Salama Fikira welcomes Dinger Bell to Kenya after extraordinary two-ocean row
KILIFI, Kenya — 15 October 2026 On the 2nd October 2026 Salama Fikira Chairman Conrad Thorpe welcomed former Royal Marine Commando Dave “Dinger” Bell to Kenya after he completed a solo, unsupported rowing expedition across the Pacific and Indian oceans. Bell reached Kilifi after 327 days at sea. From Peru’s west coast, he rowed more than 15,000 nautical miles—about 28,000 kilometres—without setting foot on land. His route took him across the Pacific, through the Coral Sea, past the Great Barrier Reef and through the Torres Strait, along Australia’s north coast and then west across the Indian Ocean to Kenya. Thorpe said: “As a former Royal Marines officer, who worked cheek to jowl with Dinger, I can say with a huge degree of confidence that Dinger’s achievement is not only extraordinary, it is ineffable. To spend 327 days alone at sea, meeting every challenge under his own power and his own resourcefulness, takes extraordinary moral and physical courage, discipline, drive and determination. We are delighted to welcome him to Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast and recognise not only the scale of his journey, but the purpose behind it. His efforts are helping shine a light on Rock2Recovery and the brothers and sisters that it supports.” The expedition was a test of judgment and patience as well as endurance. In the South Pacific, Dinger stopped rowing for eight weeks because continuing at his pace risked bringing him to the Coral Sea during cyclone season. He later described the enforced pause as one of the hardest parts of the journey psychologically: “I was too quick, so I had to slow down.” The challenges continued closer to Australia and Kenya. In the Torres Strait, strong tidal conditions meant rowing for as much as 16 hours a day over ten days. Near the end of the voyage, a large swell tore an oar from the boat and broke the spare. Dinger also described being followed for weeks by two white-tip sharks, one on either side of the boat. Dinger stepped ashore in Kilifi on 2 October. He told journalists: “The last week has been so amazing. I’ve been the calmest I’ve ever been in my life.” He had originally planned to finish in Mauritius, but decided to continue to Kenya, adding roughly another thousand miles to the journey. Dinger undertook the row to raise funds and awareness for Rock2Recovery, which supports serving and former members of the Armed Forces, veterans, their families and Blue Light workers affected by stress. On the charity’s website, Dinger describes the challenge as a personal test of endurance, resilience and determination, and says the cause is deeply personal to him as a former Royal Marine. The expedition had raised more than £140,000 and Dinger has lifted his target to £150,000. Support Dinger’s fundraising for Rock2Recovery: https://sportsgiving.co.uk/sponsor/activity/dinger-cross-pacific-and-indian-ocean-row/dinger
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