From a world-renowned raconteur of adventure and personal triumph, a pioneering explorer who has completed three world firsts, a Great White Shark pundit, to an extreme adventurer who ran the Great Wall of China, be prepared for a winter of fascinating tales, lives less ordinary and incredible journeys at One&Only Cape Town.
Following the enormous success of a series of talks by famed Anglo Zulu War story-teller Rob Caskie held at the resort last year, One&Only Cape Town presents a series of inspired winter talks by a group of enigmatic personalities and adventurers.
Held between the months of May and September, each of these stimulating gatherings will include a talk hosted by a celebrated individual as well as a multi-course buffet dinner held at Reuben’s. The talks, using dramatic imagery, commence at 6.30pm and the cost for each, including the buffet dinner at Reuben’s is R255 per person.
An inspired way to entertain like-minded clients and friends, an opportunity to hear what makes society’s shape shifters tick and a great excuse to escape the winter cold, the talks vary between an hour and an hour-and-a-half in length.
MAY
Riaan Manser – www.riaanmanser.com
Over the past ten years, Riaan Manser has re-written the definition of tenacity and become the epitome of courage and determination. Riaan’s achievement earned him the title “OutThere Adventurer of the Year” 2006 and 2009, and his book, “Around Africa on my Bicycle”, became a bestseller. Riaan speaks passionately about his adventures, inspiring all who attend his presentations.
9 May 2013. Around Africa on my bicycle
What drives a man to attempt to travel around Africa on a bicycle? Listen to Riaan’s story where he took an astonishing two years, two months and 15 days to become the only person to travel through 34 different countries, experienced war-zones, jail time in Equatorial Guinea, taken hostage by Liberian teenage rebels…and all of this on two wheels, covering 36 500km.
10 May 2013. Around Madagascar on my kayak
Riaan’s second talk accounts his extraordinary journey in a sea kayak around the circumference of Madagascar, a 5000km and 11 month journey. The first person to circumnavigate the fourth largest island of Madagascar, his story will have you on the edge of your seat as he describes conquering extreme loneliness, treacherous conditions, encounters with sharks and Humpback Whales.
JUNE
Rob Caskie – www.robcaskie.com
Rob Caskie is an award-winning professional speaker, known for bringing explorations and battlefields to life – his expertise and extensive historical knowledge lying with the Anglo Zulu War of 1879 and early Antarctic exploration. His achievements have been internationally recognised with the honour of being invited to speak at the Royal Geographic Society in London where he spoke to a full house in September 2010 and again in September 2012.
4 June 2013. A Medley of the Anglo Zulu Wars – Battles of Ntombe Drift, Hlobane, Khambula and many more…
Admired the world over for his extraordinary raconteuring skills, KwaZulu Natal-based Rob Caskie brings stories from over a century ago to life in a goosebump-inducing way. His passion and knowledge for the Anglo Zulu War is without comparison and experts and the initiated alike will thoroughly enjoy his knowledge and story-telling ability. For this first talk Rob will be sharing lesser-known stories regarding the battles of the Anglo Zulu War as well as the death of The Prince Imperial of France and the capture of King Cetshwayo.
6 June 2013. Early Exploration in Antarctica 1910 – 1915
For his Antarctic talk, Rob will be exploring a collection of anecdotes and facts surrounding the early exploration of the region, the characters involved and the twists that help make the story of the race to the southernmost point in the world so fascinating. New information will be revealed about these explorers and the lesser known people who assisted them along the way. (Braam Malherbe will talk of his recreation of this great expedition on 10 September)
JULY
Chris Fallows – www.apexpredators.com
African born Chris Fallows is an expert on the Great White Shark and their hunting habits and was the first member of the scientific community to observe their breaching behaviour over 20 years ago. Chris has written a book titled, ‘Great White and The Majesty of Sharks’ which has sold over 25 000 copies and has worked with National Geographic, BBC’s Planet Earth, Discovery Channel and helped produce the Air Jaws series of shark documentaries. Chris is also a celebrated wildlife photographer and many of his breaching Great White Shark images have been seen worldwide in newspapers, magazines and television documentaries. Together with his wife Monique, Chris also owns and runs APEX Shark Expeditions which specialise in natural predation, breaching and cage diving in False Bay.
18 July 2013. Orca: Perfect Predator, False Bay and Beyond
Unquestionably the ocean’s most formidable predator, the orca is a pack hunter that throughout its range has specialised to feed on a variety of different marine animals. Not traditionally found inshore on the South African Coast, False Bay has in recent years seen a small pod of four highly organised hunters specialise in catching dolphins within the bay. Chris Fallows has watched these orca’s hunt on many occasions and shares his insights into the strategies they use as well as the incredible spectacle of watching how they run down over 1000 dolphins in full flight. Chris will discuss the strategies used in other locations around the world, from orca’s hunting salmon in Alaska to watching the orca’s beaching themselves in order to snatch seals off the beaches in South America.
23 July 2013. False Bay’s legendary Great White Sharks
Chris’ second talk will showcase the story behind and evidence of close to 1900 documented Great White predatory breaching events at False Bay’s Seal Island. With close to 50 international documentaries having been filmed with Chris, and the sharks as the leads, an opportunity to hear and see firsthand what these fascinating feats of nature entail will be memorable indeed. A story of these amazing creatures, the personalities amongst them and just what makes this population of Great Whites so special.
SEPTEMBER
Braam Malherbe – www.braammalherbe.com
Having received the prestigious Men’s Health Unsung Hero Award for 2010, Braam Malherbe is an extreme adventurer, international motivational speaker, youth developer, TV Presenter, conservationist and author of the best seller “The Great Run”. Braam leaves audiences not only inspired but empowered to embracing change as a process to greater personal fulfillment.
4 September 2013. Nothing is Impossible – Great Wall of China Run
Capetonian Braam Malherbe’s adventures began as a young boy when he would camp alone on the slopes of Table Mountain for the night. Fast forward to 2006 when he and fellow adventurer David Grier set off for China in a bid to traverse the entire length of the Great Wall of China – the first people in the world to do so. They ran the equivalent of a marathon a day for 98 days to complete the 4,218km wall from start to finish. Experts, such as Dr Tim Noakes, said it was an impossible feat, they proved otherwise. Listen to Braam’s story and how it shaped his life’s.
10 September 2013. Beyond Boundaries – Centenary Race to the South Pole
In 2011, together with Peter van Kets, Braam Malherbe undertook the ultimate extreme endurance expedition to represent South Africa in a Scott/Amundsen centenary race to the South Pole. Up against six nations, this re-enactment of the original 1910 ‘Race to the Pole’ took place in one of the coldest, driest and highest deserts on the planet. Unassisted and pulling sleds of 80kg’s, they covered a race distance of 768km plus a 120km acclimatisation trek, at a numbing average temperature of -40°C. They navigated white-outs, blinding storms and crevasse fields, finally assisting the British team to reach the Pole by carrying some of their weight. This is a story of extreme hardship, heroism and friendship at the bottom of the world.
To book for any of these talks, telephone 021 431 4511/5888 or email [email protected]
