A chat with… Jack Fleckney

Interview & photos:
Summer Rylander

Bio

Jack Fleckney is a UK-based adventure athlete committed to using his fitness as a force for good. He’s all about taking on challenges, and his favourites are those that help provide opportunities to other people.

A chat with… Jack Fleckney

In June 2022, Jack travelled to southern Africa to take on an adventure challenge spanning Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana to raise money for three important conservation and educational causes. His time in Botswana included paddling hundreds of kilometres along the Okavango Delta, so we’re chatting about his experience on the water in such a wild place. 

Before we dive in, please tell our readers a little about yourself and your background as an adventurer.
Well, I suppose I’m a bit of a jack of all trades. I’ve run a gym business for the last several years; before that, I was a Royal Marine Commando. Before that, I played professional rugby. In terms of adventure, I’ve always enjoyed being outdoors, but my love for it probably sparked when I joined the military and started doing things in the mountains and deserts. It all grew from there; I was doing different things, like crossing the Sahara and going to random mountains to try climbing them.

So how did you get into paddling?
Technically, I never got into it! The idea of paddling the Okavango Delta came about from speaking with Marc Germiquet of Bush Ways Botswana. Marc’s a high-level paddler with competition experience. As we were planning the final phase of Challenge Africa, he thought paddling the delta would be the best way to experience the area and boost interest in our fundraising efforts. Before this, my experience with paddling was just in an inflatable kayak at sea about two hours from my house. But I think it’s cool sometimes to jump into things and learn on the spot.

Tell us more about Challenge Africa.
The idea came to fruition after going out and visiting schools while doing some volunteer work in Zambia. I wanted to help provide more opportunities to young people in these rural areas, and sharing their stories would be a good way to build awareness. So, with a bespoke tour operator called Journeysmiths, which already had a strong network of partners throughout Africa, we got the idea to build a big fundraising challenge. The plan was for me to run and cycle across Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, climb baobab trees in Zambia for 24 hours straight, and then paddle 400 kilometres through the Okavango Delta in Botswana.  

What made Journeysmiths the ideal partner for a project like this?
The fact that they’re also based in the UK made them easy for me to work with, and they took on a lot of the logistical work that enabled me to concentrate on everything else I needed to do to prepare for this challenge. But more than that, Journeysmiths has strong relationships with companies and initiatives in these three countries, and, to be honest with you, they’re just good people. Talk to anyone on the Journeysmiths team, and you can hear their passion for the people and the environment in wild places, and their values align with mine.

OK, so you’re new to paddling, and suddenly you’re in on a kayak in the Okavango Delta. What was that like?
I don’t think I fully appreciated how the wildlife would make the expedition so dangerous until I sat in the kayak with Marc. He did give us a pre-warning that this would be serious, but I’ve been in loads of situations where people say something is a big deal, and I’ll get there, and it’s not so bad. But in minutes, we saw a big crocodile dive into the water ahead of us — an eye-opener.

Watching this massive creature slither into the water and disappear underneath, I remember thinking, “I don’t know where this thing is; it could pop up at any point.” Then, later, when we saw our first hippo in the middle of the river, Marc said, “We’re going down the side, start paddling fast — sprint, sprint, sprint!” and we saw it up come up behind us, coming towards us; wow. There was this realisation of, “OK, this is wild.”

What about the paddle itself? As a newcomer to the sport, was there anything that surprised you?
How uncomfortable it was! My God, I thought my back would break as a bloody six-foot, 90-something-kilo guy in what felt like an extra-small kayak, and I wasn’t quite ready for that. When I first started, I had soreness in my shoulders and lats, but after two or three hours, that went away. The worst part was the uncomfortable seating position and getting used to being sat bolt-upright with no core support. In that awkward position, there were times I was kayaking for an hour or two with dead legs — my legs just numb, then starting to hurt. I’d say the discomfort was the worst part for me.

Do you have any advice for others who might be interested in putting their athleticism to work for charity?
I’d say believe in yourself. Don’t be afraid to try something big and fail. Paddling the Okavango Delta is a great example — I’d never been in one of those kayaks before. I suppose one of my ‘qualities’ where all of this is concerned is that I tend to be quite naïve, so by being naïve, I sort of jump into things. I knew the delta would be relatively dangerous, but I was very naïve about what I’d be dealing with in terms of how difficult it was; how uncomfortable both mentally and physically. With these types of challenges, you sometimes have to go for it and believe you’ll get through it.

What did you enjoy most about the paddle?
My favourite bit was being at water level. Seeing everything from that perspective and moving swiftly through the water was cool. I thought we’d be moving slowly, but we were cruising at some points at 10, 12, or even 14 kilometres per hour. Just the ability to go and see places I never thought I’d have the opportunity to see like that — I mean, by foot or cycling, I’d never be able to get to the middle of the Okavango Delta and watch elephants and hippos navigate through the papyrus. The kayak allowed that. I also found the reliance on human power (rather than a motor) very satisfying. Pulling up to an island in the evening to set up camp, I’d think, “We got here because of the kayak.”

On this expedition, you shared a kayak with an experienced paddler. What qualities would you look for in a paddling partner in the future?
If we’re talking about an environment like Botswana, I’d look for someone who is good under stress and can handle demanding situations. Marc had that ability. There were probably two or three hippo situations where we had made the wrong decision; it would have been a really wrong decision. So, I’d want a partner who knows how to deal with stressful circumstances. And I’d look for someone I can get along with. We were in that kayak for, what, 10 hours a day? Understanding each other, working as a team, and hopefully having fun while we’re on the water together are essential.

What’s your motivation for all of this? Why use your fitness as a way to help people?
Because it’s the only thing I find fulfilling. I’ll do all these challenges, and as soon as I finish one, in my head, I think, “That wasn’t that bad; that wasn’t hard.” I’m quite self-critical, too, so I never think anything I do is very good, which I like because it keeps me relatively humble. The one thing I do feel fulfilled by is when I manage to help others — in whatever capacity that may be. I’m not motivated by money; I’m not motivated by material things. I’m motivated by the ability to help people. I think the most important thing we can all do as humans is just helping others; to leave a better legacy, and I suppose that’s why I enjoy the challenges. I get buzzed and excited and want to complete the challenge because I’m competitive. But to walk away and know I’ve helped someone somehow — that’s cool. That’s what we’re here for.

How do you stay focused throughout something like Challenge Africa? You were also running, cycling, and climbing trees — that’s a lot of back-to-back physical activity. How did you push through when you were feeling tired or stressed?
As far as being tired, I don’t know. I felt like I performed better as we went through the trip. I was getting stronger and stronger, and by the end of it, I felt really good. I was mentally tired, but physically I felt great. I was lucky with Challenge Africa because it was so varied, and I’m a bit like a child in those situations; I get excited by what we’ve got ahead, and that motivates me. It was easy to stay switched on and keep going because the environment was constantly changing. There were so many things to see, think about, and do — I didn’t want to switch off; I wanted to take it all in. Also, the reliance aspect comes with needing to get from point A to B. We were constantly moving through those countries; it wasn’t an option for me to say, “I can’t do it anymore; let’s stop.” That reliance changes the game — I simply had to get on with things.

Speaking of the environment, what can paddlers and other adventure athletes do to help improve the world around them?
Connect with the local environment wherever you are. If you’re travelling, immerse yourself in the culture and get to know people. You’ll gain a better understanding of what their challenges are and what they deal with each day based on their surroundings. What we see online nowadays is so curated, and information is often distorted — there’s a counterbalance to every argument.

One good example is when we were chatting with Paul de Montille of Dete Animal Rescue Trust (DART) in Zimbabwe. He was talking about how awful it is to find an animal caught in an illegal snare; then he said that this is often the result of someone just trying to feed their family. People are in positions sometimes that we don’t even think about, so to get on the ground and experience a culture widens your perspective and expands your capacity to understand others. 

Well said. So, what’s next for you in the world of paddling?
I’m rowing across the Atlantic Ocean in December! I had the opportunity to join a team, and the four of us will row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic from Spain to the Caribbean. We’re fundraising to support the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), a UK-based mental health charity against suicide. We’ll spend about 40 days at sea.

Wow, best of luck with that one! Before we wrap up, are there any shoutouts you’d like to give to the brands or companies that helped make Challenge Africa possible?
Amazing, yes. So, shoutout to Craghoppers — they provided sponsorship funding and clothing and gear that helped with preparation for the trip. We also received donations from The Roastery at Bella Barista and Wilby Tree; we greatly appreciate our Challenge Africa sponsors. Obviously, thanks again to Journeysmiths, our fantastic liaison team, for organising the expedition. I also want to thank Imvelo Safari Lodges, Royal Chundu, and Bush Ways for the accommodations and on-the-ground support. Big thanks again to Marc Germiquet of Bush Ways for his support in planning and carrying out the Okavango Delta paddle with me. 

Finally, is there anywhere special you’d like to paddle one day?
I’d love to SUP the length of the Amazon River.

Quickies…

Who would it be if you could paddle with anyone in the world, dead or alive?
Ernest Shackleton or Ranulph Fiennes.

Which famous person would you like to play you in a film?
People say I look like Chris Hemsworth.  

What one luxury item would you take with you on a desert island?
A knife.

What would be your superpower if you could be a superhero for a day?
I’d love to fly. That’d be cool.  

Do you have a guilty pleasure?
No, because I don’t feel guilty about enjoying anything. But I do love bakeries, especially croissants.

What’s your favourite animal?
The famous water pig – the hippo.

Any final shoutouts to friends or supporters?
Thanks to Jack Weightman-Harton and Summer Rylander (is it weird to shout yourself out?) for joining me on the expedition. It would have been very different without you both. And thanks to my girlfriend, Jess, for managing all the social media back at home and allowing me to disappear for weeks on end. And a final thank you to all the people who have donated and helped make a difference to these causes.