“I raise my paddle with my one hand above my head and from deep within me like a primal roar from a lion staking his territory and he is King Of the Jungle, I let out a roar so, deep, loud and of primal decent. It can be heard from miles.” – Chris Bertish
There are impressive feats of athleticism and then there are mindboggling feats of athleticism.
Professional big-wave surfer Chris Bertish just completed the latter by crossing the Atlantic Ocean on a 20-foot custom-made paddleboard. According to the Guardian, the board cost $120,000 and was designed by British naval architect Phil Morrison over a sixth-month period.
The South African’s journey across the ocean (you know, where sharks live) was approximately 7,500km and took him 93 days to complete. Bertish set off in Agadir, Morocco and arrived at English Harbour, Antigua on Thursday. The 42-year-old set several world records, including a new record for a “24-hour solo unsupported and unassisted open ocean distance SUP (stand up paddleboard),” while also raising money for various charities in his home country.
“It’s the culmination of everything’s I’ve been working on and towards for half a decade now and it’s a day that will change history, the world and both my life and the lives of millions of little children in South Africa forever!” Bertish wrote on his Facebook page.