One Record Setting Swim Complete, Another Prepares To Begin

While we're on the subject of aquatic adventures today I had a couple of stories about some epic swims cross my desk in the past day or two. The first of which is a team of South African relay swimmers who set a world record by swimming 350km (217 miles) in 106 hours. That's a very impressive feat considering that adds up to nearly 4.5 days in the water.

The team, which consisted of Russell Tucker, Greg Tucker, SanMari Woithe, JC van Wyk, Brenton Williams and Ralph West, took turns swimming 3.1km (1.9 mile) laps in the Marina Martinique at Jeffreys Bay. They began their record setting swim last Wednesday and finished up over the weekend after continuing non-stop, day and night, through rain, wind and electrical storms for much of that time. At night they were accompanied by paddlers who stayed close to ensure their safety.

Congrats to the team for completing this epic swim. The grind that they had to have felt over the course of those days must have been incredible. Swimming lap after lap, even as part of a relay team, takes a great deal of endurance and I have a lot of respect for these athletes.

One athlete who is ramping up for an epic swim of his own is Ben Lecomte. In April he is planning on embarking on a solo-swim across the Pacific Ocean that will begin in Tokyo and end in San Francisco. Outside Online has a good article today about Ben's quest, which will cover more than 8850km (5500 miles) of open water. He expects to be in the water eight hours a day, averaging roughly 64km (40 miles) per day. At that pace, it will take him five months to complete the crossing.

Lecomte, who once swam across the Atlantic Ocean, will use a GPS device to keep track of his position at any given time. That will ensure that he begins his swim at the correct spot each day as he'll spend nights resting aboard a sailboat. That rigid tracking will allow us to follow his progress but is also a requirement for Guinness to officially recognize his achievement.

While he'll have to deal with the physical demands of the swim, not to mention potential shark encounters, Outside notes, Ben's biggest concern could be getting enough food. It is estimated that he'll burn in excess of 8000 calories per day and it can actually get to be tiresome to consume enough food over weeks of that kind of exertion.

Just reading about either of these long-distance swimming events makes me tired.

Earn A Wild Card Entry For The UTi Rhodes Run in South Africa

Looking for a new challenge for 2012? Then look no further than the UTi Rhodes Run, a grueling 52km (32.3 mile) race through the beautiful Drakensberg mountains of South Africa. This year's race will take place on July 14, in the heart of winter in the Southern Hemisphere, and as always, the course will wander through rough terrain that offers the potential for encounters with wild animals.

This will be the 24th edition of the Rhodes Run, and over the years, it has earned a reputation for being quite the challenge for long distance runners. As a result, the race sells out very quickly. But runners who are looking to take part in the event, but weren't able to get their application in on time, still have some hope. Athletic footwear company Inov-8 is giving away a "Wild Card" entry to the race and accommodations in the race village for the weekend of the run.

To enter the contest, all you have to do is send a photo of yourself, wearing Inov-8 shoes of course, to facebook@rebel-inc.co.za. They'll choose a winner from the entries, which will earn one lucky endurance runner a free-entry into this iconic South African race.

Find out more details on the Inov-8 Facebook page and good luck!

Solo Sailing Update: Laura Crosses Indian Ocean

Teenage solo sailor Laura Dekker completed her crossing of the Indian Ocean last week, safely arriving in Durban, South Africa. This marks the end of the third leg or her solo circumnavigation attempt, which began in August of last year.

Laura remained mostly silent about her route across the Indian Ocean in an attempt to avoid becoming a target for pirates, but reaching South Africa is another significant milestone on her journey. According to her most recent blog update, she is currently in Port Elizabeth, and will soon be sailing around the Cape of Good Hope, which should be the last of the major challenges before she turns for home. That last stretch run will have her sailing up the western coast of Africa and returning to Gibraltar where she began.

The 16-year old has now crossed the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Ocean, and seems to be a lock for finishing her voyage safely, and thereby claiming the title as the youngest person to sail solo around the world. Laura made headlines when she announced her intentions to do just that at the age of 13, but bureaucratic  red tape kept her on dry land until she was finally able to set sail last year at the age of 14. Since then, she has been casually making her way around the planet, and seemingly having a great time doing it.

There is no word when she'll set sail again, but reading her journal entries online, Laura seems eager to get going. If the weather works in her favor, I imagine she'll brave the Cape soon enough and start final stage for home.

Win A Trip To South Africa By Starring In A Commercial

Have you always wanted to earn international fame while jet setting across the globe? Than I have just the opportunity for you. South African Tourism is looking for an American couple between the ages of 24-36, who are either married or in a committed relationship, to star in a new commercial that will air on CNN International, the BBC, and other major networks across the globe. The commercial will be a part of their new 20 Experiences in 10 Days campaign, which is designed to convince travelers that SA is a fun, adventurous, and romantic destination. The luck couple will be whisked away for an all expense paid trip to film the commercial, while also indulging in everything that South Africa has to offer. 

A Night Of Nine Feats

Last week, while I was off playing in the Costa Rican rainforest, my friend Lisa de Speville was hosting the third edition of the Fascinating Expedition & Adventure Talks, better known as FEAT, in Johannesburg, South Africa.

For those that aren't familiar with FEAT, it is an event that brings a group of South African adventurers together for one night to share insights into their expeditions. The format is simple, they each have exactly seven minutes to discuss a certain aspect of their adventure, making it very important that they convey their message in a succinct and coherent manner.

This was the third FEAT event so far, and more are in the works. To get a taste of what FEAT is all about, check out the video below of Kobus Bresler, who came up with the idea of creating a "microadventure" for himself, in which he would climb nine local peaks in nine days.

Mountain Biker vs. African Antelope

So you think you've had some rough days on the mountain biking trails? Check out the video below in which rider Evan van der Spuy of South Africa literally gets bowled over by a red hartbeest, a type of antelope, that according to the Adventure Journal, can grow to be in excess of 300 pounds and run at 40 miles per hour.

This encounter took place near Albert Falls Dam in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Fortunately, Evan came away with just a sore neck, but had to go to the hospital to be checked-out none the less. He did have his helmet broken in the encounter as well.

So what't the wildest thing you've come across out on the trail? I've encountered a few deer on occasion, but that's about it. They've mostly left me alone though, and fortunately didn't decided that I was a mate that they wanted to chase down.

Video: 2011 Put Foot Rally!

Way back in March I told you about the Put Foot Rally, a driving adventure that sent teams on a 17-day, 7000km (4350 mile) journey through seven countries in Africa. The rally was designed to not only operate as a fundraiser for the Bobs For Good Foundation, an organization that delivers new shoes to underprivileged children, but also demonstrate that Africa is a safe and wondrous place to travel.

The inaugural Put Foot took place between June 21st and July 7 of this year, and was a huge success. So much so, that registration is already open for 2012, which will run from June 20-July 6. To get a taste of what the event is all about, check out the video below. It is 15 minutes in length, but not only captures the spirit of the rally, and the people who took part, but also plenty of beautiful scenes from the countries they visited along the way.

This looks simply amazing. Its no secret that I love Africa, and the Put Foot Rally looks like a fantastic way to see the continent and have a lot of fun doing it.


Put Foot Rally 2011 from D4 Productions on Vimeo.