I'm still standing: paddleboarder makes world-first Atlantic crossing

[Slick]

A South African man has become the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean on a stand-up paddleboard after completing an epic 4,050-mile voyage alone at sea.

Chris Bertish pulled into Antigua, in the Leeward islands of the Caribbean, at 8.32am local time (12.32pm GMT) Thursday after departing from Agadir, Morocco, 93 days ago, said SUP the Mag.

In his last “captain’s log” posted on Facebook and written roughly an hour before he completed his nautical expedition, Bertish said: “A day I have been working toward for as long as I can remember … I’ve put everything on the line for this project for the last five years … everything!”

Bertish, 42, a big-wave surfer as well as sailor, who won the renowned Mavericks surf contest in northern California in 2010, had contended with sharks, storms and loneliness on the adventure.

His journey was accomplished on a custom-built 20ft-long board, built for $120,000 (£99,000). The board was designed by a British boat designer and naval architect, Phil Morrison, and took six months to construct.

The front of the craft has a cabin, in which Bertish sat upright, and within a small sleeping space he kept his satellite weather forecasting equipment, GPS systems, VHF radios, an autopilot system, satellite phone, solar panels and water stores.

When storms hit, Bertish was able to take cover and stabilise the board using anchors. The craft, capable of righting itself if it capsized, was fitted with an emergency grab bag, flares and life-raft.

The last attempt to cross the Atlantic on a stand-up paddleboard ended a week into the trip with the “captain”, the Frenchman Nicolas Jarossay, being pulled from the sea by a rescue crew.

Bertish paddled an average of 43 miles a day, beating his plan for 30 miles daily. He managed a gruelling 60 miles on the penultimate day to make the final push. He mostly travelled at night to avoid sun exposure and said he kept well-nourished with protein shakes, freeze-dried meals and salty jerky.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...ted-in-antigua

[BaitongBoy]

Hardly a paddleboard...

[Slick]

^ Still neat though. Hell of a feat.

[BaitongBoy]

^ Fair enough, that...

[Slick]

Dunno if anyone has been at sea, WAY out away from nothing, but its pretty surreal.

In a craft that small. Just a meter or 2 windblown swell is battering.

No way I could do it. I get grouchy in 4-5 meter swell in full sized ocean going vessels. Bouncing around all the time, shit sliding, pain in the ass to take a shower, food sucks, some of the crew seasick... Everything just swaying hard all the time. Bouncing off the walls getting from a-b. ALWAYS having to be holding on to handrails just to walk...

Couldn't imagine doing it on a little thingy like that.

[Slick]

[Slick]

Bet he can swim pretty good.

Brooo

[wasabi]

He's opened up a new route for African asylum seekers.

[crepitas]

Amazing people..modern day Slocums....

one wonders how many similar feats have been achieved throughout history and gone unrecorded.

another one:

Video: British rower becomes first person to cross the Pacific - Telegraph

[CaptainNemo]

Dunno if anyone has been at sea, WAY out away from nothing, but its pretty surreal.

In a craft that small. Just a meter or 2 windblown swell is battering.

No way I could do it. I get grouchy in 4-5 meter swell in full sized ocean going vessels. Bouncing around all the time, shit sliding, pain in the ass to take a shower, food sucks, some of the crew seasick... Everything just swaying hard all the time. Bouncing off the walls getting from a-b. ALWAYS having to be holding on to handrails just to walk...

Couldn't imagine doing it on a little thingy like that.

Yup. Leaning over the side, and contemplating that you are in a little tin box more than 200 miles (or maybe more than 1,000 miles) from anywhere, and with 2 or 3 miles of water below you is an interesting contemplative experience. Especially poignant when the sea is mirror flat on a hazy morning in the north Atlantic; but equally thought-provoking when it's rocking or jerking more than 5 or 10 degrees each way and hard metal things are sliding and flying about.

Everyone's got their motion sickness resonant frequency.

[VocalNeal]

^ Given that one cannot see more than 25 miles or less it really doesn't matter how far one is "out" at sea. It is all in the mind. It would be the 93 days alone that would get to most people. Oh that and the constant exercise.

[crepitas]

Not that I would ever have the guts or resources but if I was out in mid ocean paddling or rowing I would probably be sorely tempted to jury rig a sail ,prevailing winds permitting.

[Maanaam]

Hardly a paddle board, impressive nonetheless. He's got remarkable core strength.
Having spent thousands of hours in a single man outrigger canoe, far out to sea, I'm actually more impressed with this guy's big wave surfing....that takes balls.

[thaimeme]

Why....?