The "boys" are back again!

 Somewhere along the line, my son and Ruhan’s son must have overheard us talking about our hunting plans, because two months before the hunt, we received a WhatsApp message from them, basically inviting themselves along on our yearly hunt in Victoria West.

The last time the two of them joined us on this hunt was back in 2019.

At one point, we were almost certain that there would be no hunting trip this year, as so many things were up in the air. Our “normal” hunting weekend around the 9 August holiday had already been booked by other hunters, and things at work were also a bit chaotic.

In the end, we basically ignored all the noise and just went for it. With the boys coming along, there was quite a bit of extra gear that needed to be packed.

Sharpening the pocket hunting knives:

Shooting a few rounds at the range to make sure the rifle was still shooting accurately:

I left my car with someone in Willowmore, thanking them with a bag (or two) of fresh citrus. You also can’t beat a late mandarin as a snack while hunting in the Karoo.

Keeping two young men well fed can easily become a challenge, so I baked a fresh sourdough loaf just before we left. 

Ruhan and Lucille sponsored all the food for the weekend, and I must say, there was certainly no shortage of it! It was just one good meal after another throughout the weekend. Thanks again, guys !!

Finally, the day came and we were on the road again. A quick mention must be made of the lower tyre pressure for better handling on the dirt roads. 😉

The Karoo was GREEN and wet . . . . but later more on the "wet" part.

No road trip is worth it's salt without a proper braai somewhere along the way.

The perfect "braai-broodjie":

The first night, after everybody arrived safely on the farm, there were lots to discuss and plan. The "kuier" lasted till 01H00 in the morning. 😄😄

Catch & Cook

 

For a really long time, I had this idea of doing a "catch and cook" at the seashore. As mentioned in a previous blog, if you are counting on fish being caught, take someone that "CAN" fish! That person for me is my friend Ruhan and we went for a day trip to Shark Point on a "catch and cook" mission.

It's been a while since we had the opportunity to go on an adventure outing like this and we are planning to make the most of it.

Ruhan is taking his fishing gear and myself is catering for the food prep, drinks and snacks.

It's a beautiful morning when we set foot from the parking lot in St Francis.

Our first order of business is gatheting some red bait from the rocks to catch fish with. Low tide greatly assisted with this.

While Ruhan was getting bait, I saw some nice sized black mussels and collected a few for a possible starter or side dish.

We also saw this huge alikreukel in a rock pool.

We continued to the spot Ruhan had in mind to fish. On arrival, I made coffee to have with some (Eileen) biltong. When Ruhan started fishing, I got busy boiling the black mussels.

They were just done cooking when I looked up and saw Ruhan's fishing rod bending vigorously. 

FISH ON !!

He landed this very nice Galjoen, the perfect fish for a catch and cook on the rocks.

Ruhan continued fishing, but I set off to start prepping a spot we eyed on the way there that looked well sooted for a fish braai on the rocks.

Gathered some firewood from the nearby area.

When Ruhan joined me again, the fish was cleaned and we salted and layed it out on the rocks to "dry" for a bit.

For a veggie side dish, I brought two small sweet potatoes. Cut and boiled in the titanium pot with gas.

The fire:

A little rock pool close to the fire supplied amusement from baby shrimp and rock fish performing some sort of pedicure.

By now I know how Ruhan like to braai fish, so I packed some butter, a peace of foil and a small braai grid.

Ruhan added the cooked black mussels to the fish on the grid.

The boiled sweet patatoes got foil wrapped and also put near the warm coals to develope that caramelized taste.

Fish on the coals, some good vibes from the JBL speaker and waves crashing on the rocks a mere few feet away. 

The final "catch and cook" result:

This tasted even better than it looked!

"Catch and Cook" successfully ticked from the list 🤩🤩

Ran out of gas (setback), but not a problem with these titanium pots. With just a handful of tinder, you can boil water for that final cup of coffee.

Heading back after an amazing day in nature. Another "one for the books"

Vicky Wes RESET

What work for electronics, also work and is sometimes vital for us humans too. Yes, now and again, we all need a hard reset: unplugging completely from the daily world and it's relentless routine.

Its hunting trip time for me and close friend Ruhan !

Our rendezvous point changed a little this year, from Uniondale to Willowmore.

Ruhan and his wife stayed over in Willowmore in a guesthouse the previous night. Before departuring, we went for breakfast at a cozy coffee shop in Willowmore, called KAPOET

They serve my absolute favourite coffee. . . .condensmilk coffee !!

I also found a pair of Mohair socks in Kapoet that just might come in handy for the extreme cold weather forecasted.

The drive to Victoria West is, as always, an event on its own, with loud music and lots of treats 🤭

Special mention should be made of Ruhan's trusted 3L KZTE Toyota bakkie that was "overhauled" and "revamped", just before the trip. This trusted steed was already part of so many of our trips, and now, who knows how many more to come?

But . . . Time for an ice-coffee stop 😉

Later, a proper braai stop 🔥

The BEST braai broodjie ever !!

(Only just managed some photo evidence before it disappeared 🤣)

Because of the cold and windy weather predicted, we opted for the "stoep" of the farm house to set up camp. It's like "the best of both worlds", a bit outdoorsy, but with some indoor facilities close at hand.

Each year when we walk into the "veld" for that first time, I have the same thought: WILL we, and WHERE will we find springbuck to even have a shot at? The area consist of vast open plains, and you literally look into far-off distances filled with nothingness. 

Then we just start walking, one foot in front of the other, using the wind direction in our favour to stalk pray we can't even see . . . . yet. 

But each year we make it work and we do succeed 💪

We stalk on foot, we crawl if need be, we take our time, we make tripple sure of distance and wind before we take the shot.

It's calculated, it's patient, it's presice, it's clean, it's instant and humane.

Apart from the seriousness of the hunt, we also enjoy our time in nature with picnic-like breaks.

["Picnic-like breaks" refers to rest periods that share the characteristics of a picnic: they are generally informal, relaxing, social and often involve food and drinks enjoyed outdoors or in a casual setting away from a primary workspace]

A highlight on the meal menu this year was Stokbrood.

[Stokbrood (Afrikaans/Dutch) for "stick bread" is a popular, traditional snack or side dish made by wrapping strips of bread dough around a stick or skewer and cooking it over a braai or open campfire until golden brown and cooked through. It's a social food, often enjoyed while gathered around the fire. The inside can be filled with butter, syrup, jam or even boerewors once the stick is removed]

We filled our stokbrood with honey that tastes like candy floss!  This honey comes from Ruhan and Lucille's own bee hives they farm.

I know you can taste that right?!! 😆😆

As the sun sets peacefully over the Karoo koppies, another great adventure comes to an end.

Till next time . . . . .