Explorer Riaan Manser was the first person to circumnavigate the world’s fourth largest island, Madagascar, by kayak – alone and unaided. Now this legendary adventure book is available – for children! And it’s a true story, about a real-life action hero.
Riaan’s colossal journey saw him paddle 5 000km in 11 months, surviving treacherous conditions like pounding seas, cyclones and an unrelenting sun which, combined with salt water, almost pickled him alive.
During his circumnavigation he had many memorable close encounters with Madagascar’s marine life – humpback whales breaching metres away from his kayak, giant leatherback turtles gliding alongside him and even having his boat rammed by a shark.
Riaan has teamed up again with award-winning journalist Murray Williams to produce a whopping wild adventure – spanning 125 action-packed pages, published by Penguin Random House South Africa.
Explosive illustrations splash the pages, by art wizard Martinus van Tee, and Chantal Tarling partners on the eye-popping stories, and an ocean-full of fascinating facts. This is the same team which produced the top-selling children’s book in South Africa in 2022, ‘My First African Adventure’, the rambunctious tale of Riaan’s first expedition, cycling solo around the outside edge of Africa, the first person in history to do so.
Madagascar was Riaan’s sequel adventure – and its coastline almost swallowed him whole:
“From the beginning, Riaan has had to face the hardships of the real solo adventurer… the cyclones, surf, storms, distances, tropical disease, muggings and even a coup d’ état! Done on a shoestring with hardly a whimper, the achievement is, quite frankly, nothing short of sensational,” says Johan Loots, innovator and kayak-builder extraordinaire.
“… Riaan’s achievement ranks against some of the greatest feats of endurance, like reaching the South Pole and sailing alone around the world. It will even challenge the iconic first scaling of Everest by Hillary and should go down in the annals of adventure as one of the greatest of all time.”
Riaan & Murray will launch their rambunctious “My First Wild Island Adventure” at the Two Oceans Aquarium, V&A Waterfront, on Friday 7 July from 10:30. Children & Families welcome to join the action.
