Setting sail with The Little Optimist
18 Apr 2016
Saturday, the 16th of April, all was calm as one man set out to cross the big blue in a boat smaller than some people’s bathtubs. His mission – to raise funds and awareness for the Children’s Hospital Trust and the New Red Cross Hospital ICU, while promoting a positive outlook that no obstacle is too big for even the smallest of heart.
After undergoing two open-heart surgery’s himself, Greg Bertish’s optimistic adventure aims to inspire children to think positivley, even when facing severe illness, by taking on the seemingly impossible task of sailing 200km in his tiny Optimisit. The Optimist is a favourite sailing dinghy of those learning to harness the wind and is normally sailed by children up to the age of 15.
Greg’s journey has taken him from Cape Hangklip, across False Bay and around Cape Point and the Cape Of Storms to Cape Town. And on the 16th of April, as Greg embarked on the next leg of his route, a few ex-patients wanted to show their support for their hero, so our team jumped onboard to give them this opportunity, while offering them a unique experience of being at sea onboard a luxury motor yacht.
After a short wait for some wind, we bid the sailor with a big heart, and a small boat, a fond farewell as he left Robben Island to continue the rest of his journey to Dassen Island, Saldanha and Langebaan Lagoon.
His mission has raised over R200 000 for the Children’s Hospital Trust so far with all donations (minus 5% Back-A-Buddy fee and bank fee) going to the Childrens Hospital Trust for their new ICU ward. You can show your support by donating here or follow his journey here.
