The Flag That Crossed an Ocean
Updated: Sep 18
Some souvenirs end up in a drawer. This one ended up in the National Museum.
When Marc rowed into Antigua after 43 days, 7 hours and 21 minutes alone at sea, a Botswana flag had been flying on Dan-Dan the entire way — through calm days, seven-metre waves, and the stretch where he had to dive underwater to fix a broken rudder. It's a small detail that turned out to matter a great deal more than most people would guess.
A first for the flag, and for the country
It's the first Botswana flag ever flown on an ocean-going vessel, and the first to cross any ocean under human power alone. Marc later handed it over in person to the Vice President, at a ceremony marking his win of the Minister's Award at the 44th Botswana Sport Awards — recognition for his performance in the World's Toughest Row (Solo race). The flag now lives in the National Museum.
In his own words, handing it back:
"It represents not just an individual effort, but the spirit, resilience, and determination of our nation."
"Every moment on that journey, Botswana was with me"
Rowing solo and unsupported across an ocean is, by definition, a solitary undertaking. But Marc's speech at the handover made clear that the isolation only went so far:
"To represent the country in The Race was a profound privilege and honour. Every moment on that journey, Botswana was with me. The messages, prayers, encouragement, and unwavering support from back home were simply phenomenal and was a huge boost to have that support."
What the row actually raised
Beyond the recognition and the record, Marc used the same speech to confirm the numbers behind the cause the row was always built around: the 2024/25 crossing raised over P600,000 for Bush Ways Foundation's early childhood learning programmes.
He's not stopping there. Marc will be competing again in December 2027, representing Botswana and flying the flag once more — with a clear goal to raise funds for the Bush Ways Foundation again, hopefully surpassing the previous amount raised.
A symbol, handed back
Marc closed his handover speech with a line that doubles as a fitting thesis for the whole campaign:
"May it stand as a symbol of what is possible when one has a dream, a plan, dedication, hard work and support."
That flag will be back on Dan-Dan in December 2027 — this time with a bigger fundraising target, and a country already behind him.
Follow Marc's build-up to December 2027, and help him beat the P600,000 raised last time.
