South African aims to break own world record

It’s a world record that arguably nobody knows. But South African Vernon Kruger is ready to beat it, by spending more than two months perched in a barrel hoisted 25 metres above the ground.

The 52-year-old professional scuba diver is trying to break his own record for the longest human stay perched in a barrel.

In 1997, Kruger spent 67 days and 14 minutes on a barrel. 22 years later, Guinness asked him to beat his own record, which is still unbeaten.

“Sleeping in this barrel is not very easy, I’ve had a lot of cramps and back pain since I’ve been here. It’s a very small place to curl up and I have to lie down in the fetal position. I wash myself, I have a little tub that I can fit in here, and then I wash myself, say, twice a week I go and take a bath”, Kruger said.

So on November 14, Vernon Kruger was hoisted unto a 500-liter wine barrel on top of a 25-meter mast for a stay that he knew from experience was very challenging.

“It’s getting a bit frustrating here, especially because I can’t do a lot of things on my own, I have to rely on the ground team. I need to rely on others for absolutely everything”, the Guinness World Record hopeful said.

His ordeal is almost over. By Monday, he’ll have broken his own record. But he has not said what day he’s coming off the pole as yet.

“Vernon won’t go down when he breaks his record, which is Monday. He won’t go down, he’ll stay a little longer. We haven’t been given a date, which worries us because we have to get him off”, co-organizer, Fiona Jones said.

Kruger is planning to extend his ordeal by a few more days to support NGO’s for children relief and epilepsy, for which he raises funds.

Plus, to keep his name in the Guinness Book of World Records.