Edinburgh: MacLean brothers Lachlan, Jamie, and Ewan have completed a record-breaking, full, unassisted, non-stop row across the Pacific Ocean, finishing in Cairns, Australia, after 139 days, five hours, and 52 minutes, surpassing the previous record of 162 days set by Russian solo rower Fyodor Konyukhov in 2014.
Ewan described the reception in Cairns as ‘still slightly surreal,’ while Jamie called the crossing physically and mentally ‘relentless’ but emphasised their teamwork, and remarked that, “Together we form a pretty good team, and together we’ve overcome this massive challenge.”
The brothers trained extensively near their croft in Assynt, in the north west Highlands, preparing for the challenges of open-sea rowing. Their carbon fibre boat, named Rose Emily in memory of their sister who died in 1996 six-and-a-half months into her pregnancy, carried 500kg of freeze-dried food and 75kg of oats, enough provisions for 150 days. In the final weeks, they rationed supplies carefully, with a fishing rod as a last-resort plan for catching food.
The final stretch of the journey was hampered by bad weather, including high winds and a 36-hour storm in July, during which Lachlan was washed overboard while attached to the boat by a safety line. Ewan helped him back on board. Later, a cyclone forced them to abandon plans to land in Brisbane, instead taking a detour around the remote New Caledonia archipelago.
The MacLean brothers, who had previously completed a record-breaking Atlantic row in 2020. Lachlan noted that their bond as brothers was their ‘superpower,’ helping them overcome conflicts and exhaustion. The row raised more than £700,000 toward a £1 million target for clean water projects in Madagascar, reflecting their primary motivation to give back. Lachlan expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support and donations received during the journey.
The brothers also shared the lighter moments of their adventure. Lachlan spoke about looking forward to fresh food, showers, and a bed with clean linen, while also saying he would miss star-filled nights and close encounters with whales, dolphins, and seabirds.
Jamie described the expedition as “the most incredible, relentless, and often surreal” experience of his life, while Ewan reflected that, “The days have been long and yet the weeks have flown past… This has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and I couldn’t have even contemplated it without my brothers.”
Despite the extreme challenges, including sleep deprivation, storms, and rationed food, the MacLean Brothers’ achievement highlights exceptional endurance, teamwork, and determination, completing their Pacific crossing in record time and leaving a lasting impact both on the ocean and in their charitable efforts.
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