Fired up to inspire with icy adventure

We often read stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. So when one of our own manages to draw the attention of the world, we can’t help but be pleased.

One such individual is law student Dan Skinstad, the younger brother of former Springbok rugby player Bob Skinstad. No, Dan is not joining the squad, he has other things to go through, possibly even harder than any scrum.

As you’ll see in the new show Around Iceland on Inspiration, Skinstad – alongside world-renowned daredevil, sport enthusiast and record holder for the longest bicycle trek on the African continent, Riaan Manser – tackles the circumference of Iceland in a kayak. That is 5 000km of paddling.

“It took us about six months to complete,” said Skinstad. “It could have been much shorter, but we had the worst possible weather Iceland has had in 63 years so that slowed us down.”

Skinstad explained that the entire process took nine months as he dedicated three months to training before the actual event.

SABC3 will bring you the cold action in the warmth of your home as the two men brave the tides, the ice and the elements that could have ended their lives.

While Manser is notorious for challenging himself and for breaking records, for Skinstad it was more than just a tag-along expedition. As someone with cerebral palsy, Skinstad was looking for ways to keep himself motivated and, perhaps, to motivate others.

“I had an idea about what I wanted to do, but I just did not know how. The idea was supposed to be therapy for me to help me cope with my disability,” he said.

“There are things I should have been doing, physical things, but I wasn’t so that sparked the idea to do something about it. When Riaan called and asked that I join him it became clear that the idea I had been having was in line with his.”

Joining Manser was a personal mission to test his mental and physical limits and also hopefully to become an inspiration to people afflicted by physical limitations or low self-esteem. He felt strongly about making it back and telling the story.

“Including my law studies, I have a lot ahead that I need to conquer.

“I don’t want to be that old guy at a bar who tells of one epic adventure he did a long time ago. I want to have several stories to tell and to inspire.”

Fighting the weather and the flu it brought on, Manser and Skinstad had to stay in tents and farmhouses at night or when the weather became unbearable.

“We could have put up in tents all the time, but we were worried that it would take us longer to finish.

“Tents take time to erect and dismantle. Also, the film crew would not have been able to get to us in certain locations,” he said.

On their return home the two were obviously tired from their voyage, but Skinstad sounded as if he preferred being on the ocean.

“Yes, it was hard to paddle for that long, but when you get back you realise that real life is much harder,” he said.

lAround Iceland on Inspiration airs on SABC3 at 6pm on December 11.