March 6, 2008
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January 2008 News Update
January 23, 2008
Hello!
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To all of our partners and friends. It is with sadness that we will be saying goodbye to Andrew at the end of January. He has been the driving force behind launching Cansaf and Creative Teaming into the South African market and building, what have become, excellent relations with so many of you! Continued here..
Some of our news from 2007!
The 2007 Zambezi Challenge - The most exciting White Water Event of the year! In October, the action below Victoria Falls reached a crescendo with some of the World’s top rafters and kayakers vying for the NyamiNyami Trophy… more.
Renaissance Capital “Safari Teaming Day” - Renaissance Capital held their 2007 Conference in Victoria Falls. Creative Teaming provided a day of “Creative Teaming” for the international financiers. The day was a huge success and… more .
Tim and Azlina’s African Wedding - Tim and Azlina Whetmore travelled all the way from Malaysia for their special day. We managed the whole wedding, including activities and fun events for the guests… read the full story.
Sponsored Golf Day - Creative Teaming International sponsored a hole at Elephant Hills golf course, at the annual Traders Cup, in aid of anti-poaching. The theme was “Hole-o-ween” and was a huge hit with the participants who had to dress up and play the hole in costume! View the pictures.
Anti-Poaching News in 2007 - V.A.P.U. (Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit) received a huge boost for their efforts in the form of an all-terrain Unimog type vehicle. It’s already proving to be indispensable to Charles Brightman and his team. Read Charles’ May 2007 Newsletter - Future updates will be posted here and on the blog.
Thanks for a fantastic 2007, and we wish you all the best for 2008!
- The Creative Teaming Staff
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Andrew Moving to Australia
January 17, 2008
To all of our partners and friends,
It is with sadness that we will be saying goodbye to Andrew at the end of January. He has been the driving force behind launching Cansaf and Creative Teaming into the South African market and building, what have become, excellent relations with so many of you.
Andrew and his wife Nikki with their three children Harriet, Drew and Holly, will be leaving for Perth, Australia, where they have a very organised and fruitful life awaiting them. I am sure you will all join me in wishing them the very best. We look forward to seeing Andrew back on many a trip both business and pleasure in the years to come.
In the mean time the proverbial “nose to the grind stone” will become even more “apt” for the rest of us at Cansaf and we remain at your service for any Group assistance in the Vic Falls, Livingstone and Chobe regions. Our contact details will be restricted to Andrew’s cell phone number in South Africa, for a period of time, however all of our email addresses will continue to operate as well as all contact numbers for our offices in the Falls.
We will be in touch with the new numbers for South Africa as soon as we have located suitable premises.
Please send any queries you may have on this restructure directly to myself.
Best regards
Robin Brown
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Showing on Supersport this Christmas!
December 21, 2007
The Zambezi Challenge (which Creativeteaming.com initiated and runs) is being aired on Supersport before Christmas 2oo7! If you have access to these channels be sure to check it out!
Thursday 20th December
2200pm SS1
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Friday 21st December
0230am SS1
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Saturday 22nd December
1030am SS1
2030pm SS5
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Sunday 23rd December
2230pm SS2
************
Monday 24th December
1500pm SS6
2230pm SS7
Posted in White Water Rafting, Zambezi Challenge, Zambezi River No Comments »
“Hole-o-ween” at Elephant Hills Golf Course
November 3, 2007
Cansaf Adventures (Creativeteaming International) sponsored the fourth hole at the Annual Operators Golf Day at Elephant Hills in Vic Falls. Not wanting to try and compete with the completely decadent efforts of the likes of Ilala Lodge etc. with their lounges and foot massages, we (true to form) took a slightly different approach.
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| Traders Cup 2007 - Album |
As it was nearly Halloween the hole was named “Hole-o-ween”, and players had to don halloween garb placed in loose piles at the tee box. After playing the hole in whatever skimpy costume they had for the most part squeezed into they were rewarded with a tot (or two) of Bloody Mary. Tee totallers (not those who totalled the tee - the other kind) were fed fruit juice and treated as equals by the staff (who happened to be a b-list celebrity flown in especially for the day and her flunkie brother!)
The hole was a huge hit and we won a prize without our celebrity having to give a single foot massage!
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Wild Dogs and the Zambezi River
August 23, 2007
On Tuesday 21st August whilst on a Zambezi Otter Trail (2 day 2 night canoe safari), Amanda Suart & Malcolm O’Neill together with our guide and crew had the unique pleasure of seeing Wild Dog at Chundu, about 25kms upstream from the Victoria Falls.
They witnessed the Wild Dog chasing Waterbuck on the riverbanks; the latter taking their chances with crocodiles rather than facing the Wild Dog headed for the River! The Wild Dogs gave up the chase and set back into the bush.
It was a great experience for Amanda and Malcolm as they had been really keen to see Wild Dog and had just spent 10 days in Botswana without seeing any. It made an already special trip “truly fantastic”!
Posted in Canoe Safaris, Wildlife, Zambezi River No Comments »
Renaissance Group Teaming Day
July 12, 2007
In conjuction with Shearwater Adventures, the Cansaf team took a large group into the Victoria Falls Private Game Reserve. The afternoon was a huge success with banking delegates from all over the World mixing in a bit of Creative Teaming with big game interaction and helping to further the relationships made during their company conference.
The tasks involved physical contact with Black Rhinos, and interaction with the “tame” Lion and Elephant at the reserve - there were trunks to be measured, paws to be inspected and possibly one of the most unique opportunities in the World - Black rhinos to be fed.
The day was rounded off with traditional food and dancing under a radiant African moon! Click the thumbnail below to see the happy delegates for yourself 
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| Renaissanc |
Renaissanc
Posted in Conferences, Incentive Groups, Teambuilding No Comments »
The Zambezi Challenge River Festival 2007
June 7, 2007
This years Zambezi Challenge (White Water Rafting and Kayaking Event) is scheduled for the 19th to the 21st of October 2007…
A Message from the Event Manager - Robin Brown, Cansaf Adventures
“This is without doubt the major White Water event in Africa. The thrills and spills from last year (2006) were a tribute to the competing teams who against the odds on this Wild River performed above all expectations.
I have no doubt that this year, with the event being held in October and thus the water level expected to be at its prime for the Commercial Rafting Experience we are going to see some spectacular action!
In October the water is expected to be reasonably low as Southern Africa comes out of its 6 month dry winter. The Zambezi in the Batoka gorge beneath the Victoria Falls is at its prime for Rafting and Kayaking at this level.
Rapids such as number 5 “The Stair Way to Heaven” and number 8 “The Midnight Diner” will be KICKING. We are getting some major interest from Rafting bodies from around the world and expect at least three continents to be represented at this year’s event”.
The event organisers are working closely with the International Rafting Federation offices based in Australia in getting the event registered as a Worl Series Event. This will still allow the event to accept entries from both Amateur and Professional Athletes.
Posted in Kayaking, Special Functions, White Water Rafting, Zambezi Challenge, Zambezi River No Comments »
Victoria Falls Anti Poaching Unit
May 21, 2007
Newsletter posted with the kind permission of Charles Brightman (V.F.A.P.U)
May 2007
It is with continued support from our valued donors that the Victoria Falls Anti Poaching Unit has been able to remain dedicated to the cause of conserving Zimbabwe’s natural resources. VFAPU currently has 12 scouts who actively patrol an operational area of approximately fifty square kilometres, which surrounds Victoria Falls and includes a section of the Zambezi and Victoria Falls National Parks.
As one can imagine, the poaching situation has been a serious issue in Zimbabwe, with levels of illegal hunting for the bush-meat trade higher than ever due to a combination of political instability, economic hardships, lawlessness and a growing lack of food security. Poachers are also targeting elephants and rhino regularly, selling the tusks and the horns for commercial gain.
The bush-meat trade currently poses one of the biggest threats facing wildlife in Africa. Research has shown that between 1.9 and 3.5 million tons of bush-meat is consumed in Central and Southern Africa annually. Uncontrolled illegal off-take of wildlife can have disastrous impacts on wildlife populations, including local extinction of some species. Bush-meat hunters often use wire snares, an indiscriminate and inhumane method that catches target species such as wild ungulates as well as non-target animals such as predators. The suffering caused by these death traps is horrific.
Snares and Poachers
However, due to extensive patrolling by VFAPU scouts, a total of nearly 18 000 wire snares have now been removed from the bush and destroyed. VFAPU members have been responsible for the continued arrest and apprehension of various poachers, ranging from ivory dealers to illegal timber merchants. In total, 186 poachers have been prosecuted to date.
Trees
Indigenous hardwoods continue to be of value to numerous curio dealers who are removing hardwood species in an unsustainable manner. The Mukwa (Pterocarpus angolensis), the Pod Mahogany (Afzelia quansensis) and the Leadwood (Combretum imberbe) are the most targeted species for carvings. Indiscriminate cutting of trees in state protected areas can easily turn these forests into deserts and drastically reduce the number and range of animal species present. Uncontrolled exploitation of these valuable tree species can result in loss of biodiversity and land degradation. The gathering of wood for fuel is especially prevalent in areas in close proximity to highly populated areas of Victoria Falls.
Education programmes
VFAPU remains committed to further community conservation awareness and education. A new project that we are launching is visits by young children from rural schools to several elephant-back safari operators, where these children can touch, feed and learn all about elephants, as well as learn about wildlife conservation in general. The children are asked to paint a picture depicting wildlife and what they have learnt, and these paintings are entered into a competition where the top three paintings will be auctioned off and the winners receiving appropriate prizes. Working with Environment 2000, we are also about to start two- or three-hour trips with schoolchildren to learn about local trees and herbs.
Uniforms and soccer!
With valuable support from donors, VFAPU has been able to establish a social soccer team and we have been able to purchase the necessary kit required. This has had a positive impact on the scouts and has certainly lifted team morale and spirit. Again, thanks to tremendous funding from donors, the VFAPU scouts have been issued with new sets of uniforms and can now present themselves in a smart, professional manner.
Funding has also provided us with the opportunity to conduct Game Scout training courses on subjects such as radio procedure, bush navigation, discipline and drill, tracking, arrest procedures, public relations and tourism and others being covered. On a recent course, all of the VFAPU scouts performed very well, each scout earning his Certificate of Competence with high marks being achieved. The next course planned shortly is a five-day First Aid Course, to be conducted by Medical Air Rescue Service.
Whilst poaching is and always will be an ongoing activity, VFAPU remains totally positive and focused in the fight against poaching. We highlight the positive efforts and results that we have and continue to achieve over the last seven years - just think of the potential saving of a number of mammals by having removed all those snares, or the gangs of poachers who VFAPU have forced out of business. Our pledge, from all of us at the Victoria Falls Anti Poaching Unit, is to strive forward in the fight against poaching and to do whatever possible and within our means to conserve our valuable natural resources. This work, however, is not possible without your support be it past, present or future. Let us continue to work together toward saving our wildlife for generations to come.
Thanks go to ALL donors who have supported the cause to date. With thanks to the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Tourism Police - Victoria Falls and the Victoria Falls Municipal Police.
Charles Brightman
Posted in Anti-Poaching, Wildlife 1 Comment »
