The Coast 2 Coast 4 CANSA jet ski team, supported by SPAR and IT partner Acer, enjoyed perfect weather and fantastic hospitality during the Eastern Cape leg of their epic 2800km awareness and fundraising journey for the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA). When the five-strong team arrived in Plettenburg Bay yesterday (1 May 2010), they were 60km short of the halfway mark, having travelled an average of almost 200km on each of the seven days of riding so far.

At a fundraising function held in support of CANSA and the C2C4C mission at Off The Hook Seafood Café in Plettenberg Bay, expedition leader Russel Symcox said that “we have been overwhelmed by the amazing support we have had in the Eastern Cape. The fact that so many people, many of them strangers, have gone out of their way to help us by hosting fundraisers or assisting us with place to stay is a source of inspiration for the team. It is proof that the message we are looking to spread is one that needs to be heard”.

The jet ski team, which includes SA surfski paddler Barry Lewin (Umhlanga), SA surfer Jason Ribbink (Durban North), ex-Protea cricketer Lance Klusener (Mount Edgecombe), marine conservationist Mark Addison (Widenham) and former Dolphins cricketer Russel Symcox (Scottburgh), were blessed with ideal climatic conditions throughout their time on the Eastern Cape’s Wild Coast, Sunshine Coast and Garden Route. Blue skies and a mostly flat Indian Ocean greeted the team each morning, which Symcox said “was just reward after the battering we took at the hands of Mother Nature whilst in KZN”.

Jet ski pilot Barry Lewin said that “every contribution to the campaign, no matter how small, adds impetus to the fight against cancer. Apart from our main financial and product sponsors SPAR and Acer, Billabong have provided us with wet suits, Lowrance have made sure we know where we are going with GPS equipment, Barron Clothing have kept us warm and dry whilst on land, Oakley have provided quality eye protection, and of course Thekwini Toyota and Yamaha have been instrumental with their sponsorship of the Hilux’s and WaveRunners respectively. The list goes on, and the C2C4C team are grateful for the immense amount of assistance we are luckily enough to enjoy”.
When the team left Port Edward on Monday 26 April, they were asked by Frank Albertus and Vaughan Fraser to carry out a memorial service of sorts for their late friend Donny Parsons, who lost a battle against lymph gland and lung cancer almost two years ago. Donny’s ashes had been placed amongst the soil of a sapling at the time, and the C2C4C team was asked to scatter some soil from the young tree out in the ocean. Symcox said that “it was a touching gesture to be entrusted with such a deed, and we hope that it bought Frank and Vaughan a degree of closure”.

Looking ahead to the next few stops on their journey down the East Coast of South Africa, the C2C4C team are set to enter the Southern and Western Cape, and make their first stop over’s at Mossel Bay and Struis Bay. Here, they will be welcomed by the regional CANSA Offices and official sponsors as they begin the second half of their 1511 nautical mile journey.

For more information, to donate or simply just to track the progress of the crew throughout the C2C4C campaign, log on to the official website at www.coast2coast4cansa.co.za. For the official C2C4C blog, log on to http://www.getaway.co.za/page/coast-2-coast-4-cansa, and for daily updates follow or join the Twitter and Facebook feeds which are updated many times each day.

As part of theC2C4C fundraising drive, a SMS line has been opened, and by SMSing C2C4C or DONATE to the number 38501, you can make a donation of R10 to the Coast 2 Coast 4 CANSA campaign. The SMS donation line will also have a unique tracking application whereby people will be able to SMS “TRACK” to 38501, and a map and co-ordinates will be sent to the user which will show where exactly the jet ski crew are.

Coast 2 Coast 4 CANSA would not be possible without SPAR and IT partner Acer. Yamaha has provided the FX WaveRunners with RMR providing trailers and Thekwini Toyota sponsored a Quantum bus and Hilux vehicles for the back-up crew. RE/MAX has also contributed financially to assist with fuel expenses. Tigon Sports and Barron Clothing supplied clothes for the entire team.