What would you put on the line for what you believe in? For Chris Bertish, the answer is everything. ALL IN!
All In, is the latest book from internationally renowned big wave surfer, ocean adventurer, multiple Guinness World Record holder, speaker and author, Chris Bertish, telling his harrowing tale of his 2017, 7500km solo SUP TransAtlantic Crossing from Morocco, Africa to Antigua in the Caribbean.
“The book tells the story of my 3months alone at sea and some of the gnarly adventures I went through to do what most people told me was completely impossible,” says Chris Bertish. “Some of the highlights include being targeted by a great white shark, towed by a giant sea squid, capsizing multiple times and surfing down 10-meter waves as challenging as anything I have faced in any Mavericks Big Wave Surfing Championships!”
Too many times, Bertish, found himself hanging on the edge of his modified SUP for dear life. He also become one with the elements, and ultimately succeeded in doing something everyone said was simply impossible.
This is the story of his incredible journey.
The book includes forwards from international ocean heavy weights Lewis Pugh and Kelly Slater, as well as Prof Tim Noakes.
“To cross an ocean alone requires real courage. To get to the other side takes huge resilience. To conceive of such a journey in the first place, you need incredible self-belief. Chris Bertish has them all,” says Lewis Pugh, Endurance Swimmer and United National Patron of the Oceans.
“I’ve watched in awe for a number of years as Chris selflessly uses his time and skills to bring awareness to various causes dear to him and many others,” says Kelly Slater, 11 times Surfing World Champion.
All In takes the accolade as the most sustainably printed book in South Africa to date, with a Gold Standard Sustainability Rating. “We have printed the book using only Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified sustainable paper in an environmentally Sustainably Printing facility,” explains Bertish. “I have also undertaken to plant a forest for every print run of the book, which will be done in the Platbos Reserve, to not only offset the carbon footprint of the book being produced and making it carbon neutral, but in the next 50 to 100 years will actually leave a positive impact in the world!”
Bertish believes that All In should be an example of positive change and a benchmark of what all books should strive for in the future.
To launch All In, which will be available national wide from the 3rd of November at all Exclusive Books and Wordsworth Stores, and online, Bertish will be doing a country wide roadshow with launches in each region.
The main launch will take place in Noordhoek on Tuesday 01 November 2022, from 6pm to 9:00pm at Cape Point Vineyards, where Bertish will do a short talk about the book, as well as his most recent Transpacific Wing Project, where he broke the previous World record for longest distance travelled solo, unsupported on a Wing-Foil from California to Hawaii this year. The event will also include a whiskey sampling by Talisker Whisky and live music from Mr. Bardo and Jo
