Michael Wilcox is an all round adventurer with years of experience in the outdoor space.
His introduction to hiking and the love for nature happened at the early age of five when he started joining his father on fishing trips to the coastal regions of the Cape of Good Hope section within the Table Mountain National Park. This included hiking through the fynbos to reach fishing spots at the water’s edge. He remembers playing in the rock pools of the intertidal zones as well as catching “klip vissies” (small rock fish) there.
In later years he went on to join a swimming club, become a water polo player and a lifeguard. The aquatic activities further expanded his love for the ocean. In fact, he spent over 25 years of his life volunteering as a beach lifeguard along the False Bay coast, as well as volunteering as a crew leader on the Cape Town Helicopter Surf Rescue service.
Soon after getting married, Michael and his wife Bridget embarked on an extended backpacking venture across Europe and the Middle East. Over time the two of them have been fortunate to travel to and experience 25 different countries around the world.
It is this love for nature, the outdoors, hiking and travel that made for perfect ingredients to become a Cultural Guide, an Overnight Off Trail Mountain and Adventure Guide, and to register a Tour Operator business called Tusk Adventures & Tours.
Here are some of Michael’s achievements over the years:
- Special interest in Fynbos (indigenous vegetation of the Western Cape province)
- Special interest in the indigenous seasonal flowers of the Cape West Coast and adjacent interior, Cederberg, Namaqualand and the Northern Cape
- Special interest in coastal regions and intertidal zones
- Special interest in KhoiKhoi and San culture
- Special interest in San Rock Art (cave paintings)
- Special interest in politics, colonial and apartheid history
- Special interest in shipwrecks and lighthouses
- A registered Regional/Provincial Cultural Tourist guide:-
(Northern Cape, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Kwazulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and North West provinces)
- A registered National Overnight Off Trail Adventure Mountain and Wilderness Trekking guide
- Certified by the Cape Wine Academy
- Member of the Cape Tourist Guides Association
- An experienced hiker, mountaineer and adventurer (over 40 years)
- Hiked in Lesotho, Spain, Portugal, Scotland, Israel, France, Greece, Switzerland, Germany, Namibia, Mozambique, Australia, Bali and all over South Africa.
- A trained Wilderness First Aid responder
- Experienced Rescue Mountaineer
- Responder at Delta Search And Rescue
- Responder for the Western Cape Wilderness Search And Rescue (WSAR)
- Volunteers alongside members of the Western Cape Department of Health
Emergency Medical Services, Helicopter Rescue, Technical Rope Rescue, Off Road Rescue,
K9 Search And Rescue, Sea Rescue and other emergency crews
- Trained on the International Emergency ICS (Incident Command System)
- A trained volunteer Tourism Trauma Support Worker
- Certified category C freshwater and marine offshore boat skipper
- Founder, co-ordinator and guide at ECO Mates Environmental Outreach Project
- Volunteer Safety Patroller at Table Mountain National Park
(SANParks)
- Volunteer guide at Table Mountain National Park (SANParks)
- Past representative at the Table Mountain Safety Forum (SANParks)
- Holder of a Professional Driving Permit (PrDP)
- Representative at the Table Mountain National Park (SANParks)
– Park Forum
- Ad Hoc safety officer and rescue mountaineer with Wilderness
Logistical Support Services at outdoor, hiking and trail running events
- A weekly studio guest on a Cape Town Radio station talking about “The Great Outdoors”
- Volunteered as a duty beach lifeguard for more than twenty five years
- Past squad leader at the Cape Town Sea & Surf Helicopter Rescue
service (approx 10 years)
- Past member of Western Province Lifesaving elite helicopter response team
- Past Climbing Convener of Cape Province Mountain Club
- Past Safety Officer at the Table Mountain Hiking Challenge
- Past Chairperson of the Hikers Network
- Past coordinator at the Hikers Network Rescue unit
- Past manager at SafetyMountain Tracking
- Past safety advisor at The President’s Award Youth Empowerment program
- Past guide at The President’s Award Youth Empowerment program
- Past convener for Lion’s Alert Disaster Response
(Lion’s Club of Kirstenbosch)
- Past member of City of Cape Town municipality
Disaster Risk Management unit
- Past Captain at Alpha Surf Lifesaving Club
- Past Equipment Officer at Alpha Surf Lifesaving Club
- Past competitor for Western Province Surf Lifesaving Union team
- Holder of numerous competitive lifesaving and rescue awards
Be out and be safe
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