Endurance adventurer Dave Cornthwaite pedalled an astounding 1243 miles/2090 kilometres along the Norwegian coast, following popular superyacht and famous Hurtigruten ferry route, from Kirkenes to Bergen on his Schiller Water Bike.
His journey lasted for nine weeks, reaching its conclusion in October, and is a record-breaking distance travelled by water bike.
Describing his favourite destinations on this preferred superyacht route, Dave says, “The entire Norwegian coast is beautiful in its own right and the scenery changes every 200 miles or so as I headed south. The rugged, empty northern coast of Finnmark was the most remote part of the trip but I loved the coast of Steigen, which is peppered by an archipelago of thousands of islands, most with sandy white beaches and quiet coves.”
One of many reasons why Norway is becoming an increasingly popular charter destination, with many luxury yacht berths available, and an abundance of outdoor activities on offer amidst the unbeatable scenery.
Dave kitted out his water bike with a custom Schiller inflatable platform, easily strapped to the pontoons at four points, to accommodate the gear he needed to carry with him on his journey.
A Schiller Water Bike can bear weight of up to 900lbs, so there was ample scope for heavier items to be loaded. A handlebar extender was also added to enable Dave to sit upright whilst pedaling the long daily distances, rather than taking the standard ‘racing’ position which is great for your everyday water bike ride.
Averaging an estimated speed of 3.8mph, Dave spent 7-9 hours on the water every day taking in the breathtaking landscapes of Norway and summed up his journey with the following.
Hours on the water: 376.7
Top speed: 10.7mph.
Average speed: 3.5mph (5.6kmph)
Whales seen: 13
Dolphins pedaled with: Over 400
Seals: 250ish
Puffins seen: More than people
Times a Hurtigruten ship travelled between Kirkenes and Bergen while I was pedaling like mad: 13
Films made: 67
No. of times people called me crazy: 654
No. of times people asked if I had bad weather: 786
No. of times I swore I’d never sit on a bicycle seat again: 987
World records? One – longest journey by water bike!
Size of my smile: infinite
This epic journey is number 14 of 25 that Dave will be completing as part of his project ‘Expedition1000’. A different form of non-motorised transport will be used for each adventure, and every one will cover a minimum distance of 1000 miles. Past expeditions have included skateboards, SUP’s and scooters.
Talking of adventure number 15 Dave tells us “I don’t yet have a plan for my next endurance adventure, but am currently resting up and considering creating a film/ book about the Norway trip, and I have a fairly busy speaking schedule around Europe to tell the tale of this journey.
“I live on a boat in London and my Schiller Bike is currently moored alongside, and I take it out for a spin most days. It’s a great way to go shopping and is a regular head-turner for anyone living by the river!”
Read the full details of Dave’s Schiller Bike Norway adventure and stay up to date with his future challenges by clicking here. davecornthwaite.com/waterbike/
As the superyacht industry takes a stop towards sustainability it seems that the Norwegian community are rising to the challenge. It was reported in an article on www.inhabitat.com that Norwegian billionaire Kjell Inge Røkke, a businessman who started his career as a fisherman, has commissioned a yacht purely for marine research. The vessel will be able to scoop up around five tons of plastic every day, and then melt it down in an effort to help clean up the ocean.
The 180m Research Expedition Vessel (REV) will be built by VARD, designed by superyacht designer Espen Oeino and will be ready in 2020. Scientists and marine researchers will be invited on board to study and explore issues such as climate change, overfishing and plastic pollution, according to owner Rosellinis Four-10, a subsidiary of the Røkke family company TRG.
The eco-friendly Schiller Water Bike was developed with the daring belief that people should be able to bike across a blue planet. Designed with state-of-the-art engineering, the Schiller S1-C and S1 are simultaneously revolutionising yachting, water sports and cycling industries, enabling millions of people around the world to have an exhilarating, dynamic and safe biking experience on the water.
This is the next frontier in biking and water sports. One that has no learning curve (or paddles or uncomfortable seating in kayak hulls), and is accessible to all for fun, fitness, touring and adventure on almost any body of water.
With nearly one billion bikes around the globe built for land, Schiller is singularly focused on delivering its customers epic rides, trailblazing voyages and incredible sunset spins on a new aquatic terrain.
