South African surfer Chris Bertish just pulled off one of the most remarkable feats of human determination, perseverance and sheer grit of all time. I mean that.
This guy just completed a 93-day, 4,050-mile journey across the Atlantic Ocean. By himself.
On a stand-up paddleboard.
The journey began in Agadir, Morocco and ended in Antigua. Every additional fact you learn about this makes it that much more impressive, but here's my favorite one: a French man named Nicolas Jarossay tried to cross the Atlantic on a paddleboard last year, and he lasted exactly one night before he had to be rescued.
Bertish's vessel was a custom-made paddleboard that cost $120,000 and took six months to make, according to The Guardian. It's estimated that he made a casual two million paddle strokes. Think about that for a second.
He made periodic journal-style entries called "Captain's Logs" throughout the journey, and here's what he had to say in his last one, posted on Facebook after he arrived in Antigua.
"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.. It's my primal element of Courage, belief and strength for my purpose that has got me through to this exact moment, across more than 7500km, hazardous and treacherous open ocean.. Across the entire Atlantic Ocean and I am finally here, I am here & and I don't need to be strong and keep it together any longer, it's been 93 days and it's done and I let it all go...
I am home!"
If that doesn't get you fired up for the weekend, you might be a catatonic.
