WIL
RHYS-DAVIES AND I had been meeting regularly many times since October
when Wil broached the idea of establishing a wilderness skills school
here in Cebu, Philippines. This is unfamiliar territory for me but
Wil assured me that the playing field now have never been more
healthy and very much favorable for us. We, he proceeded on, have
wide years of experience together and possess the special skills to
make this a reality.
Wil,
by the way, is from Wales and had been making a living for forty or
more years as an outdoors guide and teacher in the USA, the United
Kingdom, Hong Kong and here in the Philippines. He has travelled
extensively for most of his life through deserts and mountains;
jungles and cities; and in cold and desolate places. He loved to
visit places astride his touring bike which he referred to as his
“asawa” (translation: wife).
I,
on the other hand, had been exposed to the outdoors life for the past
twenty years as a recreational climber and, recently, as a bushcraft
and survival instructor and designing wilderness programs and events.
Like Wil, I cut my teeth early in adult life in the mil and had been
privileged to have been taught by a veteran grandfather as a little
boy and put these to good use to teach people about survival and
primitive-living skills.
In
the course of those meetings, we were looking for the proper name to
carry that wilderness school in the market. I settled for
“snakehawk” for a very special reason: When I was teaching in a
bushcraft camp in Mount Balagbag, Rizal from September 29 to October
1, 2012, two adult serpent hawks appeared on the second day circling
above me and I consider this a really really good omen.
Wil
seemed to be happy about the name on the position that he is born
under the year of the snake. I have worked under Wil in 2011 for Go
Wild Adventures and he is so pleased to offer me a partnership for
Snakehawk Wilderness Skills School. My partner will market our
school and our offered courses to prospective clients, help me in the
design of the training programs through research and do the actual
instructions himself.
I,
on the other hand, would put on all the necessary contents for the
website; create and design the training courses; record and make
financial statements; provide graphic designs for presentation slides
and give hands-on instructions in the field. Aside that, I would
identify and arrange the locations of the bushcraft camps, training
facilities and contact persons plus the necessary itineraries and
projected expenses.
Snakehawk
Wilderness Skills School emerged from the drawing table and offered
its first offering to the outdoors community: Basic Jungle Survival
Course. The campsite is Camp Damazo and scheduled on January 21, 22
and 23, 2013. Two overseas clients enrolled for this initial
training and they were Jon Green of the UK and Chris Perkins from the
USA.
The
campsite is located in a hidden nook of the Babag Mountain Range in
Cebu City and is a small tongue of flat ground wedged amid two small
mountain streams with thick jungle all around. Two water holes are
dug on the stream bed for our water needs. The area has an abundance
of dry wood and these soon will be fodder for our campfire.
First
day was used up for discovery hike from trailhead to camp; campsite
selection; tents and hammocks; knife safety; camp and personal
hygiene; survival psychology; practical fire making and fire safety.
Meals were cooked on conventional camp stove and on coals. Taps was
at 12:00 midnight after a long fireside conversation.
Second
day was another discovery hike into a foraging site and back; plant
ID; foraging; survival tool-making; cooking and dining implements
from bamboo; fire tinder; bow drill practice; bushcraft cooking
techniques; agave plant use demo; snares; water sanitation; trip
planning; route cards; and nocturnal hunting. Taps was observed at
9:00 PM.
Third
day was a forced evacuation scenario; forced hike from camp to
evacuation area; discovery hike from evac to Lanipao; plant ID;
cultural introduction; post-activity discussion; and socials.
Jon
and Chris had never been in a jungle environment and had never ridden
a motorcycle taxi and a public utility jitney. In the course of
their learning from Snakehawk, they have learned to appreciate the
environment.
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