The concept was simple, perhaps criminally so: A full twelve hours, from 05h30 until sundown, planted at Shingi Dam. This was meant to be the ultimate test of observational guiding and mental endurance.
If you’re going to sit still for half a day, you’re counting on high drama to keep you paying attention. The dam certainly delivered that in the early hours. We had the classic start of a casual zebra breaking the ice, followed by our eagerly anticipated, towering, and highly vulnerable process of a giraffe coming down to drink. It’s a serene spectacle that.
Then came the true payoff, and the reason you commit to the stillness: two magnificent shifts of elephants. The noise alone, the resonant gargling and spraying, is the ultimate reward. That is the magic that happens when you sit and wait.
The remaining hours, however, were a masterclass in stillness. The waterhole decided to take a very long lunch break. The mid-day narrative became about the tiny details: the bird calls, the ripples, and the occasional scramble to shelter our gear under the legendary beach umbrella when the rain arrived. It was a firm reminder that the bush doesn’t care about your filming schedule.
The point was to witness the ecosystem’s full cycle, from sun-up vulnerability to the long afternoon lull, and take whatever story Shingi dam decided to offer.
Enjoy this Virtual Safari…
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The last surviving cub of a litter of three, he is on the cusp of independence.
Dear Sean, a nice different virtual safari, and thanks for your patience. Love the tortoise.
Thank you so much, Jutta.
Wow, Sean, congratulation! You’ve really more than earned your badge for extreme patience. Sitting a whole day in the same spot, at such a nice and promising waterhole, is exactly what I would love to do – one day. However, the point is that if there was something really interesting going on in another part of the area, I couldn’t sit still any more for one second because I would like to watch then interesting action.
But if I were a guide and had all the time in the world at a place like Londolozi, I would love to spend a whole day and also an hour or two of the night in such a place.
I was at a hide, a year so go from 5:30 in the morning till 10. It was really great because there were so many different birds coming, a tiny owl catching a red-billed quell. And all kinds of mammals, antelopes, jackals, elephants you name it, so it was a great experience. Staying in such a hide during the night would also be fantastic.
We are fortunate to be able to have the time out here to do things like this. It was hard to resist teh temptation to move on and go to some of the sightings, but thankfully we stuck it out. Often the action tends to happen early on in the morning, birdlife is a big one.
Sorry for the typing mistakes in my first comment.
Genius idea!
Thanks so much.
Hi Sean, what an intriguing video, to sit and wait at a water pool is the best, looking at all sorts of creatures that come to drink, swim and are busy nearby. I loved the bird’s nest and the branch falling down, that’s the moment when you say, there you are! Elephants are always spectacular , the giraffe drinking and poliandric jacanas swimming around. The Shingi male is definitely born to be Londolozi ‘s top model!
Thank you so much, Francesca. It was a great day and lots of little highlights. I agree, the Shingi Male is a handsome young fellow.
Hi Sean, wow that was a long 12 hours of absolute patience and stillness. Congrats for fulfilling your goal. It was a day of plenty different birds, which is also important. Loved the 🦒 giraffe and Zebra and elephants 🐘 as well. Pity Shingi male or his mom did not come have a drink of water. But nevertheless it was a good day.
It was a good day and we will definitely be doing it again and next time hopefully we have a predator come down for a drink.
That was quite a challenge you set for yourself, 12 hours spent at one place in the reserve. What I found the most interesting was the absence of any mammals during the middle of the day, and that actually makes sense given it is summer, warmer temperatures and some rain did fall. Your challenge did illustrate why drives are set up for the early morning and late afternoon hours when animals are more active. I did enjoy seeing the variety of birds that spend time at the dam, as well appreciating you adding their species name. If I had to admit how many I identified immediately, my score would be barely passable…. More bird watching needed! Personally I don’t mind spending a couple of hours in one place waiting to see what might appear, nor do I mind being g out on a 5-6 hour drive, but 12 hours is definitely a test of endurance so I congratulate you and your tenacity.
You are spot on there, Denise. Drive are structured that way for a reason. I think the weather also played a big part in what we saw. I think on a hotter sunny day, there might have been more activity from the general game, such as impala, wildebeest, zebra. As well as the birdlife. But because it was overcast and cool, animals were less desperate for a drink.
What a test of patience! Snaps to you for sticking it out. I’m always happy to see giraffes, and one drinking is even better, so that was lucky.
Thanks, Chelsea. It was a true test of patience, but it was such an epic experience. The giraffe drinking was a huge bonus.
Sean, congratulations on accomplishing your goal. That’s a really great video and a reminder of how special just being in one space can be on Safari. We were especially impressed with the quality and detail in your video. The equipment you’re using is very impressive. Hope you’re having a great holiday!
Thank you so much, Michael and Terri. I have focused a decent amount now on the footage, and it is less so about the gear I am using but more so about how I am using them.
I hope you also have a marvellous festive season.
I would LOVE to do that! But with a picnic! You def need a new ‘brelly’?!
Yes, a picnic is the vital ingredient. I did have a few things with me, but they weren’t worth highlighting. The brolly still did the job and works perfectly fine, it is just rather dirty.
This is one of several ideal safari days for me! The thought of being out in the bush, with nobody around, a good book and a picnic makes me want to jump on a plane right now. I would prefer no rain, but Mother Nature decides on what she will provide on any given day. Thank you Sean.