Together, Riaan Manser and then-girlfriend Vasti Geldenhuys conquered what many deemed impossible – a world-first row from the African Continent to North America, which also marked Vasti as the first woman from the African Continent to row across any ocean.
As if they haven’t tested their relationship enough, the couple would climb back onto a 7-meter ocean rowing boat and cross the Pacific Ocean from California to Hawaii – in celebration of them tying the knot.
The couple got hitched on the 14th of May 2016 at the Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town. In accordance with the post-wedding tradition, a honeymoon would follow. But for the Mansers, the only thing traditional about their honeymoon would be the name of their boat, ‘Honeymoon’, which became their life-supporting vessel for their gruelling 4,000-km journey.
Starting in California’s Monterey Bay, the couple navigated the treacherous waters to Honolulu in Hawaii, breaking three world records after completing the 4,023-km journey in just 39 days. This exceptional expedition set the World Guinness Record for the fastest Atlantic Row in history.
Their journey was a test of physical and emotional strength, on not only their bodies, but their relationship, too.
