The Explorer
May 2010

A perfect season
It is rare for me to be enthralled over an entire season; after all, there are always hardships and trials in amongst the amazing experiences I am privileged to call my life. However, this green season has been the most beautiful I can recall in the last decade.

As I luxuriated under a steaming shower at the Alamana this morning, serenaded by the wildebeest herd that has taken up residence behind tent number 8, I reflected on what was so special about the past three months?

Unaccustomed to the short rains actually materializing as they should, the downpours that have drenched the plains, brought together all the elements for over 2.5 million wild animals to thrive and drop their young, not only on schedule but with enough grassland to support the lactating mothers. Time and again, we watched Wildebeest, Gazelle and Zebra give birth to unsuspecting calves, babies and foals as they started their lives on the Serengeti.

The air, breathtakingly clear, brought depth to our photography and freshness to the game drives and walks throughout the season. In particular, the golden light that drenched a male and female Leopard in full mating ritual warranted inclusion in this newsletter, as did the vast herds, jousting bull elephants and bush breakfasts enjoyed by new and returning guests.

As I sit and write this news from the bush, an elephant trumpets at the back of camp, where they have been passing constantly throughout the season, moving in irregular circles with the Alamana at its centre, an occurrence that has been constant throughout my visits-what better backdrop to write this news?

Please e.mail us for the next Alamana & Serengeti Migration safari or to arrange a private Eastern or Southern Africa journey. info@wildlife-explorer.com

Migration location:

At the start of season, both The Alamana Wilderness Camp and our Migration Mobile Tented Camp have been at the very centre of the Great Migration. The Alamana remains with its vast semi-resident herds of Wildebeest and Zebra whilst the Mobile Camp lies plum in the middle of the vast herds as they move backwards and forwards from open plains to the lakes at the end of the Oldupai Gorge. When we left the Mobile Camp yesterday, huge herds of Zebra and Wildebeest were stampeding behind the tents, escaping the potentially dangerous threat of a Lion roaring its territorial call. With so much green grass and the continuing of the short rainy season, little will change in the positioning of the herds.

255 Uncharted

As normal, when faced with the office or ‘adventure’, the latter tends to win out! Rip Roarin’ Adventures took to the high seas on an epic seafaring adventure in early March. The plan was to expedition equip my Yamaha 19 boat and set forth from the comfort of the Pembe Abwe house on the edge of the Indian Ocean for the island of Pemba, scout the western inlets of the island, survival fish a little and return unwashed, unshaved and unscathed.

We had been warned of large seas by friends who had just returned from a failed attempt to navigate by kayak some of the sea we intended to transit across, but with life jackets close at hand, cooler jammed with ice and not a small amount of red wine, we put our faith in the Yamaha 19/60HP combination and set out during the very early hours for Pemba.

Within the inner reef system of the east coast of the mainland we made good time, however as soon as we left the relative sanctuary of the coral, the sea tumbled into a maelstrom of 15 feet swell that crashed repetitively over the bows slowing our progress to only 8 knots. To boot, the normally efficient bilge pump refused to remove the huge amount of shipped seawater, resulting in us taking turns to bail with an old cooking pot packed for the cooking of feasts planned for the subsequent evenings to follow.

Our slightly dejected progress was brought to a close with the sound of a reel losing its line in fast order. As I took hold of the rod and increased tension a little, a magnificent Marlin breached and tried to remove the squid lure it had mistakenly taken as an easy meal. Sat bobbing insignificantly in the middle of the Pemba channel ‘playing’ this beautiful deep sea dweller, both Dickie and I commented on how lucky we were to witness such a breathtaking scene. Perhaps the Marlin, bored with our waxing lyrical, or just bored with squid playing decided enough was enough, breached for one last time and shook the lure from its mouth, disappearing to the depths of its watery home.

The Marlin play heralded our arrival into the Pemba channel fishing grounds as quickly our ice chest filled with Tuna, Dorado and Baracuda. Not short of style, despite a 7 hour drenching, the boys moored off a small coral knoll on the west side of Pemba island, to gut the catch and feast on tuna sashimi for lunch accompanied by a smooth glass (or two) of chilled Chablis!

For the entire Pemba adventure or to enquire as to what ridiculous adventure is next planned e.mail gjs@wildlife-explorer.com

Community and education

For over two decades, Wildlife Explorer has emphasised the need for supporting education in the communities we touch with our blend of tourism and conservation. The projects have ranged from simply buying 500 overcoats for a school in Ngorongoro whose pupils learnt their lessons in a classroom devoid of window glass, to the building of an entire school 40 kilometres from Arusha. No project or scholarship is too small and none undeserving. Because of the hands on nature of our projects, extreme changes in circumstance can be achieved for impoverished communities for little financial input.

Recently we had the pleasure of welcoming back to the Arash community, a young girl by the name of Nemonshon, that had received a scholarship in memory of my late wife Jill Strand, kindly funded by a group of friends in memory of the community work Jill felt so important. Nemonshon has completed her secondary education, gone on to further education and has returned to her village as a qualified teacher to take up a position in the Arash Masai school. A fitting tribute to the memory of someone that believed in the power of education.

The Alamana Reserve

What’s my idea of the perfect elements of safari? Exclusivity, remoteness and style in the bush!

Give me my Winchester model 70, a few like-minded folk, perfect walking conditions in the Alamana Reserve and I am in heaven. This season has not been short on any of the above elements. With Noel and Sylvano guiding their particular style of walks, I have been free to meander off where the liking takes me. Elephants have been in abundance as have Buffalo, so extreme caution is needed (not something I am usually good at!), however, I also love my family and value my business so even I succumb to good sense some times. Having said that, the lure of 150 head of elephant and the relative safety of the kopje system in the Alamana allows for some exciting viewing. With Mike and Donna Hughes and Jan and Mike Mead, we enjoyed just such an encounter having stalked from downwind and with the cover of the kopjes, we clambered atop one such granite outcropping to enjoy a half hour of elephant entertainment. The large cow/calf breeding herd moved below us, unaware as our small group sat in awe.

Noel walked his small group onto the Ngoi Kumash kopjes last week following the spoor of a male Leopard and managed to flush the unsuspecting animal out of its cave lair as his guests looked on from the once again safety of the high kopje’s.

The Alamana Reserve continues to provide that sought after combination of exclusivity and extreme game viewing excitement in an exquisitely situated and serviced position on the edge of the Serengeti plains. Either as part of a longer safari or for up to 6 days game walking, driving and night game driving, the Alamana Reserve has no rival.

www.wildlife-explorer.com/alamana

News from Kellybeare and the bush:

Jo and I are in the closing stages of the Kellybeare renovation, well I should say Jo is as I have been bush gallivanting, leaving poor Jo to finish the restoration on her own, be a single parent, part time painter and generally make the environment that allows me to continue my love affair with Africa. Over the Easter holidays we hope that the building crew will disappear and calm will return to the farm.

Roy and his team have turned a dilapidated 450 year old mish mash of a farmhouse into a beautiful home for the Strand family and for that we give thanks!

Hannah has resumed her studies via an online degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with the change of environment and her return to Africa suiting her and Zac much better. The tented camp that they both call home for the time being, is situated on the edge of the western boundary of Tarangire national park which keeps them busy not only with the Safflower/conservation elements of their work, but also with the nocturnal visitors to the watering hole close by as leopard, giraffe and the occasional Lion stroll in for water! Hannah and Zacs new addition to their family-‘Mo’ the ridgeback mix puppy stays safely locked up after dark in case an opportunistic predator takes a liking to the small bundle of fluff! See more about HV at : http://waldenu.edu/Alumni/33823.htm

Jamie continues on at Taunton with her first year of the International Baccalaureate.  The change of scenery from Africa to the UK has had its challenges but the new environment has, at the same time given her a new perspective that she is enjoying and with Kellybeare only an hour and a half away, home visits have been more often and enjoyable for us all. Composing is still in JJ’s blood and the boarding environment of the new school has provided many an idea for new compositions!

Hunter is flourishing in his new school on the edge of Tavistock. Mount House has seen many an east African kid enter its doors so whilst Hunter is new to the English system, east Africa is not new to Mount House ie the answer to kids brought up in the bush is to keep them outside playing sport for as many hours as is possible to alleviate some of that pent up energy!

And of me? The season has been the very best in terms of game viewing and sheer beauty, however the highlight will be spending time at Pembe Abwe and Hannah and Zacs camp, surrounded by my family over the Easter break-a fitting end to a perfect season!

From all of us in our respective homes, we wish you a great 2010.

With warm wishes, Gary & Jo and all of us at Wildlife Explorer.

Next Newsletter: Egypt, Botswana, GM and the journey of Shawn & Antoinette Addison across uncharted roads to deliver school supplies!

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