LA LUCIA resident, Robyn Wolff (50) and her son, Davey du Plessis (27) plan to pedal 6 500 kilometers to raise awareness surrounding the ‘destruction of the planet’s species’.
The duo will embark on their four-month journey via a small pedal boat from Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro on 28 November.
“The adventure is dedicated to shed light on the mass extinction caused by the man’s capitalisation and exploitation of nature. Every day more than 35 species go extinct. The current rate of extinction rivals that of the dinosaurs,” said Du Plessis.
For the cause activists, Wolff and Du Plessis will be battling one of the most unforgiving environments, the ocean.
“I am petrified of the ocean and getting hit by a storm is one of my biggest fears. However, for me the biggest challenge will be maintaining my mental endurance. We will have to endure sleep deprivation, sea sickness and loneliness,” said Wolff.
Fortunately, authorities will be monitoring the pair’s progress via satellite, she added.Du Plessis said his biggest fear involved a malfunction of the equipment. “I have been double and quadruple checking everything. If our equipment fails it essentially means the end of the mission,” he said.
When asked why she was embarking on such a dangerous trip Wolff said, “At this stage of my life I want to do more. I don’t want to whittle away. I want to fight for a cause and inspire and empower other women.”
Her son echoed her sentiments, saying, “I hope that this journey will open people’s eyes to the mass extinction and that it facilitates some introspection of how we live and treat our planet, and ultimately that it inspires people to care about life,” he said.
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