4 South Africans are Riding Jet Skis Around Our Entire Coastline

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Adventure meets purpose as a daring jet ski expedition prepares to travel from coast to coast, turning a demanding ocean journey into a show of support for farmers across South Africa.

South Africa (11 March 2026) – Four South Africans are about to take on one of the most demanding ocean challenges imaginable, not for adventure alone, but for the farmers who feed the nation.

The initiative, called Coast to Coast 4 Farmers, will see Carlo Smuts, Henry Lubbe, Lourens Mahoney and Ruan Jordaan ride jet skis along South Africa’s vast and unpredictable coastline in a journey designed to spark conversation, raise awareness and show support for farmers facing enormous pressure. The expedition is ambitious by any measure. The route stretches roughly 3,000 kilometres, with the team planning to spend around eight hours a day on the water for about 16 days. Each day could see them cover an average of 180 kilometres, navigating changing weather, shifting swells and the demanding physical toll of long hours at sea.

The journey was set to launch on the 11th of March 2026, but the weather was not on the team’s side, so the date has been moved to the 13th of March, with a planned finish 16 days later, although the ocean will ultimately dictate the timeline. Anyone who has spent time along South Africa’s coastline knows that conditions can change quickly, which means the team will have to adapt constantly as they make their way along the country’s shores.

But the real story behind the waves is far bigger than the kilometres.

Farmers across South Africa face immense challenges every single day. From unpredictable weather patterns and rising costs to disease outbreaks and economic uncertainty, agriculture has become one of the toughest industries to navigate. Yet despite the pressure, farmers continue showing up before sunrise, working the land and caring for livestock so that food can reach our tables. For many farmers, the responsibility stretches far beyond their own families. Entire communities rely on their work, from farm workers to suppliers, transporters and the businesses that keep rural economies alive.

Speaking to Carlo, I asked what the driving force behind the initiative was, and he simply explained, “It’s for the farmers. They carry so much responsibility and their mental health needs to be highlighted more”.

And yet, much of that pressure often goes unseen by the people who benefit from it most… that’s where Coast to Coast 4 Farmers comes in.

The idea is simple but powerful: take on a challenge big enough to capture attention and use that attention to shine a light on the people behind our food. By travelling the length of the country’s coastline on jet skis, the team hopes to create a moving symbol of support for farmers and the realities they face every day.

They are not asking for a single cent. It’s not about money. Their biggest focus is to start a conversation around farmers’ mental health.

And while eight hours on a jet ski in open-ocean conditions will push the riders to their limits, they know it still pales in comparison to the long-term pressures farmers face year after year. But by pushing themselves physically and mentally along one of the longest possible routes in South Africa, the team hopes to encourage the public to pause for a moment and think about where their food comes from, and the people responsible for producing it.

Carlo referenced a Muhammad Ali quote here, one that he says Karen Nel, his boss at Design Biologix, says often: “Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it”.

At its heart, Coast to Coast 4 Farmers is about connection. And changing a narrative. It’s about reminding a nation that behind every meal sits a farmer who woke up early, faced the elements and chose to keep going. It’s about recognising that agriculture is not just an industry, but a lifeline that feeds millions of people every day.

And it’s about showing farmers that the country sees them.

Over the coming weeks, as the team makes its way along South Africa’s coastline, battling wind, waves and exhaustion, the message will remain simple but powerful. This ride is for the farmers… the people who feed a nation deserve to know that they are not riding alone.

For more information and to follow their journey, visit the Coast to Coast 4 Farmers Facebook page.