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Category ArchiveDay hikes

Professional Tour Guide

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

 

 

 

 

World War 2 military outpost

A hidden gem

The Western Cape South Africa has so much to offer in terms of history, including ruins and remnants of battles and  World wars.
Forgotten buildings such as these can be visited by booking a day tour with us. The guest will enjoy scenic drives along the coast and over mountain passes, a short hike, wine tasting at an estate or two, a leisurely boat trip, local cuisine and more.

This building was constructed for use during World War 2 to guard against German U Boats and other naval vessels which were considered to be hostile to the “Allied forces”.

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This fort was armed with two “16 pounder” guns which were mounted on carousels in a way that they could be rotated to face their intended targets. 



Some of the operating instructions that were painted on the walls can still be seen today.

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The bunkers, change rooms, arsenal and workshop is situated at a lower level beneath the main structure.




The plinths where the two diesel generators that provided the electrical power once stood, can be viewed as well.
About 50 meters above this section is the “lookout” from where the operations were controlled. From here there was  a good view of the guns and across False Bay.

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The canter levered roof of this lookout was designed without supports in the front, and is still good today.


You are welcome to contact us for tours or excursions such as these. Let us arrange a memorable day’s fun for your group. All you have to do is sit back and relax in one of our air-conditioned mini busses.

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