2011 - Little Minch Swim
In Summer 2011, The Little Minch swim was attempted by Saul Hindson, Chris Baker, Rodney Jamieson, Fraser Millar, Andrew Johnson, Tariq Hussain and Colin Macleod. They were supported by Kayakers Pj Maclachlan and Mark stokes, along with Kenneth Macarthur (RIB) and Alastair Macinnes (support boat).
The plan was to leave on Thursday night at 11pm from Rodel pier, Isle of Harris, swimming through the night and on to the next morning, arriving in the Isle of Skye at 8am, touching Waternish Point head straight back to Harris, arriving in Rodel at 5pm on Friday . This would be a total of around 30 miles overall.
In aid of Cancer Research UK. This was the first open water swim the team had attempted and with over half the team coming down with sea sickness on the way over to Skye, it was left to Saul Hindson, Rodney Jamieson and Colin Macleod to carry on with the swimming.
With a force 6 forecast coming in, the decision was made to stop swimming and head back to Harris on the boat. Although the swim failed, The team raised over £6,000 for Cancer Research UK and have vowed to go back and finish the job one day.
In Summer 2011, The Little Minch swim was attempted by Saul Hindson, Chris Baker, Rodney Jamieson, Fraser Millar, Andrew Johnson, Tariq Hussain and Colin Macleod. They were supported by Kayakers Pj Maclachlan and Mark stokes, along with Kenneth Macarthur (RIB) and Alastair Macinnes (support boat).
The plan was to leave on Thursday night at 11pm from Rodel pier, Isle of Harris, swimming through the night and on to the next morning, arriving in the Isle of Skye at 8am, touching Waternish Point head straight back to Harris, arriving in Rodel at 5pm on Friday . This would be a total of around 30 miles overall.
In aid of Cancer Research UK. This was the first open water swim the team had attempted and with over half the team coming down with sea sickness on the way over to Skye, it was left to Saul Hindson, Rodney Jamieson and Colin Macleod to carry on with the swimming.
With a force 6 forecast coming in, the decision was made to stop swimming and head back to Harris on the boat. Although the swim failed, The team raised over £6,000 for Cancer Research UK and have vowed to go back and finish the job one day.
2012 - Big Minch Swim
In June 2012 – the year Stornoway RNLI celebrated its 125th anniversary – eight swimmers (Saul Hindson, Colin Macleod, Rodney Jamieson, Chris Baker, Laura Maynard, Scott Connor, Eilidh Whiteford, and Mark Doug Maciver) were accompanied by three kayakers (Mark Stokes, PJ Maclachlan and Alistair Glover) and support boat MV Cuma, donated to the challenge by Lewis company Island Cruising, to complete the 50mile open water swim challenge.
Delighted to present the final total to Stornoway RNLI, team leader Saul Hindson said: “We would like to take this last opportunity to thank everyone for their tremendous support and donations over the past couple of years in helping us raise such a fantastic total for Stornoway RNLI.
“The Big Minch Swimmers would like to give special thanks to Murdani Macdonald for not only donating his time and boat MV Cuma (Island Cruising) but for paying for all the fuel over the three days we commandeered his services!”
The team set off from the fishing port of Ullapool on the north-west coast of Scotland at 12noon on Monday, June 24th 2012, and swam in relay formation to arrive in Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis, 34 hours later at 10pm on Tuesday, June 26th.
During the fund-raising crossing, the swimmers averaged a speed of 1.5knots and were at times escorted by seals, dolphins and even a pod of six or seven Orca whales.
The Big Minch Swim Team’s efforts have been recorded in Scotland’s history books following a motion tabled by Highlands and Islands Labour MSPs Rhoda Grant and David Stewart, supported by 22 MSPs and passed in the nation’s Parliament on June 28th, 2012.
Saul Hindson added: “I would like to add that due to the success of The Big Minch Swim challenge, we have decided to take on one more challenge – in 2014 The Big Minch Swimmers intend to be the first ever people to Swim to St Kilda – more details to follow!”
In June 2012 – the year Stornoway RNLI celebrated its 125th anniversary – eight swimmers (Saul Hindson, Colin Macleod, Rodney Jamieson, Chris Baker, Laura Maynard, Scott Connor, Eilidh Whiteford, and Mark Doug Maciver) were accompanied by three kayakers (Mark Stokes, PJ Maclachlan and Alistair Glover) and support boat MV Cuma, donated to the challenge by Lewis company Island Cruising, to complete the 50mile open water swim challenge.
Delighted to present the final total to Stornoway RNLI, team leader Saul Hindson said: “We would like to take this last opportunity to thank everyone for their tremendous support and donations over the past couple of years in helping us raise such a fantastic total for Stornoway RNLI.
“The Big Minch Swimmers would like to give special thanks to Murdani Macdonald for not only donating his time and boat MV Cuma (Island Cruising) but for paying for all the fuel over the three days we commandeered his services!”
The team set off from the fishing port of Ullapool on the north-west coast of Scotland at 12noon on Monday, June 24th 2012, and swam in relay formation to arrive in Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis, 34 hours later at 10pm on Tuesday, June 26th.
During the fund-raising crossing, the swimmers averaged a speed of 1.5knots and were at times escorted by seals, dolphins and even a pod of six or seven Orca whales.
The Big Minch Swim Team’s efforts have been recorded in Scotland’s history books following a motion tabled by Highlands and Islands Labour MSPs Rhoda Grant and David Stewart, supported by 22 MSPs and passed in the nation’s Parliament on June 28th, 2012.
Saul Hindson added: “I would like to add that due to the success of The Big Minch Swim challenge, we have decided to take on one more challenge – in 2014 The Big Minch Swimmers intend to be the first ever people to Swim to St Kilda – more details to follow!”
2013 - Leanne Fund Inter Island Challenge
In June of 2013 a group of keen cycling, canoe and open water swimming enthusiasts aided by support crews will attempt a Western Isles Inter Island Challenge in support off and to raise funds for The Leanne Fund. Its planned in for the 14th/15th of June but the exact date in June with depend on tide and weather forecasts due to the sea crossings involved.
The first part of the challenge is to attempt a non stop cycle and canoe relay starting on the Island of Vatersay and finishing at the Port of Ness lighthouse on Lewis with the aim of completing the relay in as short a time as possible within a 24 hour period to set a time for future attempts to better.
In conjunction there will be an attempt to swim the crossings of the Sounds of Barra (Barra - South Uist) and Sound of Harris (Isle of Berneray - Isle of Harris) by Colin MacLeod supported by Chris Baker if needed and aided by kayak and boat support to hopefully achieve the challenge of swimming the sea boundaries between the main islands of the Western Isles. The aim is to also complete both swims within a 24 hour period
The swimmers involved, Colin MacLeod and Chris Baker, are both experienced in open water swimming but this will be by far the most difficult and arduous challenge that they have undertaken due to the tidal conditions, especially in the Sound of Harris.
In June of 2013 a group of keen cycling, canoe and open water swimming enthusiasts aided by support crews will attempt a Western Isles Inter Island Challenge in support off and to raise funds for The Leanne Fund. Its planned in for the 14th/15th of June but the exact date in June with depend on tide and weather forecasts due to the sea crossings involved.
The first part of the challenge is to attempt a non stop cycle and canoe relay starting on the Island of Vatersay and finishing at the Port of Ness lighthouse on Lewis with the aim of completing the relay in as short a time as possible within a 24 hour period to set a time for future attempts to better.
In conjunction there will be an attempt to swim the crossings of the Sounds of Barra (Barra - South Uist) and Sound of Harris (Isle of Berneray - Isle of Harris) by Colin MacLeod supported by Chris Baker if needed and aided by kayak and boat support to hopefully achieve the challenge of swimming the sea boundaries between the main islands of the Western Isles. The aim is to also complete both swims within a 24 hour period
The swimmers involved, Colin MacLeod and Chris Baker, are both experienced in open water swimming but this will be by far the most difficult and arduous challenge that they have undertaken due to the tidal conditions, especially in the Sound of Harris.