‘Watch your footing’, I repeat to myself over and over again as we make our way down from the high peaks. The pieces of millennia old basalt rock that litters this part of the Drakensberg range gives way and cartwheels down slope all around me with every step. The dogs look back at me every 50m or so with disgusted looks of ‘What’s the hold up? Hurry up!’
It’s dark. It’s cold. The wind cuts through my clothing as if I was naked. It’s hard work counting birds, plotting the coveys with the GPS, and understanding their habits as best I can. It is hard country to do it in. But it is undoubtedly beautiful work though. I cannot take a paying client anywhere without having some sort of understanding of the bird populations or the lay of the land. And while the season may be grinding to a halt, the dogs and I are already prepping for next season. This is key to our success I believe.
You have to live it. You have to be obsessive. In these times of isolation, I go into an almost flow-like state with the dogs. This is another aspect as to how I know I am meant to be doing what I do. The days melt away as if they are one long, enjoyable day. The world needs more people doing what they are meant to do. It gives the world a certain glow I believe.
As I get to the valleys bottom, I know that we still have to negotiate crossing the Three Drifts River to get to where the vehicle is. Luckily the moon casts a light blue, almost silver like glow that illuminates just enough to see my footing. I come around a bend in the sheep path and am greeted with Aera and Baggio drinking from the river, amongst the soccer ball like rocks. In the blue, silver glow from the moon, it was something like a scene from a movie. My mind is immediately transported to the movie White Fang – my favourite as a boy, and all of the adventures and scenes Jack London conjured up for me in that movie. I can’t recall how many times I watched that movie as a boy, daydreaming to live a life like that. And when I think about it again, my life is not too far off from that, and that makes me proud in a humble way.
Not disappointing the 13 year old version of yourself is quite something. And I believe we can all do that. It just takes courage, a lot of self belief, and maybe even more obsessive commitment.
Always chasing the horizon.