Imagine what they could do to this lightweight, ramshackle raft constructed by a crazy Norwegian who wouldn’t take no for an answer.

He argued that humans – even primitive ones – were capable of remarkable things. Of great endurance and incredible ingenuity.

Like with a grape, you don’t really know what it is made of until it is squeezed. One thing all these stories have in common is that, in each case, every one of these individuals was squeezed to within an inch of their life, and they all had to plumb untold reservoirs of courage, tenacity and fortitude.

Luck was with the Kon-Tiki expedition – the kind of luck that has a habit of accompanying real backbone.

When you’re fighting to survive, morale is everything. Despite the disappointment, Nando didn’t allow himself to be downhearted.

He said that to go to sea was a way of reminding himself how insignificant all humans are in the face of the natural world. That it is a way of glimpsing the face of God.

True to form, less than three months later, Stuart was off – again.

They develop character and courage, and they cultivate self-belief and vision from a young age.

‘When you are going through hell, keep going.’