Two people are set to start their attempt at a world record this weekend of circumnavigating the UK in a rowing boat.
With a favourable forecast this weekend, Long Row Home team, Allan Lipp and Mhairi Ross will set off on the waters from Wick, Caithness on Saturday 1 June around 11am.
The couple is aiming to be the first mixed pairs team to circumnavigate Great Britain by rowing boat, while raising funds for two chosen charities in the process.
So far, the pair have raised more than £7,000 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance, but they’ve set a fundraising target of £30,000 with the hope of splitting it between the charities.
The journey is set to take approximately 60 days at sea covering 2000 nautical miles.
To achieve the world record, Alan and Mhairi must undertake the challenge unassisted, meaning they will not be able to touch land or accept provisions from the moment they depart Wick.
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After months of careful preparation and training, the anticipation is mounting ahead of their departure. Mhairi Ross, a paramedic with the Scottish Ambulance Service and volunteer navigator with the RNLI, said: “Our 7-metre rowing vessel, Boudicea, is now packed with essential supplies, including dehydrated food, our desalination unit to make drinking water, safety equipment, and navigational aids. We are all set and keen to get underway.
“Our journey is about pushing boundaries and testing our limits.
"First and foremost, we had to be physically fit for the challenge, so we maintained a strict training schedule alongside our busy jobs and all the other preparations that were necessary before setting off.”
Allan is a full-time coxswain with the RNLI, and between the couple, they have over 35 years experience of in sea-going, with the pair both currently on the crew of Wick Lifeboat.
Allan added: “Our basic passage plan is now plotted on the chart and it’s all looking very real. This will be adjusted according to weather and tide when we are on our way. We very much appreciate the support of Tom Cunliffe and his colleagues at AngelNav for providing the iPad and electronic charts that will take us around the coastline”.
Allan and Mhairi’s two-month journey will be available to keep track of through their website and hear about their preparation and build up content can be found on their own podcast.
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