Chris Bertish, somewhere between 0 and 4,600 miles of paddling. Photo Allan Van Gysen
On December 21, Chris Bertish did something incredible: he finished paddling across 300-miles of open ocean, completely on his own. And he’s not even close to finishing what he set out to do. Bertish is attempting to paddle nearly 5000 miles across the Atlantic from Morrocco to Florida. Really.
Bertish is no stranger to a challenge. As a dyed-in-the-wool waterman, he is one of the world’s best big wave surfers, winning the Maverick’s event back in 2010. The trip began in early December when Bertish launched a SUP that is much, much more than your everyday paddler. Measuring at 20-feet, the paddleboard is custom-made for the voyage and featured navigational equipment, a sleeping bunk, and a self-righting system in case it capsizes, among many other things. Designed by a naval architect named Phil Morrison, it didn’t come cheap–about $120,000.
After a few years of planning and waiting for conditions to line up, the 42-year-old South African paddled away from his starting point in Morrocco and pointed himself west towards Florida, raising money for The Lunchbox Fund, Operation Smile and Signature of Hope, all of which benefit underprivileged children. He hopes to raise over a million dollars, a goal that he’s well on his way to achieving.
“This has been a 4-year project in the making and lifetime of preparation and I’m ready,” he said in a release before he began. “My specialized SUP craft is incredible, I have an amazing team behind me, supporting me from land and an unbelievable support from friends and people all around the world for this incredible journey, which is going to change the lives of millions of children in Africa, which is what will keep driving and inspiring me right ’til the end.”
His voyage will take him first to the Canaries–where he is now–then on to the British Virgin Islands and finally to Florida. “I am stoked to get through this monumental stage and past the Canary Islands,” he said of his world record. “More importantly, to move forward into the transatlantic stage of the SUP Crossing and better conditions. Knowing that we’ve almost raised enough to build one school and to feed and make an exponential difference for so many more kids is the best Christmas present I could receive.”
Follow Bertish on his Facebook page, here and his actual progress here. To contribute, donate and get involved, please visit thesupcrossing.com
