With 10 guys on the C2C4C mission, it wasn’t going to take very long until the mischief began. As soon as we had arrived at our first leg accommodation at Sodwana Bay Lodge, it was clear who the joker on the team was. When we were being shown to our 2 log cabins, the manager of the lodge warned us about the possibility of bees in the one cabin. Jason (Ribbink) was the first person into the cabin. He entered a room, and quickly came out swatting his head screaming something about bees. No one thought anything of it until they saw Jay quietly slipping into the room a little later. Aircon, en suite, flat screen TV. Sneaky bugger!
A while later, when we were lugging Mark’s (Addison) many large cases of equipment down the wet slippery stairs in the murky darkness, we heard a voice in the darkness. Closer inspection revealed that the voice was originating from a lost walkie-talkie. Jay picked it up, and immediately started talking gibberish to the confused individual on the other end of the line!
Despite the many lighthearted moments, expedition leader Russel Symcox did manage to remind us why were embarking on this epic adventure. Sitting around the dinner table that night, Russ said that the next 24 days were going to be life changing in one way or another. If our cancer awareness campaign saves even one life, then we would have made a massive difference to the lives of one or more people. Additionally, on a personal level, this journey is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, one that the majority of South Africans will never have the chance to undertake. My role as the travelling media liaison is to hopefully make our experiences as vivid and accessible as possible to the people who are hopefully keeping track of our progress down and up South Africa’s East and West coasts.
The first leg of the jet ski crew’s 2800 km journey, although lengthy, was successful. The 171km from Sodwana Bay to the Mozambique border and back, was completed in just over 6 hours. A strong headwind on the return journey, and choppy seas, made for tough going. The atmosphere was as excitable as an atmosphere can be at 5am when the guys departed, although there was also a touch of emotion as the Ribbink brothers (Brandon and Jason) paid their respects to their mother Pam, who succumbed to cancer almost 2 years ago, and who was the inspiration for the C2C4C mission. The local Sodwana Bay Prep had about 30 of their pupils come down to the beach to welcome the guys back after their grueling Day 1 journey. After being subjected to an intensive Q & A session by the youngsters, the jet ski crew treated them to a spin round the bay on their Yamaha WaveRunners.
As I write this, the crew is seated around the table on the deck of Jason’s luxury cabin. The steaks are on the braai, and Bazza Lewin is in the kitchen with an apron on preparing a dainty Greek salad for our dinner this eve. The guys will need all the sustenance they can get as they leave for Richards Bay at sunrise tomorrow (22 April). The local CANSA office have arranged a function for us at the Zululand Yacht Club, so if you are in the area, and if you read this in time, pop by to say hello, buy the media liaison a beer and, more importantly, offer the C2C4C jet ski crew some support…
