#BDS: Cyprus to Israel by kayak

Israelis paddle 180 nautical miles in first crossing by kayak from Cyprus to Israel. 'Winds of 25 knots, huge swell,' says Terra Santa instructor Kobi Sade

We’re on the high seas, some 100 nautical miles from Israel. The time is 2:30 am. The moon has disappeared over the horizon and the skies are pitch black with heavy clouds. I paddle forward carefully – the sea around me is rough, winds of up to 25 knots and a huge swell are behind me. I can’t see the waves, I just feel them lift the kayak like a matchstick. Sometimes they break beside me, and I am forced to make a support stroke with the paddle to avoid capsizing.

I am not alone. Motti Ben Atiya, my teammate, paddles beside me in his own kayak. I can’t see his face but I can imagine the exhilaration he must be feeling.