Apprentice Trails Guides Week 2
Where did two weeks of this course already go to?! Kian is here this week to bring you the musings and activities of week two of their Apprentice Trails Guide course
Week two of our Apprentice Trails guide course started off with another bang!!
We all set off early at 6.30 in the morning at the beginning of this week, to head to the outdoor Advanced Rifle Handling (A.R.H) shooting range. Our first day at the range was used to practice the drills for the exercises that we need to cover for the Advanced Rifle Handling qualification. This was the first time all of us had handled a .375 caliber rifle.
Shooting the rifles for our first time was something out of the extraordinary.
The next day came round, and this was the day where we all started shooting the rifles, going through the exercise drills, using live rounds. Excited and ready we all took on the tasks ahead. Dominic was shot of the day and passed his A.R.H with his first attempt on each exercise. This was a huge accomplishment!
Wednesday arrived, with a beautiful morning ahead of us. Two Field Guides from Amakhala Game Reserve joined us on the range to get their own A.R.H qualifications. Speaking to them about their careers really had us all certain that we couldn’t wait to get out onto walks. The day ended with Tyler accomplishing the exercises, as well as Andrew and Brad, the two guides from the reserve.
The tasks required to pass and obtain A.R.H put us all to the test. Handling the rifles is a responsibility and learning experience we will never forget.
The A.R.H week ended off with three of the six of us on our Trails course, accomplishing the task with the rest of us yet to come, on Monday morning.
This week has really taught us all so much and the progress we made with shooting was unbelievable. With some of us never shooting before to where we are now, is an achievement alone. We are all so proud of one another. The support throughout the week was always there, with everyone trying to keep each other on their toes.
We ended off the week with an amazing elephant sighting late Friday afternoon. On Saturday morning, we had the chance to do some work for the reserve, having a session of sustainable living, helping to repair one of the areas on the reserve that the elephants are very interested in, and unfortunately, keep ‘breaking’ in to – this time they pushed over a big milkwood tree which we had to move away from the foundation of the building.
On the way home, we were then treated to one of the best cheetah sightings since we have had since we being on Amakhala Game Reserve, absolutely blessed to be a part of this guide training experience. – Kian
People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built. Eleanor Roosevelt