About Dave
Dave’s wanderlust began in Uganda, 1999, when a gap year teaching scheme organised by Africa & Asia Venture encouraged a passion for pastures new, and writing about them. At University, Dave gave the cold shoulder to study, regularly hitch-hiked to Morocco for charity and edited the Uni newspaper for two years. Then he became a graphic designer, an unhappy one.
In April 2005, two weeks after taking up longboarding, Dave left his job and founded BoardFree, a charitable initiative designed to raise funds and awareness for three handpicked charities. He then started to plan two World Record-breaking skating journeys.
In late Spring 2006 Dave pushed his longboard from John O’Groats to Lands End, becoming the first person to skate the length of Britain. On January 22nd 2007 Dave completed his second journey, a five-month world-record 5823km skate between Perth, in Western Australia, and Brisbane on Australia’s east coast. Soon after, his first book was published.
In 2007 Dave formed BounceFree, which revolved around a human powered hydrofoil called an Aquaskipper. In September ‘07 he broke the British speed record, having been made the ‘face of Aquaskipper.’ His Mum was very proud.
On 19th December 2009 Dave completed a 2476km expedition along Australia’s largest river, the Murray, the first leg of a brand new adventure project, the Great Big Paddle. He’s now working on the book and film.
In Spring/ Summer 2010 Dave began preparing for a world record breaking Stand Up Paddle journey, by paddling across Lake Geneva and across the UK from Bath to London.
In between expeditions, Dave spends much of his time giving motivational lectures, writing books and producing documentaries. Next up a film about his Murray River Expedition, and a book called ‘Date,’ the tale of an endurance challenge, with a difference!
The next few years will be filled by Dave’s amazing Expedition1000, a series of twenty five journeys, each at least one thousand miles in length and using a different method of non-motorised tranport each time.
Find out more about Dave at www.davecornthwaite.com