Having lived for ten years in South Africa, my connection and attraction to that country and continent are always close to my heart. This year, Pangaea will once again sail along the African continent and the last expedition will take place in East Africa. With the two travel I am preparing for this summer to South Africa, I think I can say that 2012 will be a great year, and I will get to spend some time in South Africa again!
My very good friend, Craig Spencer, whom I met while working in South Africa, was heading an important marine anti-poaching unit in the Overberg when I was leading the White Shark Trust. He left the coastline in 2006, shortly before I left South Africa, and moved further north and inland. He has setup and built up a small research and conservation unit in the middle of the African bush of the Greater Kruger National Park in the Limpopo Province for six years now.
In July 2009, I first visited Craig's Paradise Camp in the Balule Nature Reserve along with my family, and we spent a wonderful week together. Some friends are for life and no matter how long you do not see one another, when you meet, it feels like yesterday. Craig is one of these friends! In October 2010, I ran the first BlueXplorer 'African Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Expedition and Course' for four students. For two weeks, we lived and breathed the African bush, guided by Craig and John. We learned about the different projects, the management issues and situation of a nature reserve and game park, the fauna and flora of the bush, the behaviour of the different animals, etc.
Ezulwini's Paradise Camp is one of these unique and special places in the world. A place, I felt immediately at home. A special place, where life is omnipresent. A place, where one breathes life. Unique. Special. Wonderful. Another place that is as dear to me is most probably Samuel Gruber's Shark Lab or the Bimini Biological Field Station in the Bahamas where I got my first Shark field experience in 1995. Obviously this is a very personal opinion.
I have finally taken the time to create a web site for Craig's project in Balule and the organisation TransFrontier Africa he created to support the project. A web site is obviously always a work in progress, and I will try to introduce you to Paradise Camp, present you the people who conduct some important and great conservation work from that base, and update the news and blogs of life in the bush on a regular basis. TransFrontier Africa presents a fantastic and unique opportunity also for students, nature enthusiasts and volunteers who wish to learn more about the fauna and flora of the African bush, and help this important project.
I invite you to visit the new web site: www.TransFrontierAfrica.org
