JacqMaraisPhoto

Visual Perniccitiness & Trail Love Imagery from a life lived mostly in the Great Outdoors.

[jacquesmarais]

#RETTO2020 RACE DAY 🔥🙌🏻 The #BloukransBoogie ... this is without a doubt the seminal moment of @otterafricantrailrun. The racers dread Bloukrans and you can see it in their facial expressions as they approach the leap of faith into the wild surge pounding in from the tempestuous Indian Ocean. . . These are just a few images from today's incredible race, showing the front of the field hitting the water. Loads more imagery to follow - stay tuned to all the #OtterTrailRun #SM platforms 👍🏻 . . #Retto2020 #trailrunning #Wesgro #gardenroute #nationalparks #guenergy #sonyalpha #sonyafrica #sony // All images shot on @sonyalphasa #A7riii (at Plett Beacon House) https://www.instagram.com/p/CHA48JGJUYm/?igshid=151v0x196biia

[jacquesmarais]

#RETTO2020 CHALLENGE Year #12 .. that is just about a lifetime of photographing the @otterafricantrailrun. Yet, every edition offers an incredible new - and very different - adventure. By now, I remember specific rocks along the way, and sometimes even stop to have a chat with a few of my favourite @sanparks #gardenroute trees ... . . That is the thing about #OTTER: it is a true wilderness marathon, and you literally traverse the edge of one of the most pristine marine protected areas in all of Africa. Inland, fecund riparian forests blanket the ridges, with views from the trail on par with anywhere else on the planet. . . Today saw the #OTTERChallenge field face off against #Bloukrans, which - despite the odd surge and wave - seemed in a rather good mood. In so many ways this is a trail that should not be raced, but rather experienced while you reconnect with nature ... this is where you will discover where the true stoke of the #grailoftrail lies rooted 🍃💙🌊 . . #ottertrailrun #trailrunning #Wesgro #gardenroute #nationalparks #guenergy #sonyalpha #sonyafrica #sony // All images shot on @sonyalphasa #A7riii . . A huge thank you to old friend @tonykinahan for putting us up at the brilliant @plettbeaconhouse. It really is like a home from home 🙏😊 (at Plett Beacon House) https://www.instagram.com/p/CG8J4w6Jsbt/?igshid=15asa3yza46pn

[jacquesmarais]

View this post on Instagram

More than a decade at the top of South Africa's #trailrunning Bucket List! That's the incredible @otterafricantrailrun, presented by the crew at @magneticsouth_events, and it is once again charging your way this week 🙌🏻 . . The #Retto2020 Prologue and #Challenge will see world-class runners take on the reverse route from #NaturesValley from Wednesday, with the #Race following on the weekend. With all #COVID19 restrictions in place, the route via @sanparks #gardenroute national park will most likely see Saffers occupying the podium steps. . . Get your exhilarating race updates by following the #OtterTrailRun on their various #SocialMedia platforms 🙌🏻 . . #Otter2020 #trailrun #grailoftrail #magneticsouth (at Garden Route National Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGzwC79phhy/?igshid=1qm3vgk8n8w6k

[jacquesmarais]

This is Sunny. He is a German shepherd and anyone who has been to Point in #Jbay will recognize him right away. Sunny belongs to Oom Robbie, one of the old guard surfers here, and she loyally stands guard on a shallow reef, all the while waiting for her master to finish his dawn surf session. Our trip to #Jbay was all about #FamilyStoke,and there is nothing quite like it. We swapped the rugged mountains of #baviaanskloof for the @kougamunicipality coast, where a booming swell was predicted to roll in (this, according to @robert.marais & his plethora of #surf prediction Apps). And boy, was this surfer boy right! Points. Shallow reefs. Banks. Beach breaks. Wedges ... we surfed them all. The #Jbay breaks worked six days out of seven, with The Robster styling Supers and Tubes (both a bit beyond my personal pay grade). The cherry on top was a gut-thumping final morning of 6ft walls on the Kitchen Windows backline, with only me and @hilanamarais out on #dawnpatrol. Connecting with my parents and siblings, and a whole bunch of old (and new) friends was an added bonus. Because, in the end, it really is all about reconnecting with your tribe 🙏😊 Now it is homeward bound for two days before returning to the #gardenroute to shoot @otterafricantrailrun with the @magneticsouth_events crew. So pleased that this premier #trailrun is back on the calendar (because trail-runners are family, too, my Bru)! #KougaTourism #Kouga #surf #ottertrailrun #magneticsouth #grailoftrail (at Starfishsurfhouse, Jeffreys bay, South Africa.) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGxN_s1pD_D/?igshid=19d2xpjxzd8i4

[jacquesmarais]

I bought a tiny @djisouthafrica #djimini early in 2020. Around the size of a fattish Cape sparrow, this is about as backpackable and non-invasive as a drone can get. The images below are the last visual harvest from this tiny little fly-machine with makulu-skop, after a raptor at #CedarFalls decided it resembled a rather stupid bird. Said falcon made short shrift of the drone as it hovered in the airspace above one of the rugged #baviaanskloof gorges, striking it disdainfully and shattering it in a dozen pieces. RIP, my magical aerial friend :-( Moving on. The photos recovered from the drone's SD Card do one thing: they capture a gargantuan vastidiousness (yes, I know this is not a word) within this World Heritage Site wilderness space. The #trailrunners participating in last weekend's @leopardtrailrun literally become a real-time #WheresWally puzzle as they recede to miniscule specks within the unrelenting natural grandeur. Serrated peaks, convoluted gorges, mountain meadows, shimmering rooigras ridgelines, shard-shattered scree slopes, kloofs awash with restios sedges ... there's so much more to this space than just the 3-day stage run. Utter nature immersion awaits in a hideaway world where visitors will discover Shamanic San rock art; a meandering #mtb trail and flow-track; wild horses roaming upon grassland plains and mind-expanding breathing space ... Book 2021 now with @ecobound_adventures 🐆 #ECOBOUND #ecotourism #leopardrun #leopardtrail #Kouga #KougaTourism #polarsa #polargritX #IsuzuSA #TheresWorkToDo #SpotAfrica #GetLostStayFound #CoreMerino #naturalwool #djisa #flydji #oZoneAfrica #AndBreathe (at The Leopard Trail) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGm6NfMJrq5/?igshid=1foh9satg0kd2

[jacquesmarais]

View this post on Instagram

So cool to collaborate with @ozone.africa & @mtbroutes on this new series of regular #mtbroutes #TrailBlogs. This week's post focuses on one of my favourite #backyardrides, the @gvbconservancy 🚲💙 . . | MTBROUTES |#GVBCONSERVANCY . . Go get some #VitaminG(VB)! Here's a huge #High5 to the fabulous #singletrack traversing the @gvbconservancy near #Heidelberg in the untamed #ExplorersGardenRoute. This means less crowds and way more kickass riding; this is why I often head to @strawberryhillfarm on my @giantlivrsa #Anthem to plug into their 140km of purpose-built #MTB trail network 🙌 . . Not many spaces in #SA can compete when it comes to land access, safety & riding stoke, not to mention #acrossthebars views! If you’re not sure where to ride, get in touch with @aileenoutside, a local #mountainbike guide, or just hit the well-marked trails for a solo #adventure of note. . . Easy access to a range of great accommodation establishments – such as #StrawberryHillFarm & Grootvadersbosch Farm – means you can #bikepack, go #XC on shorter cross-country jaunts, or get stuck into a serious mountain #enduro session. Follow the Links in post for more info on #grootvadersbosch & Hessequa. . . #mountainbiking #GiantLivRSA RSA #GiantBikes #RideGiant #LIVGIANT #LivRide #RideLife #oZoneAfrica #AndBreathe (at Grootvadersbosch Conservancy) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGRucqeJT6W/?igshid=1jilmjtnc4h5h

[jacquesmarais]

View this post on Instagram

The #AnnieGoesHome Story has been so popular, I've done a quickie #ShortFilm on her trip to the 'Human Hospital' 🐢💙 . . Yesterday was such a kiff day, because I got to play #TurtleTaxi in the @isuzusa #isuzuMUX for #TwoOceansAquarium @aquariumfoundation. Yup, Annie the #LoggerheadTurtle had to go in for a checkup, & I was the lucky dude who got to drive her there for a #CTscan. The reason she needed the procedure is because she sometimes swims around the #TOA Tank with her bum in the air (which is why she is affectionately known as #BubbleButt to some volunteers) 😊 . . According to CEO @maryke.musson, “there may be some air trapped in her body cavity, or otherwise she is just one very gassy lady”! Well, the results are in and we can safely say the scan did not show anything of concern. In fact, she is one “strong, feisty and healthy sea turtle”, and therefore good to go back to the #BigBlue 🌊 🌊 🌊 . . Annie arrived at @2oceansaquarium after being rescued from a #ghostfishing net by #nsri, and fortunately is a real survivor. Dedicated care by the #TurtleRehabTeam has seen her gain weight (and attitude!) over the past 12 months, and the next step in her incredible journey will be to return to the ocean. The date has not yet been confirmed, but she'll be released into the deep, warm-water currents off #CapePoint, where she will say a final goodbye to her humans. As usual, the team will make sure she is fitted with a tracker so that we can see exactly what she gets up to on her ocean travels. . . The #AquariumFoundation is a registered non-profit & public benefit organization - visit www.aquariumfoundation.org.za for more info on our impactful programmes. . .   #AnnieGoesHome #MarineConservation #TurtleHeroes #nsri #searescue #sonyza #hellosonyza #sonyalpha (at Two Oceans Aquarium) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGFegIUJaxW/?igshid=cpoq11wbr6am

[jacquesmarais]

View this post on Instagram

The aroma of mountain buchu & wild rosemary on the morning breeze... A surround-sound symphony of black swifts shrilling , punctuated by the occasional screech from a peregrine falcon... And the first rays of the sun painting #FalseBay in a hundred amber hues ... . . That's all part of the deal when you join @mikewakeford on a #dawnpatrol ascent up the east face of #ElsiesPeak. Everything goes, from gnarly traverses & big-exposure ridgeline scrambles, to some of the top #tradclimbs on the planet. This peak's history timelines back to beyond the 20th century, with some of SA's most legendary climbers honing their skills upon these heart-stoppingly gorgeous cliffs. And how cool to sip our morning #coffee with a view of #DreamStreetRose, arguably one of the most epic trad climbs in #africa 🌍 . . You don't want to attempt any of the Elsies scrambles or routes on your own, though, for a whole host of reasons. Firstly, you may succumb to #MoronVirus and kill yourself, or waste precious resources in getting #MountainRescue when you get stuck on a flakey route. More importantly, this is an extremely fragile mountain environment and you don't want to destroy the delicate ecosystem eking out an existence here upon the edge of the bay. Rather book a solid mountain guide like Mike, who will enrich your experience a hundred-fold. . . The #TopGear Awards of the day go to my @vibramfivefingers & @vivobarefootza shoes, @ihfproducts #PolarGrit watch, the @groprosouthafrica #MAX360, my @core_merino base-layer, @sealandgear pack & the @ocun_za shorts. More info and bookings at www.guidedbymike.co.za (at Fish Hoek, Western Cape, South Africa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CF-qsu3pICt/?igshid=10b54ndyu74a5

[jacquesmarais]

Holy Moly... Yesterday was such a lekker day, because I got to play #TurtleTaxi with the @isuzusa #isuzuMUX for the amazing #TwoOceansAquarium @aquariumfoundation. Yup, Annie the #LoggerheadTurtle had to go to the #HumanHospital, and I was the lucky dude who got to drive her there for a #CTscan to ensure she is 100% ready for release later this year. The reason she needed the check-up is because she sometimes swims around the #TOA Tank with her bum in the air (which is why she is affectionately known as #BubbleButt to some of the volunteers) 😊 🐢 . . According to CEO @maryke.musson, “there may be some air trapped in her body cavity, or otherwise she is just one very gassy lady”! Well, the results are in and we can safely say the scan did not show anything of concern, except excellent improvement over the last year. In fact, she is one “strong, feisty and healthy sea turtle”, and therefore good to go. . . Annie arrived at @2oceansaquarium after being rescued from a #ghostfishing net by the #nsri, and fortunately she is a real survivor. Dedicated care by the incredible #TurtleRehabTeam has seen her gain weight (and attitude!) over the past 12 months, and the next step in her incredible journey will be to return to the #BigBlue. The date has not yet been confirmed, but she should be released into the deep, warm-water currents off #CapePoint, where she will say a final goodbye to her humans. As usual, the team will make sure she is fitted with a tracker so that we can see exactly what she gets up to on her ocean travels 🌊 🌊 🌊 . . The #AquariumFoundation is a registered non-profit & public benefit organization - visit www.aquariumfoundation.org.za for more info on our impactful programmes. . .   #AnnieGoesHome #MarineConservation #TurtleHeroes #nsri #searescue (at Two Oceans Aquarium) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFx2cOWJsBW/?igshid=14rvw1o6v3tpl

[jacquesmarais]

View this post on Instagram

Who said you can’t #Ride AND #Braai on the same weekend!? Here's your chance to get your #raceface on at the annual @paarladventure #FlatRockFest #MTB Event, with a whole range of route distances to choose from … click here to check out the 40km Event Route on our #MTBroute site >>> https://mtbroutes.co.za/routes/flatrock-festival-2020-40km/ Plus, you can WIN Big: just (1) SHARE this Post, (2) #Tag a friend you’d like to ride with and (3) #Subscribe to our #MTBtrail Updates! The winner will be announced on www.mtbroutes.co.za & our #SocialMedia Pages. PLUS! You will not only receive FREE ENTRY for two people to the event, but will also bag 2x #PIZZA Vouchers, plus 2x FREE #DayPasses to access the #mountainbike trails for a lekker day of bike play – the total value is over a R1000! Enter now or get more info at >>> https://paarladventuretrails.co.za/event/flatrock-festival-mtb/ #MTBroutes #FlatRockFestMTB #mountainbiking #paarladventures (at Paarl Adventure Trails) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFtijm1JAqd/?igshid=zos9wy9qzlzl

[jacquesmarais]

View this post on Instagram

We live in a truly wonderful and incredibly diverse country 💙 On our @beyondexped #BeyondLockdown Expedition, driven by @isuzusa, we traveled to every province throughout SA, and it was such an amazing privilege to experience so many amazing cultures, each in their own right 👍🏻 . . Amazing stories shared; hundreds of handshakes and hugs; miles of mind-blowing landscapes; and beautiful friendships shaped ... all while experiencing this breathtaking #adventure playground we get to call our #SouthAfrica! . . HAPPY #HERITAGEDAY to all of you brilliant people! And once again, Thank You #IsuzuSA for making this journey possible, and to the @dunloptyres rubber for safely taking us there! . . #WITHYOUFORTHELONGRUN #Isuzu #DunlopTyresSA #TakeTheRoad #frontrunnerza #BornToRoam #SpotAfrica #GetLostStayFound #BeyondExpeditions #playlocal #staylocal #travel (at South Africa Cape Town) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFgqY0YJ9x-/?igshid=p9fro9ti2n82

[jacquesmarais]

View this post on Instagram

When last have you plugged into the #greatoutdoors to re-energize your mind, body and spirit? We discovered some superb #SwartlandSecrets on our @swartlandwineandolives Route adventure with the @ozone.africa crew, and @fynbosestate is just one destination not to miss. . . Great to have @zaneschmahl, @densen.magaisa & @paolapalmira on board for this sneaky #roadtrip to the hideaway #paardenberg ranges to explore the diverse wineries, top-class cuisine & kickass #adventure playground, all within an hour from #CapeTown. Best of all, we got test our grippy @altrarunningza shoes, @firstascentsa apparel and all the @outdoorwarehouseza kit! And as always, we had the @ihfproducts #polargritx to track every facet of adventure. . This photo captures the superlative views from atop #dragonridge, where some rugged off-track #trailrun options abound. Go and support #SAtourism - #playlocal and #staylocal! . . #swartlandwines #wine #olives #travel #staylocal #playlocal #swartlandsecrets #visitsawinelands #oZoneAfrica #AndBreathe (at Fynbos Estate) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFeKQ0Dp29_/?igshid=bgbuva562h12

[jacquesmarais]

Such a pleasure doing #adventure stuff with your own family and friends. And in your backyard, nogal... This cool mission in the #CavePeak ridge above #KalkBay takes you through the mountain via the #Boomslang Cavern system. So lekker to have all the kids and the @mayestribe crew with me and @maraiskaryn 👌🏻😊 🙌🏻 . . Long exposure tripod images, , exposed for 30sec on @sonyalphasa #A7riii, and mounted on the @3leggedthing, while light-painting with @extreme_lights head torches. Play together and stay together 💙 . . #sony #sonyza #hellosonyza #ormsdirect #ishootwithorms #3leggedthing #oZoneAfrica #AndBreathe (at Clovelly, Western Cape, South Africa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFNdTXsJPc6/?igshid=7ekde4jtyyxh

[jacquesmarais]

View this post on Instagram

If you're a #mountainbiker, this has to be top of your list when next you crank onto the @swartlandwineandolives Route in the #Swartland Tourism Region. The mind-blowingly beautiful @retreatguestfarm in #PiketBoBerg is an absolute @piketbergtourism gem, and boast top quality #trails for #hiking, #trailrunning and #MTB 👌🏻 . . I can't wait to take my @giantlivrsa mountainbike back here to #staylocal and #playlocal in one of the Western Cape's top #outdoor destinations. Best of all, @orgderac_estate and the stunning @moorreesburgkoringberg Trails are right next door ☀ 🍃🌾 . . #swartlandtourism #swartlandwines #piketberg #travel #staylocal #playlocal #swartlandsecrets #visitsawinelands #oZoneAfrica #AndBreathe (at Retreat Guest Farm) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFJhV6Spxpe/?igshid=dquhs9gnyxso

[jacquesmarais]

It's well past midnight after a nonstop day in the @piketbergtourism Region while exploring the endless delights of the @swartlandwineandolives. We've arrived at the mind-blowingly beautiful @retreatguestfarm in #PiketBoBerg on this journey through #Swartland Tourism Region, part of our #staylocal and #playlocal road trip with @isuzusa, and I'm dead for bed ... . . I'll just leave you with these kickass images of the breathtaking #adventure landscape awaiting you at this off-the-grid #outdoor space. Loads more images of our visits to @orgderac_estate, @desertrosefarm and the stunning @moorreesburgkoringberg Tourism Trail to follow soon ✨ 🍃🌾 #swartlandtourism #swartlandwines #travel #staylocal #playlocal #swartlandsecrets #visitsawinelands #oZoneAfrica #AndBreathe (at Retreat Guest Farm) https://www.instagram.com/p/CE_ChB_pwFJ/?igshid=1craucwssuto1

[jacquesmarais]

When you're in the #Swartland Region, you may just find yourself starting your day well before dawn, and with a #boerewors braai, nogal. And if you're with the guys from @aabadenhorst, chances are good the boerie will be served up with a knertsie of #rooiwyn on the side ... This is how we rolled yesterday as we tripped this surprising heartland on another #staylocal leg of the @isuzusa #BeyondLockdown journey in support of #SAtourism 😊👍🏻 . . Our continued exploration of the @swartlandwineandolives took us from Paardenberg to glorious @kloovenburg.estate for delectable wines and exceptional olives, before we lost ourselves in the mountains above @fynbosestate to explore one of only two true granite mountains in the Cape. Diverse wines, culinary delights and insane adventure await tomorrow as we meander into the @piketbergtourism area to meet more of the laidback & lekker people of the #SwartlandTourism Region 🍃 🌾 . . And Happy-Happy to honorary #Oom @zaneschmahl on his birthday. He's pretty feisty still for 48 🙌🏻🙌🏻 . . #swartlandtourism #swartlandwines #travel #staylocal #playlocal #swartlandsecrets #visitsawinelands #oZoneAfrica #AndBreathe (at Fynbos Estate) https://www.instagram.com/p/CE8a_j1pM5K/?igshid=o4dn4x0lb708

[jacquesmarais]

Just when you thought our @isuzusa #BeyondLockdown Expedition was done and dusted, there's this ... Hello, #SwartlandTourism! 🙌🏻 👌🏻 I've met up with @zaneschmahl (and @densen.magaisa & @paolapalmira for a sneaky #roadtrip onto the @swartlandwineandolives to explore diverse wineries, top-class cuisine & hidden #adventures, all just on an hour from #CapeTown. We'll be posting loads more on the laidback & lekker people of #Swartland Region as we explore their stunning back roads over the next few days. These photos capture a fraction of the utter gloriousness of #Day1 at @pulpit_rock_winery & @aabadenhorst Family Wines. I've not mentioned the pit-fired #agave tequila, the unique #floral biome or quirky characters, but right now, there's #grenache and #pizza waiting, and apparently we're having a sunrise breakfast boerie braai (with wine) 🙌🏻 #swartlandwines #wine #olives #travel #staylocal #playlocal #swartlandsecrets #visitsawinelands #oZoneAfrica #AndBreathe (at A.A Badenhorst Family Wines Kalmoesfontein) https://www.instagram.com/p/CE4z7uIpbi0/?igshid=opcezhlu11cu