New Website Launched!

Well, at last its here! - 6months in the making and something that we are very proud of - the new website highlights what we do and where we are - its only been possible through the contributions of our friends and colleagues and many thanks must go to them.

Starting with the design team at Cape Town Media who put up with my endless indecision, 'colourful' emails and convoluted direction on the project - Marc Mallet and Morgan Goddard have tolerated me for longer than they probably care to discuss and I thank them so much for all their flare, creativity and advice.

My dear friend and editor, Naomi Hulbert who without her talent and skill, there would be an encyclopedia of useless and confusing information on the site as I typed out content in the wee hours of the morning over the past 6 months! Richard Franklin for all the video editing at short notice and future video to come on the site.

All the photographic and video contributors on the site; Duncan and Debbie Armour, Marius Swart, Maryan Heffernan, Michael Foreman, Arthur Wickson, Andy Ault, Paul and Jane Goldring, G&C tours, ATI Holidays, Hunter Hotels, The Royal Portfolio, Natasha Breed, National Geographic Channels International, Beyond Productions, Mark Vinall, Toyota, Global Initiatives, Andy Thompson, Canon and the list goes on. My friend David Pluth who sadly passed away recently, was eager to see the site finished and always supported us with his wonderful images that are featured throughout.

My wife Nina has been wonderfully supportive and I cant thank her enough for her input, opinion and tolerance as I have been burning the midnight oil night after night on this project.

However, the person that deserves the most credit for this project and is the driving force behind it is Craig Collett, my right hand man - he has put more hours of blood sweat and tears than all of us put together and without him, none of this would have been possible - his cool head and relentless understanding are admirable qualities - thanks my friend.

What we have is a great effort from all involved and I can’t thank everyone enough for their time, dedication and belief in this project.

See you in Africa!

HT

David Pluth

Sometimes things hit you so suddenly and make you realise that this life is short really and we must do what we dream of as soon as we can.

I was incredibly sad to hear that my dear friend, David Pluth (a renowned Image Collection Photographer for National Geographic and a passionate educator), had died on assignment in Rwanda.

(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/5551909/David-Pluth.html)

I worked with David on several projects and was proud to have had this opportunity. He was a great man to be around; passionate, dedicated, and Africa was flowing through his veins. To me he was a mentor, a colleague and friend a friend, and this world will miss his incredible eye through the lens.

We were only talking a few months ago and had been planning several photographic safaris to Uganda and Kenya with him David as the specialist photographer and educator educator. I will miss his support, guidance and friendship friendship. He died on the continent he loved.

Uganda Fishing Safari

We have just returned from an incredible 10 days at Murchison Falls NP in Uganda. It’s always a pleasure traveling with passionate people and Arthur Wickson was just that.

I took Dorothy and Arthur Wickson to Uganda five years ago and we had a wonderful safari: 10 days of gorillas, chimpanzees, tree climbing lions, giant forest hog and the list goes on. Arthur and I talked about a fishing experience in one of the most extreme fishing locations in the world, Murchison Falls, and last week his dream came true.

We spent seven days taking Arthur up and down the river fishing some of the most incredible locations Arthur had ever seen, and catching and releasing some of the biggest fish he had ever caught, including a 46 kilogram Nile perch!

Arthur’s passion is fly-fishing and this was very apparent as he was into it as soon as we got on the river. We motored up the river and arrived at the most spectacular scene on the Nile, the mighty Murchison Falls. We had only been there 25 minutes when Arthur hooked a wonderful 9 kilogram Nile perch on the fly and safely released it back into the powerful waters. His smile was ear to ear, and that was just the beginning of his 'boys own adventure'. We explored the river during the next seven days, catching incredible fish, seeing astonishing wildlife and finishing with champagne in front of the falls on our last sunset. This was all not to be upstaged by the leopard seen on a cliff on the way back to camp!

It was a great adventure and I look forward to having Arthur (and Dorothy) on safari again next year in Kenya and Tanzania for their 40 year wedding anniversary.

Heading for Uganda!

It’s midnight in London - we fly to Uganda in 6hours - I can’t sleep, its not worth it - its much more fun getting organised and sleeping in the sky.

We are heading for the Nile - we will be there for 10days and I will blog as much as I can. Murchison Falls NP - magical, unforgiving and incredible!

Uganda's largest national park protects a chunk of untamed African savannah bisected by the mighty river Nile.

It is named for the dramatic Murchison Falls, where the world's longest river explodes violently through a narrow cleft in the Rift Valley escarpment to plunge into a frothing pool 43m below.

Wildlife populations have largely recovered from the poaching of the 1980s; in the lush borassus grassland to the north of the Nile, elephant, buffalo, giraffe and a variety of antelope are regularly encountered and lion are seen with increasing frequency.

Let’s go! I’m running on adrenalin…

HT