After conquering two of the world’s greatest oceans, the Maclean Brothers are preparing to take on a challenge much closer to home that they believe could prove just as demanding.
Jamie, Ewan and Lachlan Maclean have announced plans to row across The Minch from Ullapool to Stornoway, hoping to finally overcome the stretch of water that has twice forced them to abandon previous attempts because of severe weather.
The brothers, who last year completed the fastest human powered crossing of the Pacific Ocean while raising £1 million for clean water projects, will once again take to the water aboard Rose Emily, the boat named in memory of the sister they never had the chance to know.
Although The Minch is only a fraction of the distance they covered across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, its rapidly changing weather and sea conditions have earned it a formidable reputation among sailors and rowers alike.
The challenge also marks the return of Rose Emily to Scotland after the vessel was displayed at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney following the brothers’ record breaking Pacific expedition.
The boat has been transported home with the support of Menzies Aviation, allowing the trio to prepare for another chapter in their remarkable story.
As part of the journey, the brothers will deliver first editions of their new book, Three Brothers in a Boat: A True Story of Adventure and Purpose Rowing the Pacific, to Ullapool Bookshop before carrying copies across The Minch to The Baltic Bookshop in Stornoway.
Ewan Maclean said:
“It’s so great to be reunited with Rose Emily.
“We can’t thank Menzies Aviation enough for getting her home safely.
“We’ve enjoyed being back on land, but we’ve missed the simplicity of life at the oars.
“The Minch is a small but mighty stretch of water that has eluded us so far and that has eaten away at us.
“We need to conquer it before we think about taking on anything else.
“Peru to Cairns was a challenge that changed us immeasurably.
“Hopefully now we can make it to Stornoway from Ullapool.”
The announcement comes shortly after the brothers returned from Madagascar, where they visited projects funded through the Maclean Foundation that will provide clean water for around 40,000 people.
While their latest challenge may not involve crossing an ocean, successfully rowing The Minch would complete a personal mission that has remained unfinished despite the brothers becoming world record holders on some of the planet’s biggest seas.
