Greg Bertish and The Little Optimist Foundation
There are many reasons people fall in love with the ocean, poems are written about the sea, and romances are set near crashing waves.
The ocean is just so overwhelming in its beauty and majesty that humans are humbled.
And then they want to conquer and explore!
Some seek adventure, others performance. For many Balance owners, their love of the ocean began with sailing and that blessed them with a deep connection to nature, to a community of fellow sailors and explorers and then gifted them again with the joy of sharing their adventures with others.
And this brings us to a man who represents all of the above and more – Greg Bertish, founder of the Little Optimist Foundation.
A Second Chance at Life
But to understand Greg, you have to witness his journey. It did not begin with sailing, but with surfing. And it got serious in a hospital.
In his early 30s, the well-known Cape Town big-wave surfer suffered a life-threatening heart infection brought on by a rare tropical bacterium. He spent 200 days in a hospital ward and underwent two open-heart surgeries. A grueling battle that became his second chance at life.
Instead of returning quietly to normal life, Greg chose to do something extraordinary with that second chance. In 2016, he set out to sail 200 kilometers, one for every day he spent in the hospital, around the treacherous Cape of Storms. He didn’t do it in a yacht or a race boat, but in a tiny children’s Optimist dinghy, a boat normally sailed by kids under the age of 15.
This voyage, he pledged, wasn’t about adventure. It was about purpose. His mission was to use this “crazy” feat to raise awareness and funding for children facing serious illness and difficult life circumstances. Especially those who had never had the opportunity to experience the ocean at all.
That 200km journey was the beginning of The Little Optimist Foundation. But don’t mistake it for just a sailing charity.
The Power of Sailing Therapy
That crossing was the beginning of the Little Optimist Foundation. But don’t mistake it for a sailing charity.
Greg’s foundation is a child-development and recovery program that uses the ocean as a therapeutic tool.
The foundation works primarily with:
- children recovering from serious illness
- kids from disadvantaged communities
- children who have experienced trauma
- hospital patients undergoing long-term treatment
Many of the children the Foundation supports have never even seen the ocean prior to this experience, despite growing up within driving distance of the meeting of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans in Cape Town.
The program introduces them to sailing, paddling, surfing, ocean safety, and water confidence and most importantly a sense of agency.
A child who has spent months in a hospital bed suddenly learns:
- they can steer a boat by themselves;
- they can make independent decisions;
- they can and do face their fears and survive and grow;
- and they can succeed at something that can be very difficult when the waves are high and they are not.
And that changes far more than just a day spent at the beach. It is a gift of self belief that far outlasts a single day.
Independence on the Water
The choice of the Optimist dinghy is not just symbolic. In fact, it is probably the most universal sailing boat on Earth – the first boat many sailors around the world ever steer on their own.
For a child, steering an Optimist represents the first time they are in control of something meaningful. There are no parents, no doctors, no teachers, just them, the wind, and the water.
That moment of independence is powerful.
For children recovering from trauma or illness, it can be transformative.
The Little Optimist Foundation uses sailing not to create future professional sailors, but to create confidence, resilience, and hope.
Community Support
The work is supported by volunteers, medical partners, surf instructors, sailors, and local organizations. Long-time residents and supporters such as Cape Town’s Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing (owned by Mark Delany) have already played an important role in helping the foundation continue its programs and outreach.
Bridging the Gap
Balance Catamarans is, at its very core, a sailing company. But sailing has never only been about boats. It is about access to the ocean too.
And access is not equal.
In South Africa especially, the ocean sits physically close to many communities yet remains culturally and economically distant. Programs like The Little Optimist Foundation quietly bridge that gap not through competition or sport, but through experience.
The sailing world often talks about “growing the sport.” Greg and his team are doing something better. They are growing spirits and dreams and confidence.
How You Can Help
And Balance Catamarans supports this every step of the way. And you can too.
There are several ways individuals and companies can get involved:
- Donations (individual or corporate)
- Equipment support
- Volunteer time
- Skills training
- Medical or educational partnerships
If you would like to learn more or contribute, you can reach out directly to Greg Bertish and his team through their website:
Even sharing their story with others can help. You never know. Because remember we have learned at Balance Catamarans that sometimes the most powerful part of sailing isn’t crossing oceans, the joy comes with helping others discover that journey for themselves. After all, you never know what will happen when you create an adventure of your own..
