EIGHT hundred thousand strokes over 27 days, covering a total of 1 350km is what Richards Bay police officer Kobus Olivier achieved over the past month, all in the name of charity.
To raise funds for the ABLE (Autism and Behavioural Learning Environment) centre in Meerensee, and awareness of autism, the Lieutenant-Colonel last month set off on his circumnavigation of Lake Malawi.
The challenge that he envisaged would take 54 days to complete came to an end in just 27 as Olivier became the first solo paddler to circumnavigate the lake.
Initially planning on paddling 35km each day, he managed to average 50km, with his maximum distance in one day being 63km.
Olivier’s average speed was just nine minutes-per-kilometre and he spent between eight and 11 hours in the paddle ski each day.
The gruelling workout for the month saw his weight drop by 7kg.
‘I would like to thank God for His protection and guidance, and my wife Minette for supporting and believing in me,’ he said once back on South African soil.
‘I would also like to thank all my family and friends for their prayers and words of encouragement, and my sponsors for making the trip possible.’
Olivier set off for Malawi on 14 August and began his paddle on the 16th from Senga Bay on the lake’s southern side.
The following 27 days saw him paddle to Tanzania and Mozambique, and finish with a 30km cross-lake paddle.
He arrived back in South Africa last week.
ALSO READ: Richards Bay paddler on brink of Lake Malawi challenge
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