NLRI support the White Nile Expedition team for their Akagera River leg

On the 30th April 2005, traveling on board an 8.5 meter, 400hp Lake Rescue RIB, the intrepid Nile River explorers finally touched the southern facing wall of the Owen Falls dam in Jinja, the exact point where they began their incredible challenge some 12 months earlier. In doing so they became to first people in history to navigate the full length of the world’s longest river, from its source in Rwanda to the seas of the Mediterranean in Egypt.

For the most part the team, jointly led by two South African adventurers, mountain and white water guide’s Pete Meredith and Hendri Coetzee, traveled in white water rafts, sometimes with outboard engine assistance. However, for the last leg of the journey, from the mouth of the Akagera River on the western shores of Lake Victoria across Lake Victoria to Jinja and the “tourist” source of the Nile, they had the “luxury” of high speed travel in the big NLRI rescue boat, an 8.5m Gemini Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB).

The NLRI team arrived at the Akagera River mouth on schedule, however due to strong winds on the river, the expedition team were delayed and would only arrive at the Akagera rendezvous a couple of days later (we choose here not to say they were late but Meredith will be getting a watch and a calendar for his Christmas present!). So Tim de Wet, piloting the NLRI RIB, took the plunge and traveled 50 km’s on up the river towards it source, finally bumping in to a bedraggled, skinny and tired bunch of rafters late in the afternoon.

Tracked by satellite, every move of the RIB was watched in the Kampala operations centre by Jerry Burley (NLRI – Operations Director) with concern when the vessel was seen moving unplanned 50 km’s upstream, as GSM doesn’t work in this area and so it became a waiting game for information until they were back at the Ssese Islands and within GSM reception range.

It was then made clear that all was indeed well. On-board professional Ugandan cameraman James Opoka captured all the action throughout this extraordinary leg of Lake Rescue’s involvement.

Back in Jinja one of sponsors, Nile Breweries, had laid on a reception party for the explorers, a just and fitting welcome back after one of the very few remaining unconquered challenges left in the world finally gave up its crown. For the NLRI team and rescue craft, their job done, it was pack-up time and back home to Kampala.