Bertish took learnings from his experience on countless prior world record attempts and achievements, as well as knowledge from his sailing and big wave ocean experience, elements from his record-breaking open ocean SUP's, and the Transatlantic row boat crafts to create a unique craft, designed specifically to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

Starting off on the Northwest coast of Africa in Morocco, he will begin the voyage to the Canary Islands, across the Atlantic Ocean towards the Caribbean Leeward Island of Anegada, before finally ending the journey in Florida.

After six months of building the craft, months of training and preparation and five years of stringent planning, Bertish will paddle across 7 500km of open ocean, doing the equivalent of a marathon a day for over 120 days straight.

The main purpose of this crossing is to leave a legacy by raising funds for The Lunchbox Fund, Operation Smile, and Signature of Hope with the target of raising R20-million and making the entire project a completely self-sustainable charity initiative, that will have a lasting legacy for generations to follow.

Bertish will also be working with, doing research, and raising ocean conservation awareness for the Two Oceans Aquarium during the course of his crossing.

"I'm really excited and looking forward to leaving, as this has been a five-year project in the making and a lifetime of preparation and I am finally ready. My specialised SUP craft is incredible, I have an amazing team behind me, supporting me from land and unbelievable support from friends and people all around the world for this journey, which is going to change the lives of millions of children in Africa. That is what will keep driving and inspiring me right till the end," Bertish said before he departed.

Craig Featherby, Carrick Wealth Group CEO, says, "Carrick supports the courage that Chris Bertish will be drawing on to achieve not only a record-breaking, stoical physical feat but also the very purpose of the Crossing – and that is to raise money for hot meals, life-changing surgeries, and schools for young children in need throughout South Africa. We stand behind the SUP Crossing and commend Chris for being an inspiration to all. He is a remarkable, skilled adventurer and motivator and like him, we too, believe that nothing is ‘impossible’." 

"The SUP Crossing is ‘Performance with a Purpose’ and that is what Carrick stands for. As a company, we continue to find ways to achieve results without compromising our company and personal values. The passion and commitment that is Chris Bertish’s is the very same passion that we as an organisation strive for. We would like to wish him well and are 100% behind him," adds Featherby.

For more information, visit www.thesupcrossing.com. Alternatively, connect with Bertish on Facebook, on Twitter or on Instagram.