Surfing four-storey waves, paddling through hippo-infested water and swimming with sharks would be more than enough adventure for most, but not Chris Bertish. The big-wave surfer from Cape Town will set off on a hazardous expedition in mid-December when he attempts to be the first person to make a solo, unsupported, stand-up paddle crossing of the Atlantic.His 7,500km journey from Morocco to Florida in the US is expected to take four months. During this time he will have little more than a solar-powered water filter and 120 days' worth of dried food packs to see him through.His custom-made paddle craft is 6m long and has a small 1.72m cabin, the exact length of the former professional sailor when he is lying down.story_article_left1For a bit of luxury, he'll have a sleeping bag, mattress and a small cooker.Bertish is the Guinness stand-up paddle world record holder, which he achieved by paddling 131.8km in 12 hours.He has been preparing for the venture for four years and hopes to raise more than R24-million for the Lunchbox Fund, Signature of Hope, and Operation Smile charities through fundraisers during the trip. "It started out quite small and it has become ginormous," he said.He will paddle from Morocco to the Canary Islands, across the Atlantic to the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean, then to Florida.His foam carbon-composite board, manufactured in the UK, will be fitted with a radar autopilot to keep him on track while he is not paddling. It will also have a device to convert sea water to drinkable water. Bertish said he would need 10 to 12 litres of water a day."It's probably ... more dangerous living on land in South Africa than it is for me doing what I'm doing now in the ocean."The greatest challenge is probably the elements," he said, citing the sun and salt as two of the biggest obstacles he will face.Bertish will be supported by a team of specialists including Tim Noakes as a nutrition adviser. "I will have freeze-dried food like the astronauts have," he said. His menu will consist of meals such as muesli, chicken à la king and meatballs, "and if I have to start fishing ... the good news is I'll be surrounded by an aquarium of sushi".Bertish is not one to shy away from danger, having notched up the All-Africa record over 24 hours, as well as winning the Mavericks surfing competition in California in 2010 for riding the biggest waves ever in a competition. During the trip, researchers in South Africa will track Bertish by satellite. The data collected about his environment and experiences could be used at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa to formulate a case study that students at the University of Cape Town sports science department can use."Everyone's definition of crazy is different. To me this doesn't feel crazy at all, it just feels like an extension of all the stuff I've already achieved in the past. And it's an excuse to be able to get away from work for some time," Bertish said, laughing.As to how he will keep himself entertained, he said he would be taking music and audio books with him, but that "survival is a good way to stay entertained, trying to survive every day"...