The Wild and Web Wrangler - Clyde Thomas

Clyde Thomas is a Workshop17 Watershed OG* He cuts an unassuming tall figure, one that keeps mostly to himself, gliding quietly through the open W17 spaces, over-ear headphones perched around his neck, deep in thought. At first glance, it's only natural to assume that he lives an equally quiet, gentle outside life - here's where you’d be wrong. 

Born into a life of wrangling knots, bows, arrows and snares, Clyde spent the first 5 years of his life in Londolozi, near the Kruger Park with his game ranger dad and his family. Encouraged to play and explore, the outdoors quickly became his playground.

The bush life ended with the family's semi-gration to Joburg, a decision made in order to send his sister and him to better schools. Holidays in Plett, diving in Sodwana Bay and white water kayaking since the age of 16 tempered his adrenaline cravings and led him to choose a university close to rivers and the sea. While he completed a degree in finance, Cape Town became his stomping ground, where he indulged his passions and new found ones in; kitesurfing, kayaking, and long-distance canoeing, free diving, trail running;  forging a deep and lasting connection with both the mountains and sea.

After completing a degree in finance, and a postgraduate in Marketing at the Red and Yellow School, Clyde worked at Allan Grey for a year. He quickly realised that he needed something interesting to keep him invested, so he quit. After trying his hand at baking bread, making clothes, he took a number of digital courses, and before he knew it, he was building websites, integrating the power of SEO and Google Ad words to boost his clients brands, harnessing the strength of influencer social media with his Secret Cape Town site and on his way with 4-manned company called Storyteller.

Clyde has never been one to shy away from challenges, rather he races towards them - when he's not pushing himself at work, he’s enjoying the social side of what sea and mountain have  to offer - From paddling the Fish River and Breede River Marathon (although not a fan of the flat paddle) to kitesurfing and free diving, which gives him the freedom from tanks and bubbles to quietly observe sea creatures for a minute and a half breath hold. 

His favourite spots to dive are the kelp forest of Windmill Beach -  beautiful and  shallow, teaming with the life of; Nudibranchs, Pyjama and Leopard Sharks, Gulley sharks, 7 Gilled Sharks (which he’s been lucky enough to see) and Octopus (before they became famous with My Octopus Teacher)

Equally fond of the big outdoors, Clyde has a preference for wild camping, as opposed to overcrowded campsites. He’s done a number of multi day hikes too, and enjoyed the Otter Trail so much so, that he did it twice. 

Clyde loves being in a coworking space and likes having an office away from home. He’s intentional about creating a real life balance and not blurring the work/life lines. He adds, “I live 3 minutes away from W17. Workshop17 Watershed gives me access to shops, which ultimately reduces my admin time on weekends and frees me up to have more outdoor time, it just works.”

A typical day in life of Clyde Thomas

Wake up at 6:00 in Summer for an ocean paddle around Mouille Point, which has a beautiful ocean perspective of CPT to welcome you into the day. Most days you’re kept company with a few Heaviside Dolphins. In Winter it's a run on the mountain. Then it’s off to work. Focused and rejuvenated.

After work, twice a week it’s straight to the beach to play volleyball. While it’s fun, the weekly commitment is a great way to exercise with 20 minutes of drills, then a game to end off the evening. Saturdays are social games, followed by a cold refreshing swim - he admits that he’s not good at just sitting on the beach.

Clyde ends by sharing, “In Cape Town you can live an extra life everyday after work, which makes life really wonderful. Cape Town quickly takes you to the beautiful outdoors, it's peaceful and calming and fills your soul.

It’s clear the call of the wild echoes in his  veins and the thrill of adventure is his constant companion, Clyde chooses a balanced life as much as possible…choosing to work to live and not the other way around. Perhaps we could all do with a little bit of Clyde in all our lives.