It’s not everyday that a “famous” or social-media icon skates their way into Gansbaai’s award-winning shark-diving and eco-tourism experience. But when American skateboarder Jason Vanporppal visited Marine Dynamics on 30 May it was quite a special experience for the local staff, not to mention the skateboarder himself.

Vanporppal is a Los Angeles-born skateboarder who skated across Africa to raise funds for Uganda’s first permanant public skate park.

He joined the internationally acclaimed and award-winning Marine Dynamics for its Shark Cage Diving and Dyer Island Convention Experience along with a close friend.

For the staff of Marine Dynamics his presence was more than just a visit that honoured an invite; it brought two inspiring stories of positive impact. It was an experience that left the skateboarder “genuinely humbled and overwhelmed by the support” he received, according to Janine Taylor of Marine Dynamics.

“[Jason] described his time as ‘wonderful’ and he had ‘such a great time,’. He was excited to experience South Africa’s marine wildlife up and close’ and Marine Dynamics was ‘honoured to host him and celebrate his achievement.’”

Vanporppal has fast become a world-renowned personality, which was evident in how often he was recognised by Gansbaai locals.

“Whether stopping at a shop for a pie or arriving for shark-cage diving people frequently approached him to congratulate him on his journey,” Taylor said.

And like many other tourists he was “blown away” by South African cuisine, even if it was just South African pie.

“Before the trip our driver stopped so Jason could try a traditional South African meat pie for the first time,” said Taylor. “Having only ever known sweet pies, such as apple pie, he was pleasantly surprised by the experience.”

What’s more, he was genuinely humbled by the fame he found he enjoyed here and deeply moved by the idea that his journey could resonate so much with that of people in South Africa and that it can make a difference and inspire others.

“He spoke warmly about South Africa and experiencing the friendliness and kindness of the people he met along the way,” Taylor said.

It’s because of this journey and what it means to many across Africa and the globe that Marine Dynamics invited the skateboarder to the country’s most biodiverse environments.

Inspirational

Marine Dynamics, with its mission is to create positive change through marine conservation, education and responsible ecotourism, became aware of the Los Angeles native’s journey through social media and media coverage as he made his way towards Cape Town and invited him recognising the inspirational nature of the challenge he had set out to pursue and the positive spin-offs it could have locally.

“Jason’s journey is a reminder of what can be achieved through perseverence, passion and a commitment to a greater purpose,” Taylor said, “[and] his commitment to making a difference in people’s lives, which aligns closely with our commitment to protecting the natural world for future generations.”

She added that “meaningful travel experiences have the power to inspire people to become ambassadors for conversation. Meeting people such as Vanporppal reinforces the importance of connecting people with nature and demonstrating that a single person can make a difference.”