After rowing across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, it was the stretch of water between Ullapool and Stornoway that had continued to get the better of the Maclean Brothers.

Until now.

Jamie, Ewan and Lachlan Maclean have successfully crossed The Minch at the third attempt, rowing overnight aboard Rose Emily to arrive in Stornoway in time for the opening of this year’s HebCelt Festival.

The brothers completed the 15 hour crossing after setting off from Ullapool, reaching Stornoway harbour in time for breakfast following a journey that included a spectacular Hebridean sunset, pods of dolphins and even a light hearted race with a passing CalMac ferry.

For the Assynt brothers, the crossing represented unfinished business.

They had twice attempted to row The Minch while preparing for their world record Pacific expedition, but on both occasions the notoriously unpredictable conditions forced them to turn back.

Ewan Maclean said:

“We’re recently back from rowing across the Pacific last year but our latest expedition has been rowing across The Minch to get from Ullapool to Stornoway to get to HebCelt, and we’re so excited we made it because there was a good chance we weren’t going to make it to be honest, because we’ve been turned back before, but we’re here.”

The crossing came less than 24 hours after the brothers were reunited with Rose Emily, the ocean rowing boat that carried them across the Pacific and which had recently returned to Scotland from the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney with the support of Menzies Aviation.

They also carried precious cargo across The Minch.

On board were signed first editions of their new book, Three Brothers in a Boat, collected from Ullapool Bookshop and delivered by sea to The Baltic Bookshop in Stornoway ahead of its publication in September.

Get the book here: Three Brothers in a Boat: A True Story of Adventure and Purpose Rowing the Pacific

Jamie Maclean said:

“The Minch was very kind to us, which certainly wasn’t the case the last two times we tried it.

“Not completing the crossing had eaten away at us, so it feels brilliant to have finally done it.

“Now that we’ve conquered it, we can get on with our lives.

“We had the Pacific playlist booming, morale was very high and even the freeze dried meals went down a treat.

“There’s nothing quite like a homemade chicken ruby when you’re out on the water.”

After arriving in Stornoway, the brothers quickly turned their attention from rowing to music, with plans to enjoy performances from Valtos, Mec Lir, Peatbog Faeries, Beinn Lee and Mànran, along with collecting a promised celebratory pint after a playful wager with HebCelt organisers during the journey.

The Atlantic made them world record holders.

The Pacific made them world famous.

But finally conquering The Minch may prove every bit as satisfying.