Words by Danielle McDonald
Images by Konrad Raubenheimer
Yesterday I jumped in a river at sunrise, rode a horse, swam in the Atlantic, got bitten by an unidentified beastie, and got serenaded in a house from the seventeenth century. All in a day’s work, they say. One of the best things about my job is that Hi-Tec sends me on assignment around South Africa to find inspiring people whose Hi-Tecs get them outside. I get to meet the most incredible South Africans, go on adventures with them, and spend enough time with them to cut past the small talk.
Maybe they inspire something in a reader too.
The Kalk Bay Mermaid
“Welcome to the Kalk Bay way of life” says Gita Amber Carroll as we stand on the beach in the rain at 06:30 AM. The sun isn’t even up yet.
Being a morning person is a thing here in Kalk Bay. People get giddy about the sunrise and even on this drizzling morning a solo free diver enters the water in her bikini. We are also here for a swim. It’s still raining and Gita is taking off her Hi-Tec Desna Waterproof jacket. People on this side of the mountain are strange. But it’s strange in a cool way.
There’s a big sense of community here and people know each other and care about each other and their bay. Kalk Bay is a good fit for a girl like Gita.
A few years ago, she started her own company, The Good Machine. It’s the perfect name! Their mission is to figure out how we, as humans, can do better. Working with people and companies with a conscience, The Good Machine designs impactful solutions that bring them and non-profits together to help make a difference.
With a company that reflects her morals, she finds her Chi in nature. That’s why we’re out here swimming through the kelp at six in the morning.
Finding Balance
On the other side of the mountain we meet Nicole Wyngaard. Let’s just say that life didn’t deal her an easy hand, but this lady knows how to pick herself up in any situation.
By day she’s in heels working a corporate job in the city. By night she’s in an apron with her baking company branding on – You’ve been baked. But it’s not just a hustle. She’s baked to raise money for charities. She’s helped mom’s prepare for bake sales. She’s given cupcakes to the Red Cross. Somebody even threw her a parade for her charity work. A parade.
And on Wednesdays and Saturdays she summits. Because Nicole loves the mountains. She loves being outdoors, and that energy high you get from making it to the top. And don’t think she breaks a sweat- this girl is seriously fit!
Being who she is, she started Trail Life SA a few years ago: a free hiking club for anybody who lives in Cape Town and doesn’t want to hike alone.
Her group gathers and you can feel the energy and excitement. These guys didn’t know each other when they started, but they’ve conquered mountains together. They giggle and joke as they prance up to the King’s Blockhouse, following Nicole in her bright pink Hi-Tec V-Lite Ox Trail Racers. A quick selfie at the summit and we start descending. Looking down on Cape Town The Trail Life SA crew start getting excited about their next trip: invigorated, tired, and inspired.
The Wanderer
We drive to the West Coast to meet Gerald Clark. This is his favourite place in the world. I love his song about Elandsbaai and he even hopes to get married there one day. That’s pretty cheesy for a traveling blues man, but it’s adorable!
For Gerald there’s only ever been one path and that was to follow the music. He has that impossible voice that silences crowds and scratches at your heart. When you listen to him you understand why people say some music has soul.
Gerald’s has been on the road for more than 20 years, traveling through Southern Africa from town to town, gig to gig, campsite to campsite. He once took his bakkie on the road for a year and just camped wherever he went.
For Gerald, travel is life and it all comes together in the outdoors. His search for the remote has been his driving force for the past couple of years. These days he lives in the Czech Republic, and finds a strange joy in ice swimming and hiking in the snow. His Hi-Tec Altitude 3 Hiking boots have seen more than most. I can tell he really misses South Africa, but there’s a great big world out there to explore and someone’s gotta do it!
Hooked on Angling
Walking into Xander de Beer’s makeshift YouTube studio in his garage, past all the rods, medals, spinners and tackle, there’s a big poster that catches my eye: Ignoring your passion is slow suicide. Never ignore what your heart pumps for. Mould your career around your lifestyle, not your lifestyle around your career.
Xander’s been fishing since he was a little kid. He loves angling and sharing his passion with anyone interested. In 2016 he did the unimaginable and left his finance job to pursue fishing full time. Apparently it’s an option, mom. He named his company after his late father’s boat: Zoo Look Fishing. Most days he takes enthusiasts on angling trips: fishing for specific species or specific sizes and he preaches catch-and-release. In 2019 he started sharing his experiences and techniques on YouTube. The channel exploded, and is now more than just a marketing tool. Yet another career path no-one told us about.
I meet Xander in Stilbaai, fishing with one of his biggest fans – little Rhynard from George. Rhynard hooks a Hammerhead which Xander helps him pull out – bounding over the rocks in his Altitude Infinity Boots like a trail runner.
Nine years old and so inspired by Xander that he’s already started his own Fishing YouTube Channel: Hart Plans. I like that there’s a spelling mistake in the name – he is 9 years old after all.
Definitely also moulding his career around his lifestyle.
Visit Hi-Tec https://hi-tec.co.za/ to shop for your next adventure.
