UPDATE
He made it! On 9 March 2017, after three gruelling months at sea, Chris Bertish became the first person to SUP across the Atlantic Ocean, solo and unaided. Please click here to read more about this remarkable achievment.
And he’s off! Today, 6 December 2016, Two Oceans Aquarium Ambassador Chris Bertish officially started his epic journey: attempting the first-ever solo stand-up paddleboard (SUP) trans-Atlantic crossing. Chris will be paddling the equivalent of a marathon every day for 120 days, over 7 500km. This morning, Chris started his voyage in Morocco to the sounds of “Impi” by Johnny Clegg and Juluka – Chris’s custom-designed SUP craft is, after all, called the Impifish, and yes, it has speakers!
He paddled out of Agadir Marina into the deep blue Atlantic. All we can say is, wow. You can track Chris' journey live on the Sup Crossing website.
“The first 24 hours is going to be tough,” said Chris on his Facebook page last night, “as the weather has shifted a little for tomorrow, but it is what it is... That's all part of it.
“This is the last sunset in Morocco for me, as the Impifish rests up before our long and epic journey together begins across the Atlantic. I’m ready, prepped, packed and cleared for launch. Now it’s time to relax, breathe, meditate, focus and visualise, taping my hands and fingers with special Zinc Oxide tape and get ready for the first 15 to 20-hour paddle shift. This will get me offshore and will be the buffer I need before the wind swings northeast, then southeast. After that I can get a couple of hours sleep and flow with it, and then get back paddling...”
Beginning on the northwest coast of Africa in Morocco, Chris has begun the voyage to the Canary Islands, which will take him across the Atlantic Ocean, towards the Caribbean leeward Island of Antigua, before finally ending the journey in Miami, Florida. Chris will battle the currents, weather, creatures of the deep, fatigue, exhaustion and the unknown.
Stoked that I will be able to play the guitar while I’m on the craft! Any requests? https://t.co/C8TlyoEfaT #TheSupCrossing @CarrickWealth pic.twitter.com/0cr3FuvWPa
— Chris Bertish (@chris_bertish) December 3, 2016
And he’s doing it all for charity. Funds raised through donations and sponsorships will go towards the Signature of Hope Trust (to build at least five schools in some of the poorest regions of South Africa), the Lunchbox Fund (to establish an annuity that will provide a monthly dividend to feed and educate thousands of children) and Operation Smile (to establish an annuity that will provide a monthly dividend to pay for life-changing cleft lip and palate surgeries for children born with this facial defect).
“As my brother Conn reminded me last night, it will take more than 1.5 million SUP paddle strokes over the next 110 to 120 days. This project will feed, educate and put smiles on more than 1.5 millions kids’ faces over the next three years, so every stroke I take, of every minute, of every hour, of every day, I will be paddling a smile across one child's face, along this entire mammoth and epic journey.
“One stroke, one smile, that’s enough power and inspiration to keep me going forever! What ever it takes, for as long as it takes... That’s pure power, right there!”
Chris has been preparing for this moment for five years. We will be watching his progress closely and reporting back to you as often as we can! Check out www.thesupcrossing.com for all the latest info. We’re holding thumbs, toes and fins for this brave, inspirational man.
