Extreme Dreams is a showcase for Dean Dunbar, blind adventurer
Two years after being registered blind, at the age of 29, Dean did a charity tandem skydive which changed his life.
Since then he has notched up almost 150 activities and challenges around the world, ranging from adventure racing to zorbing, and set over 25 world firsts in activities ranging from open-water swimming to stand up paddle-boarding.
And there’s more, over 80 challenges in fact…!
Click on any challenge for the full write-up:
2019 BIG CHALLENGE
13th September 2019
Swim – Benbecula, Eriskay, and South Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland.
Although the Big Challenge was now off, Rho and I still had a great time.
We met up with Chris who is an amazing outdoorswoman and had excellent local knowledge about tides, locations, etc. She took us on some 
fantastic swims – one near Creagorry on Benbecula, another by the Eriskay causeway, and another at Loch Aineort in South Uist. The water was so clear, (something we’re not used to in Clunie Loch). At Aineort we even had an 
inquisitive seal follow us as we swam and looked down at the starfish and sea anemones below us. Read more…
Read the full 2019 Big Challenge Blog here
VIDEO FEATURES 
Here are the latest videos featuring Dean’s adventures: Click here to go to the 
channel
LATEST ADVENTURES 
Unfortunately the Weather Gods were against Patrick and Dean on their 2019 Big Challenge. Read what happened HERE.
Plans are already underway for a massive 2020!! Read more…
LATEST NEWS 
- April 23rd, 2020 – Dean will be talking at the Buxton Adventure Festival.
- October 19th – Dean did his “SUP to St Kilda” talk at the Tullynessle Hall in Aberdeenshire.
- September 21st – Dean & Rhona swam together in the Lamlash Splash. This was the first time Rhona had guided Dean in a swimming event. Read more HERE.
- September – Dean and Patrick Winterton had their Big Challenge planned, but things didn’t quite go to plan. Read more HERE
- July – Dean is chuffed to nuts to be included in the Palm 40th Celebrations SUP video. Watch it HERE
- June 21st – Read how a trip to find the midnight sun in Scotland, turned into the 3 Lochs Challenge.
- June 15th – Dean took journalist Gayle Ritchie out for a prone boarding session. Read more HERE.
- June 7th-9th – Dean and Rhona joined the Nairn Academy Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award group on their final training SUP expedition weekend. CLICK HERE.
- May 27th – Dean & Rhona rode Europe’s longest, and the world’s fastest zipwire. Click HERE.
- March 2nd – Dean did his first mountain bike trail blue route. Blind and daft? CLICK HERE.
- March 1st – Dean was one of the speakers at the Braemar Mountain Festival.
- February 26th – Dean & Rhona spent the day with the wonderful folk at Craggan Outdoors, doing some rock climbing and archery.
SPONSORS
These sponsors have been a tremendous help in supplying kit and support for my challenges.
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Having taken on almost 100 challenges around the world and set over 25 world firsts, Dean has a large repertoire to draw upon. Whether it be talking about becoming the first person to abseil the UK’s highest waterfall, or swim the UK’s highest loch, or being the first registered blind person to stand up paddle-board from the Scilly Isles to Cornwall, or bungee jump from a helicopter, Dean has many experiences to share.
First person in the world:
- Stand Up Paddleboard, (SUP), to the archipelago of St Kilda, with Patrick Winterton – 2017
- Stand Up Paddleboard, (SUP), around the Isle of Bute, with Allistair Swinsco – 2016
- Stand Up Paddleboard, (SUP), the longest lakes of Scotland, England, and Wales, with Ian Cormack & Allistair Swinsco – 2016
- Stand Up Paddleboard, (SUP), the 150km long Argyll Sea Kayak Trail, with Allistair Swinsco & Ian Cormack – 2016
- Stand Up Paddle-board, (SUP), UK’s longest freshwater lake/loch – 2015
- Stand Up Paddle-board, (SUP), 50km from the Isles of Scilly to the UK mainland on an inflatable SUP, with Carl Sawyer – 2015
- Stand Up Paddle-board, (SUP), around the island of Kerrera, with Cathy Winterton – 2015
- Stand Up Paddle-board, (SUP), the UK’s highest loch, Loch Etchachan – 2014
- Speed ride two-up on 1 set of skis – with Ueli Kestenholz – 2014
- Swim the UK’s highest loch/lake – 2012
- Aquaseil the UK’s highest waterfall – with Ben Starkie & Graeme Reid – 2009
- Hydrospeed the full length of Scotland’s longest river – with Rhona – 2007
First blind person in the world:
- Stand Up Paddle-board, (SUP), 92km non-stop Great Glen Paddle Challenge – 2016
- Stand Up Paddle-board, (SUP), 50km from the Isles of Scilly to the UK mainland – 2015
- Flyboard – 2015
- Stand Up Paddle-board, (SUP), the full 92km of the Caledonian Canal – 2014
- Swim across the wonderful Firth of the Forth – 2014
- Stand Up Paddle-board, (SUP), Loch Tay, solo – 2014
- Participate in the exhausting Oban Sea Kayak Race – with Patrick Winterton – 2012
- Swim across the mighty Corryvreckan Gulf – 2011
- Traverse Sa Fosca, (1 of the world’s top 10 canyons) – 2010
- Set a Thundercat powerboat record around the Isle of Wight – 2006
- Participate in the gruelling 5 day Hebridean Challenge Adventure Race – 2005
- Be thrown by a Human Catapult – 2002
- White water sledge the world’s highest commercially rafted waterfall – 2001
- Bungee jump from a helicopter – 2000
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