Old Canvas Expeditions
Specialist African Safaris - More than just a game drive

ROMANCING THE STONE
ADVENTURES IN THE EARTH SCIENCES WITH GERALD DAVIE

Gerald Davie has been a consulting geologist for over 20 years and has worked in Europe, Africa and the Middle East on a host of different projects ranging from coal exploration to tunneling jobs in the Italian dolomites. However his passion is Romancing the Stone and he has contributed a number of articles to his local regional newspapers and magazines on all things geological. He is also an author in his own right and has written guide books ranging from South African Battlefields to the South African Whale Trail.

Listen to Gerald being interviewed by Tim Neary of Radio 702 and Classic FM here.

The towering ramparts of the Amphitheatre from Golden Gate National Park

The World Heritage Site of uKhahlamba and the Golden Gate National Park has been selected as Old Canvas Expedition's geological home. The region is rich in geological history and has some of the most stupendous scenery on Earth. Moreover it is accessible with the right vehicles which is very useful for demonstration purposes.

So what is so great about South African geology? Well, we have the richest piece of real estate on Earth in terms or our mineral wealth. Our rocks are some of the oldest anywhere, with some of the first evidence of life to be found therein. The richest gold fields on Earth lie beneath the streets of Johannesburg. We have the best record of mammalian reptiles in the Permian rocks of the Karoo. Then we have the World Heritage Site of Vredefort Dome, the largest and oldest meteorite impact crater on Earth. The Drakensberg, again another World Heritage site, comprises nearly 3 km of volcanic lavas which poured out onto the Planet's face some 160 million years ago. John Reader wrote this of African geology in his fascinating book Africa -

Take a 1.1 billion year journey into the abyss of geological time by clicking here.

So what do you get when you book an Earth Science workshop?

• Access to some 25 years of geological training and experience.
• Knowledge of the area and access to sites not usually open to the public.
• Views of some of the most phenomenal scenery.
• An understanding of the mechanics which make our Earth tick, and how they affect you in the here and now.
• Depending on the course booked, you may get an adventure across the Roof of Africa and a flight along the Eastern Escarpment of the Drakensberg/uKhahlamba World Heritage Site
• Comprehensive course notes explaining basic geological principles and Romancing the Stone

These are phenomenal experiences and we invite you to sign up for one of our expeditions where you will learn a huge amount about the geological world and take the high road to adventure.

To read more about our various Earth Science workshops, click on the links below:

ROMANCING THE STONE
ADVENTURES IN THE EARTH SCIENCES WITH GERALD DAVIE