Ewan, Jamie, and Lachland Maclean from Edinburgh, Scotland, have set a new record for rowing across the Pacific Ocean. The three brothers completed a 9,000-mile journey from Peru to Australia in just over 130 days. Their time of 130 days, five hours and 52 minutes surpassed the previous record of 162 days set by solo Russian rower Fyodor Konyukhov in 2014.
“It’s still slightly surreal,” Ewan Maclean told the BBC. “It’s going to take a wee while for our feet to touch the ground, but what an amazing reception we’ve had in Cairns.”
The original plan was to finish their trip in Sydney. However, several tropical storms forced them to end their journey in Cairns instead. During one storm, Lachland was swept overboard but was quickly rescued by his brothers as they continued their route from Lima, Peru.
Throughout the crossing, the Macleans faced seasickness and equipment issues such as a broken water converter. They relied on fishing and freeze-dried meals for food but ran out of those meals just before finishing their trip.
About 100 people gathered at Cairns Marlin Marina to welcome Ewan, Jamie, and Lachlan when they arrived on Saturday. Friends and family greeted them with cheers and bagpipes after not seeing land since leaving Peru on April 12.
The brothers undertook this challenge to raise funds for clean water projects in Madagascar. So far, they have raised about $920,000 in U.S. funds with hopes of reaching $1.3 million.
“It’s foundational for everything,” said Lachland Maclean. “You need clean water to live a flourishing life, to bring communities out of poverty.”
If they reach their fundraising goal, approximately 40,000 people in Madagascar will receive access to clean water for life.
Previously in 2020, the Maclean brothers rowed unassisted across the Atlantic Ocean—a journey that took them 35 days.
