#WinterWater 1 | Blou Klip Borrels | Captured from the Blaauwklippen stream which runs through @kleinood_farm - for the launch of @kleinood_deboerin’s range of terroir-inspired parfums.
This was made over a year ago, and was part of a slow and deliberate process of actualisations in my own life. Such a special project - working with those I love, on a brand I love…
•
•
•
•
•
#Parfum | #Parfume | #Parfüm | #Parfumerie | #HandMade | #HandCrafted | #Natural | #NaturalIngredients | #Terroir | #TerroirParfum | #TerroirParfumes | #Kleinood | #KleinoodFarm | #DeBoerin | #DeBoerinOfKleinood | #Stellenbosch | #VisitStellenbosch | #Bubbles | #SlowMotion | #SloMo | #SloMotion | #MadeInSouthAfrica | #ProudlySouthAfrican
Possibly the most rewarding project I’ve ever been involved in from concept to completion - bringing @kleinood_deboerin’s Winter Water parfum to life in a digital format.
As a starter, the subject matter. Winter water, or the concept of it, captured in an evolving aromatic tapestry by my wife, @melissa_de_villiers, and Mom - the two de Boerinne of @kleinood_farm.
Knowing they’d disappeared down a rabbit hole of sensory abstraction and produced something so beautiful together - it was hella scary having to produce any form of creative extention to what was already so carefully considered and passionately produced.
Anyway - long story short - there was also no budget, and I am still so stoked about that. Content was shot on the fly, in the moment and completely immersed. The subject matter wasn’t hard to find but we did get lucky with frost in the Klein Karoo and snow outside Sutherland - both shot through a modified magnifying glass.
Other times Melis and I really went looking for it and hiked our way through a torrential downpour to experience the Witte in full flood high above the Bainskloof Pass.
A standout would be looking for a lost cat and finding a moment of inspiration in the reflections of droplets falling in the torchlight in an abandoned construction site. It made the final cut. Like I said - tight budget.
There’s very little cinematography involved in the little edits and I definitely didn’t direct a single moment of it, which is probably why I am so extremely contented with the resulting 49 seconds of moments I can remember, and now also wear, for the rest of my life.
#MAILDAY | HUGE unboxing of fly fishing- and outdoor gear from my extended stream-team, as we tackle the change in season with new plans, dreams, and strategies - you can watch the full clip on my YT channel (same name - link in bio).
Massive love to @reelflyfishingza, @grit_equip, @stroftfishinglines and @softscience, along with those not featured tonight, for their continued support.
I still have a ways to go - talking in front of the camera, unboxing stuff, speaking off the cuff. But I’m working on it, getting better (slowly) and want to thank you for bearing me, the derailed trains of though, the “ums” and “ah” and the technical difficulties (I finally figured out the GoPro was above the heater all along…)
Please stay tuned for some special missions showcasing these epic products along with significantly beter content from my side. Chat soon!
S
•
•
•
•
•
#FlyFishing | #FlyFishingGear | #FlyFishingTackle | #FlyRod | #FlyRods | #FlyReel | #FlyReelPorn | #FlyReelCollector | #Unbox | #Unboxing | #UnboxingVideo | #UnboxingVideos | #FlyFisherman | #OutdoorGear | #KeepItReel | #CapeStreams | #FlyFishingSouthAfrica | #SouthAfricanFlyFishing | #GritEquip | #Honoured | #Grateful | #Fortunate | #FlyFishingLife | #FlyFishingAddict | #FlyFishingJunky | #TheTugIsTheDrug
When all else fails - huck a hopper down stream/wind and let it land with a “plop”!
This was my first session with @reelflyfishingza’s new 8’8” 2wt Origin which released just in time for the Cape stream season to close! 😂 I had two days with the rod, paired with a classic Clicker Reel, also from the Origin range. The one day, this day on Raven’s Crag, was a complete blowout and it was late in the afternoon that I arrived back at home pool, disgruntled and calling all favours…
Wind ripped down the valley, the water was icy with the surface all chopped up, and the sun was failing. I had not seen a dry fly, let alone a terrestrials, let alone a rise, all day - and I only carry dry flies on the streams. Dilemma!!
I think I decided to go with a hopper as it would have been the only thing I could see over the wind-chop, and yes - there were some great potential lies under the trees had the weather and light just played along.
I had a strike on my first cast, which I was completely not ready for and missed. Immediately after - same fly, same cast, same spot and another explosion the moment the fly touched the water. I let it rest for a moment before putting in the cast you see in the video. A sloppy one, made lazily and more focussed on the strike to follow - the rest’s just a blur of fun.
I’ll post more about #ReelFlyFishingZA’s new Origin 2wt at a later stage - it really is a fantastic rod that I can’t wait to flex in small streams all over South Africa and beyond.
In the meantime I’ll slap the raw footage up on my YT for your viewing pleasure.
Stay tuned!
•
•
•
•
•
#Flyfish | #Flyfishing | #Flyfisherman | #FlyfishingLife | #FlyfishingJunkie | #FlyfishingAddict | #PecheALaMouche | #PescaConMosca | #Muskareni | #Fliegenfischen | #FlueFiskeri | #FlueFiske | #VliegVissen | #Flugfiske | #🎣 | #LeagueOfGarmin | #CatchAndRelease | #FlyfishingPhotography | #FlyfishingPhotographer | #TheTugistheDrug | #CapeStreams | #CapeStreamTrou
You can’t script this - EXACTLY the reaction we were looking for! 😂 Full video pinned in my bio - it’s safe to say I stuck to this fly for most of the day and, despite losing this smallish fish, landed a beaut of a small stream ‘bow to wrap things up…
•
•
•
•
•
#Flyfish | #Flyfishing | #Flyfisherman | #FlyfishingLife | #FlyfishingJunkie | #FlyfishingAddict | #PecheALaMouche | #PescaConMosca | #Muskareni | #Fliegenfischen | #FlueFiskeri | #FlueFiske | #VliegVissen | #PeixeVoador | #Muharjenje | #Flugfiske | #нахлыст | #PesceVolante | #CatchAndRelease | #FlyfishingPhotography | #TheTugistheDrug | #CapeStreams | #CapeStreamTrout | #RainbowTrout | #TroutOnFly | #YouCantScriptThis | #PerfectTiming | #RainbowTroutFlyFishing | #FlyFishingSouthAfrica | #SouthAfricanFlyFishing
Nothing beats a pleasant surprise, and there are few more pleasantly serendipitous surprises than going fishing on doctor’s orders…
An afternoon well spent in nature, on a stretch of water that feeds the very essence of my being, away from scary possibilities and harsh realities.
A week has flown past since I decided to slap this edit together, but a LOT of other things have also popped up (hence my delayed output on the clip). I guess I’ve just had to really lean into the notion of reframing uncomfortable truths without denying their reality. I still am, and theres a fair ways to go…
I have made references to (my) mental health in the past - Victor Daeseleire and I made a short film about it (I’ll pop a link in the comments) - but I think it’s time I start unpacking my experiences with more depth and consistency.
Without being all strange about it, I can honestly say I have a bit of a story to tell and a journey to share. And that my only real reasoning behind doing so is to possibly, hopefully touch a life with some advice, guidance, a sense of acceptance or simply a glimmer of hope.
There will still be plenty of adventures, exploring, discovering, learning and fishing along the way, and I most certainly won’t bombard you with motivational memes going forward, but if I can somehow do my bit in destigmatising mental health issues or making the subject easier to acknowledge (let alone discuss) I’ll consider it a job well done.
I am very fortunate to have such a great community who have only ever been supportive. I hope, by taking this dive, I can add even more value to your experience of Facebook as a platform.
Stay tuned - good things are coming!
Much love,
Spicer
Reel Fly Fishing | Orial Outdoor | GRIT EQUIP
#LeagueofGarmin | Garmin Outdoor
“Small stream rainbow trout caught and released” just wouldn’t justify the wild ride this little fella took me on one late afternoon on the Smallblaar River some months back - Beat 2 if I remember correctly. Starting with the exhilarating take from a sneaky lie right in front of me through to a desperate scramble to save a life, other fish jumping, other species pulling in, and finally a safe release - I’ve had better, I’ve had worse, but this one definitely ticks a lot of boxes. I’ve dropped the full video on my YT channel with more deets in the description. If anything I hope it illustrates how important it is to me, and many other fishermen, to release their catch as strong and healthy as possible, and that it takes as much priority (and often as much time, cursing and grey hairs) as the act of catching itself. Lovely hearing the Reel Fly Fishing Origin Clicker Series reel singing, even in a pool this small. Hope you enjoyed watching!
…and people still ask me why I release ‘em.
•
•
•
•
•
#Flyfish | #Flyfishing | #Flyfisherman | #FlyfishingLife | #FlyfishingJunkie | #FlyfishingAddict | #PecheALaMouche | #PescaConMosca | #Muskareni | #Fliegenfischen | #FlueFiskeri | #FlueFiske | #VliegVissen | #PeixeVoador | #Muharjenje | #Flugfiske | #нахлыст | #PesceVolante | #CatchAndRelease | #FlyfishingPhotography | #FlyfishingPhotographer | #TheTugistheDrug | #CapeStreams | #CapeStreamTrout | #LetThemGo | #LetThemGoSoTheyCanGrow | #RainbowTrout
It’s been a long, tough, weird-feeling week. I’ve struggled with literally every facet of my being - body, mind, soul, spirit. There’s a lack of cohesion, direction, purpose. Or rather, it feels that way…
Clips like this one, from a dream of a morning on the streams with @findingfrancois, remind me that it’s not always going to be this way. In turn I must remind myself that it can’t always be THAT way…
There’s a quid-pro-quo here that I must come to terms with. There are other facets of life that need to be kept in order, nurtured, attended to, managed or straight-up, plain ol’ bushdived through for it to all come together in the end. I must learn to look for the satisfaction that comes with the small steps leading up to special moments, and I must embrace the fact that the more in order my house is when these moments arrive the more I get to enjoy them.
Body | Mind | Soul | Spirit
Sounds daunting, but really it’s hardly that.
Body: Probably due to medication, I am eating very little. I am working on losing weight, so I don’t mind too much. However, I must make sure my body gets more than caffeine and dinner so I can stay sharp and productive. This makes me feel better.
Mind: I have too much on my mind. ADHD turns a timeline into one pressing urgent alarm bell, and a 3D experience into a 2D one. Everything is happening here and now, right in front of you - be it tomorrow’s admin, general finances, a scary meeting in a week’s time, Christmas shopping or a small operation in a day or two - they’re all playing out here and now in my head and emotions. I must extend my timelines and give my self space. Boundaries are not just for other people. They count for me too. There is only so much I can expect of myself.
Soul: Ah gots to feed mah soooooul man! I’ve been isolating, stinking thinking and dodging real connection for 2 weeks now. I think I started opening up again yesterday. Coupla phone calls, coupla messages, a family dinner - s
SOLIDLY set myself up for that one - ooeeff! I rate the last sentence of the clip cuts off before I get round to saying “…my dignity”, - and now that’s gone too.
STILL figuring this vlogging thing out. Still stuck on a new edit of an old edit of what was supposed to be vlog number 1. Still struggling to compose shots and condense thoughts while busy with other things. I think the communal operative word “still” will make it worth it in the end. The first one’s going to be terrible, but I’m slowly getting better and I guess that’s what counts.
I’ll be falling around in rivers till I get it right…
•
•
•
•
•
#FishingFail | #FishingFails | #FlyFishing | #FlyFisherman | #FlyFishingLife | #Fail | #CapeStreams | #Holsloot | #CapePiscatorialSociety | #Vlogger | #Vlogging
Haha! I SOLIDLY set myself up for that one. As we say in Afrikaans: “Slim vang sy baas…” And while we’re on Afrikaans: “Toe sien hy sy gat in die Holsloot”. To finish my last sentence in the clip: “…my dignity.” #fishingfail #fishingfails #fishing #flyfishing #fail #fails #failvideo
BLACK SPARROWHAWK | RESCUE AND RELEASE…Fella flew into the tasting room like a bat out of hell on the tail of a Laughing Dove. Still as neurotically focussed as these single-minded maniacs can be it killed the dove and started plucking it. Only then did it notice where it was, freaked out completely not finding a way out and managed to get a bit dung up and concussed in the process. Catching it was easy - it was already loopy and exhausted.With these birds, stress plays a major, major role in their health and can manifest in anything from death due to overheating to death due to heart attack. And it can happen in minutes. They are very highly strung raptors - so the best thing to do is pop ‘em in a somewhat confined (lessens risks of wing injuries) dark space with good ventilation in a quiet room in the house. The only intrusions were for watering with a soft pipette which worked great. Letting him go to fly off in good condition the next morning made for a very special mixture of emotions.
RARE EXPERIENCE | Black Sparrowhawk release after 12h rehab…
Fella flew into the tasting room like a bat out of hell on the tail of a Laughing Dove. Still as neurotically focussed as these single-minded maniacs can be it killed the dove and started plucking it. Only then did it notice where it was, freaked out completely not finding a way out and managed to get a bit dung up and concussed in the process. Catching it was easy - it was already loopy and exhausted.
With these birds, stress plays a major, major role in their health and can manifest in anything from death due to overheating to death due to heart attack. And it can happen in minutes. They are very highly strung raptors - so the best thing to do is pop ‘em in a somewhat confined (lessens risks of wing injuries) dark space with good ventilation in a quiet room in the house. The only intrusions were for watering with a soft pipette which worked great.
Letting him go to fly off in good condition the next morning made for a very special mixture of emotions.
Iris Opening At Night: One of many from the past few weeks for an exciting campaign launching soon! Lotsa effort and hours condensed into a couple of seconds of such spectacular beauty. The final result makes it all worth it and I am mesmerised by the fragile elegance.
Confession: This clip has been reversed. The flower that’s closing was actually opening up and the inverse for the big fella up top. Just playing around with some editing…
Observation: I do, however, find it awesome that a plant can direct different signals for different actions to different parts of the same plant at the same time…
•
•
•
•
•
#garden | #gardenlove | #gardenlover | #gardenlovers | #gardenloversofinstagram | #instagarden | #instagardeners | #instagardener | #flower | #iris | #irises | #irisinbloom | #irisesinbloom | #irisesofinstagram | #flowertimelapse | #floweropening | #floweropeningtimelapse | #timelapse | #moonlight | #moonlightsonata
Dry fly + small Cape stream + 1wt Reel Fly Fishing Origin Rod & Reel setup + precision cast = 😏 #flyfishing #dryflyfishing #troutflyfishing #southafrica #visitsouthafrica #thetugisthedrug #fishinglife #fishon
•Elandspad•16/10/23
The Cape streams have been so good to me, and despite promising myself I’d keep all footage for vlogs (yeah, I’m attempting that now - going terribly) I just had to share this one brief moment from high up the Elandspad Stream. In my element…
Report:
- Water Temp: 14*C
- Fish Landed: 8
- Bass: None
- Full Vlog: Coming Soon!
RAW Richtersveld like you’ve never seen it before! Domorogh Pass, both ways, during flower season ‘23…
I guess this is an apt post to make after almost 10 months of not posting at all - there’s definitely a metaphor involving rocky roads and beautiful views and so on and so forth in there somewhere. But we’ll leave it at that. For now.
In the meantime, here’s some unedited footage, straight from the GoPro, showing just how beautiful the flower show that was Richtersveld ‘23 turned out to be.
The best in decades? The best in a lifetime?
Either way, both Melissa and I had our minds blown by the diversity, quantity, colour and contrast. It really was, and still is, hard to process, absorb or communicate.
Th Domorogh Pass connects the upper plateau area of the Richtersveld with the Gariep River valley and was originally built by hand by a small handful of local men to create an access route down the small escarpment for their livestock to move between the winter and summer grazing areas. The pass is 1,4 km long and has an altitude variance of 139m, producing a steep average gradient of 1:10 with the steepst parts being at 1:4.
Despite being the shortest pass in the /Ai/Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, it is viewed by many as the most technical. The car I was in, however, made easy work of both inclines and declines - allowing me to enjoy the views.
Car: 2020 Landrover Defender 110
Camera: GoPro 8 Black
If you’ve read this far, thank you very much! Should you feel inclined, go ahead and like this video and follow my page. I’ll be upping quantity and quality over the next few months, touching on various topics ranging from the hard road of addiction recovery to the wonderful road of being unrecoverably addicted to adventure in its many forms…
Much love,
Spicer de Villiers
Some fun moments taking the @toyota_sa Land Cruiser 78 Troopy Wagon from sea-level to the tippy-top of a beautiful pinnacle headland with @davidbrits_ during a recent foray up the Westcoast of our beautiful South Africa…
Only one minor hitch when I went a bit too far left on a section, fearing a side-slip on to a jagged rock on the right. The rest was like a knife through butter…
Despite the fun ride, and beautiful view from the top, it was unfortunate to witness the devastating impact unchecked surface mining is having on this untouched coastline. Everything @protectthewestcoast stands behind rings incredibly true and what is happening needs to be stopped - from the governmental tenderpreneurs granting prospecting right for dirty cash to Australian mining conglomerates treating ecologically - and historically relevant locations as their personal piggy-banks. But, more on this at a later stage - I won’t stop “digging” (excuse the pun).
📷 @goproza / @gopro
⚙️ @toyota
•
•
•
•
•
#ProtectTheWestCoast | #SaveTheWestCoast | #Weskus | #WeskusBeskus | #ToyotaTroopu | #TroopyLife | #Troopy | #TroopyAdventures | #4X4 | #4X4Life | #OffRoad | #VisitSouthAfrica | #ProudlySouthAfrica
Swimming with Salmon | A few brief, icy cold moments shared underwater with the elusive Atlantic Salmon of the beautiful Flowers River. It feels like a lifetime and a universe away, but these quick seconds are etched in my memory for ever…
•
•
•
•
•
#SalmonOnFly | #SalmonFishing | #NewfoundlandFishing | #FlyfishingCanada | #AtlanticSalmon | #NewfoundlandLabrador | #VisitNewfoundland | #Canada | #VisitCanada | #WildCanada | #AtlanticSalmonFishing | #AtlanticSalmonFly | #AtlanticSalmonFlyfishing | #🎣 | #🇨🇦 | #FlowersRiver | #FlowersRiverLodge | #SwimmingWithSalmon | #Flyfish | #Flyfishing | #Flyfisherman | #FlyfishingLife | #FlyfishingJunkie | #FlyfishingAddict | #🐟 | #CatchAndRelease | #FlyfishingPhotography | #FlyfishingPhotographer | #TheTugistheDrug | #FlueFiske
