A world first Cape to Rio Row.
https://aseaimpact.com/
Our sponsorship of sailing has long been an integral part of who we are as a business. So has our support and promotion of remarkable, talented and convention-defying South Africans making their mark on our world. As soon as we heard of world-renowned adventurer, environmentalist and philanthropist Braam Malherbe’s latest challenge – a world first Cape to Rio row raising awareness for the DOT Challenge – we knew we had to play our part in this initiative.
You may recognise the name. Braam Malherbe is known internationally for the incredible feats that he has achieved on his mission to make a meaningful impact on our planet. He ran all 4218 kilometres of The Great Wall of China in just 98 days, equating to over a marathon a day for more than 3 months. He raced to the South Pole while pulling his own sled and even ran the entire coastline of Southern Africa from Namibia to Mozambique, another startling distance of 3278 km’s. This is just to name a few of his truly remarkable achievements all in the name of philanthropy and conservation.
On the 6th of February this year, Malherbe embarked on his greatest and most daring adventure yet. He, along with new friend Wayne Robertson, began to row the 6 700 km’s from Cape Town to Rio de Janiero. Totally unassisted - and at the mercy of wind, weather, and currents - this staggering feat should take them around 3 months to complete as they alternate their 2 hour shifts, 24/7.
Beset with challenges in the lead up to their launch, from unfavourable weather conditions to personal setbacks, rowing mate Wayne Robertson joined the initiative just days before they departed. Roberston is a skipper, a marine surveyor, and a passsionate eco-warrior. He has been a renowned boat builder for over 27 years and a talented surfer for over 37. In addition to his affinity for the ocean, he is an adventurer and extreme sportsman in his own right and a valuable companion on this extreme adventure.
Robertson explains that his motivation for taking part in the DOT Challenge is to leave a better, more sustainable world behind for his 6 year old daughter, Willow. Their boat is aptly named Mhondoro, which means “lion spirit” in Shona, and a fighting and fierce lion’s spirit is certainly what both of these adventurers share.
The 6.8 metre carbon-fibre vessel is equipped with two custom-made, extra-length oars and will weigh just under a ton when fully laden with its state of the art gear, freeze-dried high calorie food stores and two intrepid adventurers. The one-of-a-kind craft is entirely self-sufficient with a small ‘nap pod’ on the front where they’ll take turns enjoying their brief but well-deserved 2 hour sleeps over the next 3 months. Equipped with solar-powered electronics and communications, radios and desalinators, Braam and Wayne are as prepared as they’ll ever be for their epic adventure.
One of our core philosophies at Southern Charter is “how far you go depends on who goes with you”. Braam is a close friend of the business. Having begun his career in the financial services industry with our CEO Mark Thompson, and shared many of his awe-inspiring and motivational stories of triumph and bravery with us, we are proud to be part of the team supporting him on his greatest adventure yet.
While the Cape to Rio Row might sound like a completely outlandish adventure to most, as Malherbe says, “If you have big dreams, plan well and take risks – nothing is impossible”.
In fact, Mark Thompson believes that one of the biggest lessons that we can learn from their initiative is the importance of managing risks. “It all comes down to risk management. It’s about protecting on the downside rather than planning on the upside. They have spent months and months now thinking about what can go wrong, not what can go right”.
So it is in our financial lives too. As much as growing wealth, being daring and going for big wins is important, so is protecting and managing risk. The best way to effectively mitigate risk and prepare yourself for steady and smooth sailing over the long-haul, according to Braam, is “surrounding oneself with the right people, with good people… that’s what makes these things successful”.
At times our financial lives can seem like an equally long and treacherous journey. With so many miles and so many unknowns stretched out before us, planning well, managing risk and ensuring that you have the best support possible is pivotal to helping you achieve your goals on the road to true financial liberation.
