Three Scottish brothers have achieved a remarkable feat by completing the first and fastest unsupported row across the Pacific Ocean. After an astonishing 139 days at sea, Ewan, Jamie, and Lachlan McClean successfully navigated more than 14,000 kilometres from Lima, Peru, to Cairns, Australia, setting a new world record. This achievement surpasses the previous record of 159 days established in 2014 by Russian rower Fedor Konyukhov.
Upon reaching Australian shores, Ewan expressed his overwhelming emotions, stating, “We’re still got our sea legs, so yeah, wobbling all over the place to be honest, but very happy to be ashore.” The brothers dedicated their journey to raising funds for clean water projects in Madagascar, amassing over £795,000 (approximately $1.64 million) to benefit around 40,000 people in need.
Challenges at Sea
The journey was fraught with difficulties. The brothers faced treacherous weather conditions that altered their planned arrival in Sydney. Jamie shared the emotional strain of informing their family that they would be delayed due to unexpected storms. He remarked, “Our expectations being crushed when we thought we were going to arrive and then getting hit by storm after storm… that was really, really hard.”
Throughout the expedition, the trio encountered seasickness, injuries, and technical failures, including a broken water maker and a faulty auto-helm. A particularly harrowing incident occurred when Lachlan was thrown overboard during a night shift. Ewan quickly executed a rescue, highlighting the dangers they faced. Lachlan recounted, “A side-on wave came in out of nowhere… I kind of hit the life-lines on the starboard side, basically did like a backwards somersault into the water.”
The brothers supplemented their diet with freshly caught fish and freeze-dried meals, which they ultimately ran out of just before their arrival.
Celebrations and Reflections
As they reached Cairns, a warm welcome awaited the brothers. Friends and family, including their mother, Sheila, gathered to celebrate their historic achievement. “It’s honestly so hard to describe … it’s just extremely admirable what they are doing,” said their friend Isla Dolling.
The brothers rowed in their boat, Rose Emily, which is believed to be the fastest and lightest ocean rowing boat ever constructed, developed in collaboration with ocean rowing legend Mark Slats. The McClean brothers previously broke three world records during an Atlantic crossing in 2019.
Reflecting on their experience, Jamie highlighted the new appreciation for life’s simple pleasures that ocean rowing instilled in them. “Ocean rowing has given us a new-found appreciation for things we used to take for granted,” he said. He added, “While I might miss the routine, the solitude, the sunsets, and sunrises, right now I’m just very glad to be back on land with my friends and family, who I’ve missed so much.”
After nearly five months at sea, the brothers plan to enjoy a well-deserved rest before attending an event at Sydney’s Maritime Museum next week. Their extraordinary journey not only set a new record but also raised significant awareness and funds for vital humanitarian efforts in Madagascar.
