Survival Ranger Course - June 2023 - Boswa Survival & Bushcraft Academy
Article written by: Cole Conway - BA | BPhil | Outdoor Adventure Coach | Photographer | Blogger | Youtube Vlogger | STASA Survival Ranger (BSR-23-108) & Instructor (BSI-23-18)
Disclaimer: Information provided in this article is written for enjoyment purposes from the experience of the writer. Readers discretion is advised
Imagine being stranded out deep in the
wilderness. Just you alone by yourself, with no other soul in sight as far
as the eye can see. The cellular network reception on your mobile phone
has flat-lined, later along with your mobile phone's battery life. All you have to survive are the
clothes on your back, a knife, a water bottle and fire steel. As each day passes
by, you start to feel your energy levels slowly depleting as you use up your
body’s last resources in search for signs of civilization.
To make matters worse, you have finished
your last ounce of fresh water from your water bottle that has kept you
hydrated thus far, but for no longer. Soon afterwards, you begin to experience
nauseating levels of increasing light-headedness and headaches, to such an
extent that your body begins to battle to perform even the most basic functions,
without stumbling about, like walking or even trying to stand up.
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| Yours truly busy cutting up wood for fire while undertaking the the Final Extreme Solo Survival Challenge |
On top of that, to add further insult to injury, it is the
dead of mid-winter, where the stillness of the evening air plummets to near frigid
temperatures. A cold, incessant wind cuts through your make shift shelter, like a sharp
blade cutting through a thin piece of paper, trying to sap every last degree of heat from
any exposed skin it can find. The cold damp ground acts
as a accomplice, in a deadly duo with the wind, slowly draining your body of heat, making the ability to sleep seem
more of an unattainable luxury than a necessity.
To most people, this would be one
of the most dismal set of circumstances to ever find oneself in. However, for
us candidates of the June 2023 Winter Intake, such circumstances would serve to
be the ultimate Rite of Passage to display both the physical and mental
fortitude needed to be become certified Survival Rangers, at the Boswa Survival
Bushcraft Academy, and later registered Instructors with the Survival Training
Association of South Africa (STASA).
BACKGROUND - BOSWA SURVIVAL & BUSH CRAFT ACADEMY AND FOUNDER
Founded in 2008, Boswa Survival
and Bushcraft Academy has emerged, through the years, as an elite survival
training facility that specializes in equipping candidates with the essential
survival and bushcraft skills needed to confidently endure and excel in any extreme
wilderness environment. Chief Survival Instructor, and Founder, Herman Roos, is
a man who can be described as a true adventurer at heart with a wealth of
knowledge and experience in adventure expeditions and survival training.
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| Chief Survival Instructor, and Founder of Boswa Survival and Bushcraft Academy, Herman Roos |
Prior to founding Boswa Survival Academy, Herman received Survival Training while working in the UK in 2007. He is qualified in numerous fields, including, but not limited to:
- Expedition Leadership;
- Cave Diving and Dive Master;
- Climbing and Canoe Instructor;
- Sea and Mountain Rescue Specialist;
- Wilderness Paramedic;
- Venomous Snake Identification and Handling;
- Ocean Skipper (SAMSA);
- Sky Diving; and
- Adventure Writing.
In addition, throughout the
years, Herman has embarked on numerous expeditions and survived in some of the
most extreme environmental conditions on the planet, including:
- Arctic;
- Bushveld;
- Coastal;
- Desert;
- Jungle;
- Mountain; and
- Ocean
When I first met Herman in
person, one could not help, but first notice his very positive outlook on life
with a “never say die” attitude, combined with a quick wit sense of humour. However,
as you progress through your training, with Herman carefully walking you
through your paces—carefully explaining each and every survival technique one
can use in even the most harshest conditions—it soon becomes evident that his
expertise is rooted in far more than practical skills or experience alone.
Beneath his calm instruction, and
unwavering confidence, lies a deeper foundation, one that shapes both his
mindset and his approach to survival. That being his steadfast faith as a
Christian, that is grounded in his belief in Jesus Christ. This faith not only gives
him resilience in the face of adversity, but also has instilled in him a sense of
purpose, discipline, and inner strength that transcends physical preparedness,
ultimately influencing how he teaches, leads, and endures.
Such faith can only be described
as nothing less than admirable, if not inspirational, which made us candidates
realize that nothing is impossible to achieve or overcome if you keep hope and
faith alive; like adding wood to a camp fire to keep it going strong throughout
the night. This faith was definitely be put to the test while undertaking the
Survival Ranger Course.
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| Chief Survival Instructor, Herman Roos, explaining Land Navigation and orientation of direction |
SURVIVAL RANGER COURSE
The Survival Ranger Course (SRC) is designed to transform ordinary individuals into capable, resilient survivors. Over nine days, candidates evolve from learners into practitioners, gaining not only technical expertise in survival skills, but also resilience, confidence, and adaptability in applying them. It is structured in two phases, where candidates move from foundational skill-building to demanding real-world simulations, ensuring that every candidate not only learns survival techniques but can apply them under pressure.
PHASE 1: SURVIVAL TRAINING AND LEARNING BUSHCRAFT TECHNIQUES
The first three days of the SRC are dedicated to intensive
training in bushcraft and survival fundamentals. During this phase, candidates
are introduced to the essential principles that underpin survival in the wild.
Rather than overwhelming participants, each skill is broken down into
manageable, focused sessions. Instructors demonstrate techniques step by step,
allowing candidates to observe, understand, and then practice until they gain
confidence.
Central to this phase is the mastery of essential tools.
Candidates learn how to identify, handle, and maintain the equipment necessary
for survival. These tools become extensions of their capability, enabling them
to construct shelters that provide protection from the elements, ignite and
sustain fires for warmth and cooking, and devise water catchment systems to
secure one of life’s most critical resources.
Beyond the physical skills, Phase 1 emphasizes mental
preparedness. Survival is as much a psychological challenge as it is a physical
one. Candidates are trained to develop a resilient mindset—remaining calm under
stress, thinking clearly in unfamiliar situations, and adapting quickly when
conditions change. By the end of this phase, participants are not only equipped
with practical knowledge but also with the confidence and mental discipline
required to face survival scenarios.
PHASE 2: SIMULATED APPLICATIONS
Having established a strong foundation, candidates progress
into Phase 2—a rigorous six-day simulation training where all the techniques they have learnt in Phase 1 are put to the test in realistic and often extreme wilderness conditions. This phase shifts the focus from
learning to doing. Participants must now rely on the skills they have acquired,
applying them to overcome a series of carefully designed survival challenges.
Each challenge is conducted under close supervision by the
Chief Survival Instructor and a team of assisting instructors, ensuring both
safety and constructive evaluation. The scenarios are crafted to push
candidates beyond their comfort zones, requiring them to think critically, act
decisively, and persevere despite fatigue and environmental stressors.
Phase 2 begins with the extreme cold water challenge, a
test of both physical endurance and mental resilience. Candidates must manage
the shock and discomfort of cold water exposure while maintaining control and
composure. After completing this challenge, candidates are then immediately assigned to the extreme survival challenge. In this second challenge, candidates are dropped off, as a group, in a remote area, simulated by harsh environmental conditions and limited
resources. Using their skills, they need to work together as a team to endure and survive against the elements for 72 Hours.
The final challenge is the solo
survival challenge. Candidates are again exposed to harsh environmental conditions and limted resources for 72 hours, however, this time they are completely isolated from one another and required to
rely entirely on their own skills and judgment alone. Without the immediate support
of a group, they must build shelter, secure water, manage fire, and maintain
their psychological stability. This experience reinforces independence and
self-reliance, key traits of any capable survivalist.
EXTREME COLD WATER TRAINING CHALLENGE
As mentioned above, for this challenge, candidates are required to submerse themselves in frigid cold water for a
certain period of time, supervised by both the Chief Survival Instructor and assisting instructors. The aim of this challenge is to simulate the effects of hyperthermia, in a control environment, whereby candidates observe, first hand, the signs and
symptoms associated with the beginning stages of hyperthermia and the effects of these symptoms on their own ability to function efficiently.
While in the water, candidates are asked to submerge themselves to chest depth and assemble themselves in a straight line formation, standing shoulder to
shoulder. Every five minutes
or so, candidates are asked to take a deep breath and dip down under the water, then
emerge up and stand back in straight line formation.
There were four of us that
participated in the challenge that afternoon. As the afternoon light drew to a
close and evening drew near, temperatures were starting to plummet down even
further. I remember one of the other candidates saw I was battling to overcome the shivers and advised that I needed to focus my attention away from worrying about the
cold and just concentrate on my own breathing by taking in deep breaths.
At first, such advice seemed somewhat impossible to achieve at the time, but once I decided to apply his advice, calmed my thoughts and focus more on breathing more slowly, not only
was I able to breath normally again, but soon afterwards, I managed to blot out the cold and even stop shivering. .
This exercise was repeated another five times; concluding which, we were instructed to swim to the middle of the dam for the final exercise, where we had to dive down under the water until our feet touched the bottom of the dam (about three metres down); then swim back up and get out of the dam. The entire exercise lasted approximately 28 minutes in total, but the sense of achievement will be something I will never forget.
What was very interesting about
the entire challenge was that despite the immense grit shown by each candidate in their
own capacity to overcome the coldness and complete the challenge, during the
exercise we all started realizing that we worked very well together as a team.
From that point onward, each candidate no longer saw the other as another
candidate, but more as a team mate with a common goal of ensuring that we all
completed the upcoming challenges, not as individual candidates, but as one
unified team.
EXTREME SURVIVAL CHALLENGE
For the Extreme Survival Challenge, candidates are taken into the wilderness as a group and
have to select and construct a suitable camp site, while using raw materials from
their immediate surroundings. The aim of this second Challenge is to firstly
give candidates the opportunity to test out all the survival and bushcraft
skills they have learned from our foundational training courses in a simulated
survival environment, but secondly, and more importantly, to be able to work
with other candidates in an team environment.
For this challenge, candidates are allowed to take
their rucksacks and sleeping bags along with. The next
morning, we organized ourselves, as well as
our gear, and headed off together to a remote location, on the farm we were
staying at. There were five of us altogether in our group, four men and one
woman. However, the camaraderie between all of us was nothing short of
phenomenal. We worked together like a well-oiled machine with each person
knowing exactly what to do without having to be asked or told.
We assessed our situation as a
group and determined what tasks needed to be done first. We all then went to
work with each person volunteering to be responsible for a particular task that
they felt they were the strongest at. Never once was anyone ever delegated a
task to do. We led ourselves, and in doing so, achieved our objectives with no
quarrels amongst anyone. If anyone was struggling with their task, another team
mate would assist without being asked as we all knew that in order to overcome
this challenge, teamwork was not an option, but the ultimate key to success.
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| Constructed Lean to Shelter that was our home during the Extreme Survival Challenge |
To keep ourselves warm and give ourselves the best chance against the elements (mainly the cold, wind and rain), we decided to construct a lean-to
shelter, with a wind screen in the front (as seen in the photo above). This resulted in the wind screen performing a duo purpose, where, firstly, it would protect us from the oncoming winds and, secondly, create a heat barrier that would bounce heat back
into our shelter, from two fires we had lit. All in all, despite a few rain drops getting through our leafy thatch roof,
we slept relatively dry and warm.
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| Taking a selfie in front of our Lean-To Shelter with teammates have a morning chat in the background |
To collect fresh water, we dug out two holes in the soft sand, where we placed our poncho jackets into them to act as catchment pits. This strategy worked superbly as the next morning, we had enough water to last us as a group for the next couple of days. Finding food, however, proved to be a more arduous task, with little outcome, as, despite our best efforts in setting up snares and tracking down small game, we did not manage to find and/or catch anything and therefore, ended up empty handed. After the second challenge was completed, we removed all the snares that we had setup and covered the camp fires with ground soil so that we left the site with as minimum of an impact on the surrounding environment as possible.
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| Water Bottles and Canteens used to collect and boil water with as well as cook food in |
EXTREME SOLO SURVIVAL CHALLENGE
For the third and final Challenge, like the previous Extreme Challenge, candidates would be
taken back into the wilderness and were required to survive for another 72
Hours, but only this time, each candidate would be alone and have to survive on their own. In addition, candidates were only permitted to take whatever survival
tools they can carry by themselves (i.e. only the clothes they were wearing together with whatever they could fit in their pockets, a
knife, a fire-steel and a water bottle). No additional gear is permitted,
including rucksacks and sleeping bags or matts.
The aim of this final Survival
Challenge is to place candidates in a simulation scenario of being able to
survive if they were ever on their own alone. This provides candidates to fine tune
their survival skills that they learnt, in order to further enhance them.
Each candidates was designated their own area, where they would setup camp and
left to their own demise there. These designated areas were spaced approximately 30-50
metres apart from the other.
Candidates were not permitted to talk to one another at all during the entire Extreme Solo Challenge. We were even instructed to ignore each other if we ever crossed each others paths while out foraging for food or firewood. You are totally on your own and could only use the tools you had on you, your own wits, and what you learnt during training, to survive.
I remember I made a rookie mistake on my first night in which I did not build a wind shield for my shelter because I thought that I had enough fire wood to keep me warm for the night. This proved to have been the worst decisions I could have ever made. Within two hours, all my fire wood was finished and I ended up spending the rest of the night continuously getting up and having to go look for more dry fire wood. Needless to say, sleep was not going to be an option for me for the rest of the challenge.
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| My attempt at a Lean-To Shelter during my first night of the Extreme Solo Challenge |
The next morning, after only having a bare minimum of two hours of sleep, I decided that I was going to change my approach and dedicate the morning to gathering as much wood as possible and stacked it around my campsite to keep close by. That way, I would still be able to keep my fire going without having to worry about walking in the pitch dark in search for more; and hopefully get a few hours of extra sleep in the process.
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| My stock pile of fire wood and pine combs I collected after my first night. At the time I was quite impress of how much I had collected, but would soon face reality to how quickly I would need more. |
After quite a tiresome morning of gathering fire wood, and feeling quite chuffed with myself for being so organized, the unexpected happened which I never expected nor planned for, the heavens decided to open up and drench my stockpile soaking wet. Initially, I tried to salvage the situation by first trying to start a fire as quickly as possible, but all my efforts were in vain.
After trying for about an hour, and
getting more frustrated with myself in the process, I decided to take a walk to
go get some water, from a nearby dam, to clear my head. I remember just staring
into my water canteen in utter disbelief and defeat. I did not know what to do
and did not have much day light left to do it.
Then in the midst of my despair, I remembered what Herman said to us about keeping hope and faith alive. Keeping this advice in mind, I made the decision that I was not going to give up and was going to make a plan. While walking back to my shelter from the dam, I remember looking up at two big Pine Trees in the distance and decided to go over to them to see if I could salvage anything that could help me restart my fire again. While walking over to the trees, I remember just saying a few prayers to the Good Lord to help me out so that I could complete this final challenge
At first, it did seem like a dismal
attempt as everything around the base of the trees was drenched from the down
pour. Then all of a sudden, while still looking around on the ground, a warm gentle breeze blew over my neck. I looked up to try feel the breeze on my face, when doing so I found myself looking straight at one of the branches, of the pine tree, that was stacked full with clumps of pine needles resting on top of it.
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| Getting comfy (if that is a possibility at all!). |
When inspecting the dryness of
the pine leaves, they were all bone dry from the breeze, which would make excellent tinder. I remember just shoving as many pine needles as I could into every
pocket I had and made my way back to my shelter. On arrival, I immediately assembled
a few pieces of pine needles into tinder in the fire pit I just dug out. After a couple of attempts, the
tinder ignited and slowly, but steadily, through the grace of the Good Lord, a
small flame formed. Once I saw that I had a small flame going, I started added
more tinder bit by bit to stoke the flames up.
As the flames swelled and strengthened, I fed them carefully, adding more tinder until their glow turned steady and confident. Soon enough, I was able to introduce the damp snap twigs and pencil-thin sticks I had gathered earlier, no longer fearing they would smother the fragile beginnings of the fire. The crackling grew richer, more assured, and with that newfound strength, I placed the pine cones I had collected, followed by a few modest logs. I leaned in and blew gently, coaxing the flames to life as they licked hungrily at each new offering. Its warmth reached beyond the body, settling into the spirit, rekindling a quiet resilience.
Sadly, I did not manage to get a
full nights rest, but in the awe of being able to overcome adversity and make
it through the entire challenge, it was definitely worth it.
REFLECTION & CONCLUSION
In reflecting back, the entire
experience I can only describe as nothing short of phenomenal. From the moment one arrives to the
course till the moment you complete the final challenge, you are not only
taught the key principles of wilderness survival, but you are slowly
transformed into a self-sufficient individual, who not only can apply the
needed skills, if called upon, to overcome whatever adversity may present
itself in a survival situation, but more importantly, to also use those skills
to help others who find themselves in similar adverse circumstances as well.
One must always remember that
life is a perpetual odyssey of discovery and in allowing ourselves to embrace
humility, through embracing being uncomfortable, our true potential will be
revealed to us in our inadequacies and therefore, allowing us to explore new
possibilities.
To my team mates, it was an
absolute honour and privilege to be part of such a formidable team. Words
cannot begin to describe how grateful I am to have done this course with each
and every one of you. You guys are true survivors in every sense.
To our Chief Survival Instructor,
Herman Roos. Your Leadership and Professional Guidance in every aspect of our
training was nothing short of exceptional. I look forward to future adventures
and expeditions with anticipation and aspiration.
Finally, I would like to thank
all of you for reading through this blog article, it is gratefully appreciated. I hope you have enjoyed reading about my experience and hopefully become inspired to do something similar in your lives. If
any of you are interested to find out more about the courses offered by Boswa
Survival Academy and/or even want to enroll in some of them, kindly click on
their website link below:
Boswa Survival & Bushcraft Academy
Hope you all have a great day and
week ahead.
God bless!
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