under the tree in the back yard, hook it on, possibly, check the lights and go. Thank it for getting you there and back with a lot of your belongings, next time might be a different story. My personal touch I feel, ensures that my transport items are serviced and looked after, short notice I can rely on getting to my destinations. Your travel check lists must include service of your trailer you are going to use. If your kit is going into some one else’s trailer, then this must be on your check list. Don’t forget to make sure the licence and insurance is up to date and taken with the other travel documents.
Here in Zimbabwe, we have to be even more prepared. We do not have repair and parts facilities like you have in SA. This brings me into an important area, travel in Zimbabwe. I was in SA a few weeks ago and spoke to many people that would like to travel to Zimbabwe but are unsure of the situation or what are the pros and cons. This is where I am very willing to help. I will answer all reasonable questions. Some people asked about fishing in the Kariba International Tiger Fishing Tournament. I have fished in this tournament for the last 23 years. We have a beautiful country, which is safe and easy to get to all the destinations. It is very important to have local knowledge to make your trip easier and more enjoyable.
Look forward to my next article, with more information and some fishing tips.
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Elaine Fisher's Journals:
Jul 2009
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Elaine Fisher's Journals
Birding with a Twitcher...
Let me first make mention before I continue with my experiences in birding with a twitcher, that my dad was a twitcher so thankfully I had the ground rules regarding the do’s and do not’s in the presence of a twitcher twitching… No noise (breathe only when necessary). No sudden movements (even if that bee looks set to land on your nose! Take one for the team ok?). No bathroom breaks (where they have dragged you to has no ablution facilities anyway and copping a squat may just make too much noise for their liking). Do not touch the binoculars (especially if you tried to use said binnys to discourage the bee OR they happened to be in the way when trying to cop that squat…). Touch the pencil and notebook at your own peril (heaven forbid the pencil nib breaks). Always pay attention (did you see if it was a red bill or a yellow bill? What color legs? Did it have a pronounced this or that? And may Zeus himself help you if you can’t answer at least one of the above questions).
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