Edinburgh rower saved by brother after being swept overboard during violent storm
An Edinburgh man attempting to row across the Pacific Ocean with his two brothers has told of the horror moment he was washed overboard during a huge storm.
Lachlan, Ewan and Jamie, are past the half way point in their attempt to complete the fastest ever non-stop and unsupported row from Peru to Sydney.
Lachlan recently told the BBC how he was washed overboard during 40mph winds and 6m waves last week. Luckily, he was attached to his boat by a safety line.
He was dragged along behind the vessel before his brother Ewan was able to help him back on board.
Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland's Morning programme Lachlan said: "It was pretty scary. There are no second chances out here."
The Edinburgh brothers, who previously rowed the Atlantic Ocean in 35 days, have now been tackling the Pacific for more than 90 days, and still have around 2,000 miles to go.
Lachlan said being washed overboard was one of the scariest experiences of his life. He was swapping rowing duties with Ewan when it happened on the second night of a storm that raged 36 hours.
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"I was about to go into the cabin when I was hit by a big side-on wave," said Lachlan. "Fortunately, I was tethered to the boat. I was trailing behind for a bit and was really disorientated. Ewan helped me to scramble back into the boat."
He added: "It is the first time I have been in a boat and felt totally at the mercy of the sea. The boat we have is designed to be tossed upside down and then right itself.
"We didn't capsize, but had three knock downs. That's halfway to capsizing and then it goes the right way again."
The boat being used by the brothers was built with the help of experts with technology used by Formula 1 teams.
Last month Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg told the brothers their Pacific Ocean rowing record attempt should be made into a film. He has spoken twice to the brothers during their challenge by satellite phone.
Wahlberg was made aware of the record attempt by his personal assistant, who has a friend who met Jamie at a wedding he was playing bagpipes at.
The brothers are using the challenge to try to raise £1m for clean water projects in Madagascar.
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