Fanafikile’s ocean victory

● When veteran adventurer Riaan Manser and newbie explorer Fanafikile Lephakha reached land in Barbados on Friday, Lephakha called out his own name, Fanafikile — “the boy has arrived”.

It took Manser and Lephakha 46 days to complete the 4,734km Atlantic crossing in their 7m rowing boat after setting out from the Canary Islands early last month.

The men were strangers only seven weeks ago, before Lephakha, 32, won a contest Manser organised to choose an “inspirational” partner for the challenge. More than 15,000 people entered.

Lephakha, born in the Free State, couldn’t even swim before taking a crash course with Olympic champion Ryk Neethling, who coaches for the Princess Charlene of

Monaco Foundation.

In mid-voyage, Lephakha learnt that the aunt who raised him in Lenasia, Alice Moeko, had died.

“I am really sad about that. Before I left I told her that after this [trip] our lives were going to change,” Lephakha said.

But he said he did not regret going on the trip. “It was a chance of a lifetime … The journey was an opportunity for growth and for me to analyse the way I do certain things. I got to see myself and my character, and being with Riaan really helped me.”

Lephakha said the hardest part had been the rough seas. “There is no comfort at sea, it’s really rough and I wasn’t able to relax at all.”

Manser said there had been scary moments. “There was a day and then a night, five days apart, halfway through the journey, which were really scary. The waves crashed over us … I thought the boat would snap.”

He acknowledged tensions could arise in the confined space. “When you’re out there with a stranger, after the first-week honeymoon period, little things can annoy you.”

Manser said he held the contest to find a partner because “I wanted to give the opportunity to someone who could inspire a community”.