There’s a family reunion at Jackelberry Dam. We humans weren’t invited, so we didn’t know. When I decided to skip the afternoon game drive, I knew I was taking a chance of missing something big. Staying behind, as peaceful and relaxing as it is, always comes with risk.

And, indeed, I missed the elephant family reunion where three herds came together on a hot afternoon right after the heavy rains to play in the water.

However, due to the detailed recounting of the scene and excellent photographs by my fellow volunteers, I felt as if I was in the middle of the action. You will too, thanks to new friend, David Booth, a retired IT executive from London. Here he shares his photos and narrates what he calls the “hijinx” of the afternoon.

“We approached the dam and could hear the elephants trumpeting and splashing. We weren’t sure how many were there, but it soon became clear there were all three herds. They were scooting down the water bank on their butts and completely submerging themselves.

“They were spraying and trumpeting and having a grand ole time. But then there appeared to be some hijinx between two of them as one chased the other out of the water and directly toward our vehicle. They passed us and returned to the water, but it was a bit intense.

“It’s interesting that the bulls stayed back and were very relaxed. Even Bombyx, who is still in musth by the way. Playing in the water were primarily the matriarchs with their other adult females and juveniles.

“And this is why I come to Siyafunda. Here, we respect the wildlife. We don’t interfere. There is no touching, no feeding, no training of the animals. We simply observe them, count them and forward on the data to the various research projects.”

With that David took me through his photos and explained how he became an amateur wildlife photographer after a long and successful career in IT. He and his wife went on their first African safari in the early 1990s and fell in love with the animals.

He knew he would return. And in 2012, a few years after retiring, he did. David participated in a volunteer project in the Kwa Zulu-Natal region of South Africa. While there, he took a wildlife photography course taught by a professional. And his life hasn’t been the same since.

To see his complete portfolio of elephants at Jackelberry Dam go to his Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/david.booth.

Thank you, David Booth, for your talent, your insight, and your inspiration. You are a treasure to all young people who take the time to know and learn from you.