Latest news with #EwanMaclean
Times
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Times
Record-breaking rowers face eating raw fish as they battle Pacific
Three Scottish brothers who are attempting to break the world record for the fastest unsupported row across the Pacific Ocean say they face eating raw fish straight from the sea as their food rations are dwindling. Four months into their attempt, Ewan, 33, Jamie, 31, and Lachlan Maclean, 27, said they would have to start fishing from their boat after a series of 'nightmare' delays depleted their limited food supplies. Since April the trio have been using a gas-powered stove to heat and rehydrate meals but it is likely to run out of fuel shortly. Requesting fresh provisions would disrupt their record attempt. 'The last month has been so hard because the weather has been fighting against us, we're on a knife-edge now,' Lachlan Maclean said. 'We have a fishing rod to use as emergency backup if we run out of food, but if we were to catch fish, we would have to eat them raw.' It has been four months since the brothers from Edinburgh embarked on the 14,000km row from Peru to Australia to raise £1 million for clean water projects in Madagascar. They have been rowing in two-hour shifts around the clock in an attempt to become the first team to row the Pacific Ocean nonstop and completely unsupported. They have already raised more than £590,000 and drawn widespread support from celebrities such as the actors Mark Wahlberg and Ewan McGregor, the rugby star Blair Kinghorn and Flea, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist. The voyage is the second rowing challenge by the Macleans to make headlines. In 2020, the brothers broke three world records when they crossed the Atlantic Ocean, despite never having rowed seriously before. The brothers, who credit their holistic Steiner schooling with giving them an appetite for adventure, made the journey in 35 days, nine hours and nine minutes, beating the previous record by almost a week. However, despite their formidable record at sea, the Macleans admit that their latest feat is the hardest thing they have ever done. They have been forced to shelter from a cyclone and battle against northern winds that threaten to push them above Australia and towards Papua New Guinea. The brothers had to row three-up for 14 hours straight just to skirt New Caledonia, while dodging storms, reefs, marlins and sharks. However, they are adamant that they are remaining 'chipper' aboard their specially designed carbon-fibre vessel. Lachlan said: 'The flipside of hardship of like this is that fundraising always goes better when you're suffering a bit. Over the past month our campaign has really taken off so that's been keeping our morale really high in these challenging moments.'
CNN
06-08-2025
- General
- CNN
Three brothers, one boat, a potential world record and a 9,000-mile mission for clean water
Water availabilityFacebookTweetLink Follow Most people would be somewhat alarmed at the prospect of spending over 100 days alone with their siblings, let alone if they had to do so on a cramped boat in the middle of the ocean. But three Scottish brothers think their familial bond is pivotal in their mission to complete the fastest-ever unsupported three-man row across the Pacific Ocean. The trio of Ewan, Jamie, and Lachlan Maclean are now in the final stretch of their 9,000-mile journey across the Pacific, made in pursuit of both a world record and the goal of raising £1m to fund clean water projects in Madagascar. In 2020, the brothers looked for a way to support charities fighting for clean drinking water around the world and thought of the potential impact of undertaking a big physical challenge. As such, the Macleans decided to row the Atlantic Ocean, setting a record in the process by crossing in just 35 days. Once back on dry land, they realized their mission for clean water was not over and quickly decided that the best way to promote the cause was to go one step further and 'take on the biggest body of water on the planet,' they recalled to CNN Sports on their 101st day at sea. They set out from Peru's capital, Lima, on April 13 with the initial goal of reaching Sydney, Australia, by August 2. Their family-run, non-profit organization, The Maclean Foundation, works to secure clean water for communities through pairing up with partner organizations in Madagascar to build boreholes. The Pacific challenge aims to raise awareness and funding to build boreholes for the whole of the Ambohimanarina municipality in Madagascar, where currently only 14% of the population has access to safe, clean drinking water. The aim for the brothers is to provide clean water for over 40,000 people. 'We want to have a positive impact on other people, that is ultimately what this journey is about,' Ewan, 33, said. 'Seeing the donations come in and the messages of support have really helped us through some pretty bleak times.' The Macleans' boat, Emily-Rose – named in tribute to their unborn sister – was co-designed by the brothers and the Ocean Rowing Company and built using Formula One technology. Constructed entirely of carbon fiber, the vessel weighs just 280 kg (about 617 pounds) unladen, a stark contrast to the 2,200-pound boat they previously used to cross the Atlantic. The team used a 3D printer to create customized components and, thanks to its ultra-lightweight build, the boat can ride waves like a surfboard. The reduced weight has also allowed the Macleans to carry 150 days-worth of food and supplies, enabling them to complete the challenge without stopping to re-stock. The brothers spent two years training for the challenge, undergoing immense mental and physical preparation, including logistical feats such as home cooking and dehydrating over 1,000 meals. 'I had sleepless nights leading up to us departing because I was convinced that we maybe got the packaging wrong or hadn't done the process right,' Jamie, 31, admitted. One key aspect was working with Chloe Lanthier, an elite multi-sport athlete and human physiology scientist for the NASA space program – she has formerly worked with tennis star, Rafael Nadal – 'She designed the whole program to help us stay physically fit but also with a lot of mental exercises,' the brothers said. 'We spent a lot of time writing down what our greatest fears were; one of those was if someone went overboard,' they added. That fear became a reality two weeks ago, when 40mph winds and what the brothers described as 20-foot waves swept Lachlan, 27, overboard. 'Everything was thrown everywhere. I thought we were going over,' Ewan recounted. The youngest Maclean was switching shifts with Ewan during the night when he was suddenly thrown overboard and found himself being dragged behind the boat. He felt totally 'at the mercy of the sea,' before his eldest brother was able to pull him back onboard thanks to a safety line he was attached to. 'We had three knockdowns (when the boat turns approximately 90 degrees on its side and then re-balances),' Jamie said, adding that the terrifying incident was 'a bit of an awakening.' 'Thankfully, we didn't roll it all the way over.' With support from an active shore-based team and a social media posting routine, the brothers have also become something of a viral sensation. Their extraordinary journey has captured the attention of celebrities, including actors Mark Wahlberg and Ewan McGregor, as well as Flea, bassist and co-founder of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. 'This is real man sh*t you guys are doing,' Wahlberg told the brothers during a video call. 'It is awe inspiring.' The actor has been tracking their journey closely, checking in with them twice and even suggesting that the Hemsworth brothers – actors Chris, Liam and Luke – should portray the trio in a film adaptation of their journey. McGregor, 54, has also expressed strong support, promising to join the brothers for a row once they return home to Scotland. Many of these conversations have been uploaded onto their podcast, 'Dinner with the Macleans.' With the help of their on-shore team, replicas of the onboard meals are sent to celebrity guests, who then join the brothers on a video call for humorous and, at times profound, conversations. When asked about the idea behind the podcast, the brothers joked: 'We are somewhat like a think-tank without a tank out here – there are a lot of thoughts but no container.' Their momentum continues to grow. The Macleans' Instagram account, filled with videos and vlogs documenting life at sea, has now surpassed 133,000 followers. Recently, the brothers fulfilled a teenage dream by live-streaming Jamie's bagpipe performance from the boat for the prominent rock band, the All-American Rejects, during their headline act at Fandom's Comic-Con party. When asked about the public recognition, Jamie told CNN Sports: 'I can't really put it into words. It really helps us feel that what we're doing out here has meaning.' For the Macleans, a close relationship has become one of their most valuable assets in facing the challenge. 'We are able to speak very directly to one another,' Jamie said. 'Good communication has been key to this journey.' Now over the 100-day mark, the brothers have found this chapter of their voyage the most testing. After getting caught in a cyclone in early July, rapidly shifting weather systems have continued to push them further north from their planned course. The weather has brought large waves and heavy rain, meaning that the team has had to deal with consistent setbacks. On July 27, the brothers posted an emotional video that offered a glimpse into the intense mental strain they have faced during this final stretch. Jamie tearfully said on camera that 'the last couple weeks have been really hard, but the last few days have been horrible.' Their official ship's logs of that day recounted the challenging nature of the weather they were coming up against. 'We always knew that this part of the crossing would be the most challenging,' the log reads. In describing a relentless easterly wind, Jamie wrote, 'no matter how hard I try, every attempt to push west, or south, or even north, is in vain.' The team was eventually forced to deploy a para-anchor and accept the adverse weather. 'The whole journey is a test of endurance, but it is just so uncomfortable. Every aspect of every waking and sleeping moment is there to challenge you,' Jamie said. Despite the extreme challenges, the brothers have been able to stay positive, often finding moments of joy in the harshest of times. 'It is not all grim,' Jamie noted. 'There are just utterly magical moments out here.' 'We've seen remarkably so few other forms of human life,' he said, noting that they have only seen five planes and a handful of boats since setting off from Peru. 'It is really just us and nature, and the vast expanse of the Pacific surrounding us.' With roughly 1,000 nautical miles left, the team is pushing toward Sydney, hoping to reunite with friends and family before September. These last miles will be easier because they are brothers, the Macleans told CNN Sports. All three are fully aligned to the larger mission at hand and in day-to-day decision-making. 'Trying to row across this ocean and raise one million pounds (about $1.33 million) to provide 40,000 people with water. That's just that's so important to all three of us. And we are all together on that – it makes it much easier,' Ewan said.
CNN
06-08-2025
- General
- CNN
Three brothers, one boat, a potential world record and a 9,000-mile mission for clean water
Water availabilityFacebookTweetLink Follow Most people would be somewhat alarmed at the prospect of spending over 100 days alone with their siblings, let alone if they had to do so on a cramped boat in the middle of the ocean. But three Scottish brothers think their familial bond is pivotal in their mission to complete the fastest-ever unsupported three-man row across the Pacific Ocean. The trio of Ewan, Jamie, and Lachlan Maclean are now in the final stretch of their 9,000-mile journey across the Pacific, made in pursuit of both a world record and the goal of raising £1m to fund clean water projects in Madagascar. In 2020, the brothers looked for a way to support charities fighting for clean drinking water around the world and thought of the potential impact of undertaking a big physical challenge. As such, the Macleans decided to row the Atlantic Ocean, setting a record in the process by crossing in just 35 days. Once back on dry land, they realized their mission for clean water was not over and quickly decided that the best way to promote the cause was to go one step further and 'take on the biggest body of water on the planet,' they recalled to CNN Sports on their 101st day at sea. They set out from Peru's capital, Lima, on April 13 with the initial goal of reaching Sydney, Australia, by August 2. Their family-run, non-profit organization, The Maclean Foundation, works to secure clean water for communities through pairing up with partner organizations in Madagascar to build boreholes. The Pacific challenge aims to raise awareness and funding to build boreholes for the whole of the Ambohimanarina municipality in Madagascar, where currently only 14% of the population has access to safe, clean drinking water. The aim for the brothers is to provide clean water for over 40,000 people. 'We want to have a positive impact on other people, that is ultimately what this journey is about,' Ewan, 33, said. 'Seeing the donations come in and the messages of support have really helped us through some pretty bleak times.' The Macleans' boat, Emily-Rose – named in tribute to their unborn sister – was co-designed by the brothers and the Ocean Rowing Company and built using Formula One technology. Constructed entirely of carbon fiber, the vessel weighs just 280 kg (about 617 pounds) unladen, a stark contrast to the 2,200-pound boat they previously used to cross the Atlantic. The team used a 3D printer to create customized components and, thanks to its ultra-lightweight build, the boat can ride waves like a surfboard. The reduced weight has also allowed the Macleans to carry 150 days-worth of food and supplies, enabling them to complete the challenge without stopping to re-stock. The brothers spent two years training for the challenge, undergoing immense mental and physical preparation, including logistical feats such as home cooking and dehydrating over 1,000 meals. 'I had sleepless nights leading up to us departing because I was convinced that we maybe got the packaging wrong or hadn't done the process right,' Jamie, 31, admitted. One key aspect was working with Chloe Lanthier, an elite multi-sport athlete and human physiology scientist for the NASA space program – she has formerly worked with tennis star, Rafael Nadal – 'She designed the whole program to help us stay physically fit but also with a lot of mental exercises,' the brothers said. 'We spent a lot of time writing down what our greatest fears were; one of those was if someone went overboard,' they added. That fear became a reality two weeks ago, when 40mph winds and what the brothers described as 20-foot waves swept Lachlan, 27, overboard. 'Everything was thrown everywhere. I thought we were going over,' Ewan recounted. The youngest Maclean was switching shifts with Ewan during the night when he was suddenly thrown overboard and found himself being dragged behind the boat. He felt totally 'at the mercy of the sea,' before his eldest brother was able to pull him back onboard thanks to a safety line he was attached to. 'We had three knockdowns (when the boat turns approximately 90 degrees on its side and then re-balances),' Jamie said, adding that the terrifying incident was 'a bit of an awakening.' 'Thankfully, we didn't roll it all the way over.' With support from an active shore-based team and a social media posting routine, the brothers have also become something of a viral sensation. Their extraordinary journey has captured the attention of celebrities, including actors Mark Wahlberg and Ewan McGregor, as well as Flea, bassist and co-founder of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. 'This is real man sh*t you guys are doing,' Wahlberg told the brothers during a video call. 'It is awe inspiring.' The actor has been tracking their journey closely, checking in with them twice and even suggesting that the Hemsworth brothers – actors Chris, Liam and Luke – should portray the trio in a film adaptation of their journey. McGregor, 54, has also expressed strong support, promising to join the brothers for a row once they return home to Scotland. Many of these conversations have been uploaded onto their podcast, 'Dinner with the Macleans.' With the help of their on-shore team, replicas of the onboard meals are sent to celebrity guests, who then join the brothers on a video call for humorous and, at times profound, conversations. When asked about the idea behind the podcast, the brothers joked: 'We are somewhat like a think-tank without a tank out here – there are a lot of thoughts but no container.' Their momentum continues to grow. The Macleans' Instagram account, filled with videos and vlogs documenting life at sea, has now surpassed 133,000 followers. Recently, the brothers fulfilled a teenage dream by live-streaming Jamie's bagpipe performance from the boat for the prominent rock band, the All-American Rejects, during their headline act at Fandom's Comic-Con party. When asked about the public recognition, Jamie told CNN Sports: 'I can't really put it into words. It really helps us feel that what we're doing out here has meaning.' For the Macleans, a close relationship has become one of their most valuable assets in facing the challenge. 'We are able to speak very directly to one another,' Jamie said. 'Good communication has been key to this journey.' Now over the 100-day mark, the brothers have found this chapter of their voyage the most testing. After getting caught in a cyclone in early July, rapidly shifting weather systems have continued to push them further north from their planned course. The weather has brought large waves and heavy rain, meaning that the team has had to deal with consistent setbacks. On July 27, the brothers posted an emotional video that offered a glimpse into the intense mental strain they have faced during this final stretch. Jamie tearfully said on camera that 'the last couple weeks have been really hard, but the last few days have been horrible.' Their official ship's logs of that day recounted the challenging nature of the weather they were coming up against. 'We always knew that this part of the crossing would be the most challenging,' the log reads. In describing a relentless easterly wind, Jamie wrote, 'no matter how hard I try, every attempt to push west, or south, or even north, is in vain.' The team was eventually forced to deploy a para-anchor and accept the adverse weather. 'The whole journey is a test of endurance, but it is just so uncomfortable. Every aspect of every waking and sleeping moment is there to challenge you,' Jamie said. Despite the extreme challenges, the brothers have been able to stay positive, often finding moments of joy in the harshest of times. 'It is not all grim,' Jamie noted. 'There are just utterly magical moments out here.' 'We've seen remarkably so few other forms of human life,' he said, noting that they have only seen five planes and a handful of boats since setting off from Peru. 'It is really just us and nature, and the vast expanse of the Pacific surrounding us.' With roughly 1,000 nautical miles left, the team is pushing toward Sydney, hoping to reunite with friends and family before September. These last miles will be easier because they are brothers, the Macleans told CNN Sports. All three are fully aligned to the larger mission at hand and in day-to-day decision-making. 'Trying to row across this ocean and raise one million pounds (about $1.33 million) to provide 40,000 people with water. That's just that's so important to all three of us. And we are all together on that – it makes it much easier,' Ewan said.
Daily Mail
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Rower describes moment he was thrown into the Pacific as brothers continue epic 5,600-mile ocean quest
Three Scottish brothers on a grueling journey across the Pacific Ocean have revealed how one of them survived being swept overboard during a horrifying storm. Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan Maclean, of Edinburgh, set off on their unprecedented rowing mission in mid-April. The bold trio's goal is to cross the 9,000 miles from South America to Australia in 120 days - making them the fastest people to ever do so - and raise $1.4 million (£1 million) along the way to donate to clean water projects in Madagascar. As they are more than half way through their trip, Lachlan, the youngest brother, has shared a traumatizing ordeal he fortunately survived. 'It's been a really tough week, to be honest,' Lachlan confessed while reflecting on the horrifying incident from last Tuesday. While swapping rowing shifts with Ewan, Lachlan was making his way into the cabin when he was 'hit by a big side-on wave and washed overboard' during a raging storm. The brothers estimated the wave that swallowed Lachlan in a split second was at least 15 feet high. 'The boat spun violently and I was thrown head over heels into the dark,' he detailed the moment a wall of water barreled toward him and knocked him off his feet. Shaken and disoriented, Lachlan found himself flailing among the vicious waves and being dragged by his safety line along the side of the boat 'like a rag doll.' He described the uncertainty he felt in the pitch black sea. While he was totally thrown and unsure of what had happened, he was also worried about Ewan. Lachlan was able to grab onto the line running across the boat's hull and tug himself closer to the edge. In the orangey glow of his headlamp, suddenly saw Ewan, who pulled him to safety. 'That was a bit scary,' was all he could manage to utter when he was back onboard. He attributed his survival to being clipped to the vessel. 'Yesterday, my harness and safety line probably saved my life,' he wrote a day after one of the 'scariest moments' of his life. The brothers have taken this at-sea scare as a wake up call - reminding them to stay alert and take proper safety protocols for the remainder of their strenuous journey. They have already traveled more than 5,600 miles, but still have about 3,400 to go. Lachlan only appeared to sustain minor scraps to one of his hands, but he said he is still haunted by the near-death experience. '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,' he said. 'We didn't capsize, but had three knock downs. That's halfway to capsizing and then it goes the right way again. 'It was pretty scary. There are no second chances out here.' The Maclean's first massive endeavor was across the Atlantic Ocean in 2020 - when none of them had any real rowing experience. 'To everyone's surprise, we broke three World Records and raised over £200,000 for charity,' they wrote on their website. In 2023, they established The Maclean Foundation, which focuses on clean water accessibility. The Pacific Ocean trip they are currently on is raising money for a partnering charity called Feedback Madagascar. 'Madagascar is a country in which only 14 percent of the rural population have access to a clean water source. We're doing something to change that,' the wrote. So far, they have raised about £170,300 or roughly 17 percent of their goal. The brothers share glimpses of their journey on social media, often candidly discussing the trials and tribulations they encounter everyday.
ABC News
07-06-2025
- ABC News
Three Scottish brothers near halfway in world record rowing attempt
Three Scottish brothers rowing across the Pacific Ocean have almost reached the halfway point in their 14,000-kilometre journey. They are aiming to break a world record by becoming the first trio to complete the trip, non-stop and unsupported, from Lima, the capital of Peru, to Sydney within 120 days. An ambitious goal amid broken gear, blistered hands, and extreme isolation onboard their custom-built $100,000 vessel. "The first five weeks were really, really tough," Lachlan Maclean told ABC News. "I think if we knew those first five weeks were gonna [sic] be like that, we maybe wouldn't have done it, to be honest," he laughed. It has been nearly 60 days since they set off and the challenges are ongoing. "We've had an ongoing problem with our primary water tank. It's not just been that though, it's been a bunch of other things. Autohelm [a type of self-steering system] was packing in. We had power issues from the solar panels. Been a myriad of technical issues," Ewan Maclean said. "Fortunately, Ewan's an engineer," Lachlan added. With no engine, sail, or support crew, the brothers are surviving on 500 kilograms of freeze-dried home-cooked meals, prepared by Jamie, including 75 kilograms of oats and a menu of high-calorie comfort meals. "The one sad realisation we had the other day is that we've kind of only got home-cooked food for maybe 80 to 100 days. And then we'll be relying on the store-bought stuff that we have as backup," Jamie said. "We've got a finite amount of gas, so we're probably going to be eating them cold as well," Lachlan said. "The last few weeks are going to be brutal." But despite the discomfort, morale and their sense of adventure remain afloat. "We've caught a couple [of] fish. We caught a wahoo yesterday, which we've been enjoying — we had so much meat off it," Ewan said. "Shooting stars every night. You'll see a dozen at least. We've had some kind of meteorites, especially earlier on in the crossing with a lot of bioluminescence," Lachlan said. "It's like the oars became lightsabres and you could see these little explosions of bioluminescence behind the boat. It's a really magical moment." With no toilet on board, the brothers have been using a bucket. They lost the spare backup in the first week. "Come to think of it, it's probably the only moment in the day that you actually get a little bit of a rest, because there's no other seats like that," Jamie said. "There's no other seat — you're either sitting on a rowing seat or you're standing, bouncing about the place." At the time of this interview, the brothers were approaching the Marquesas Islands, which are in the South Pacific Ocean, and are part of French Polynesia. "I think after the Marquesas we're expecting that we might get slightly stronger wind, maybe some slightly bigger conditions, which to be honest we're actually quite excited [about]," Lachlan said. "As long as it's going with us, we're excited about it because the boat is basically a large surfboard." Approaching rougher waters, Ewan was quick to outline the need for diligence. "Over the next coming weeks and as we get into Australia … this is where it could all go wrong," Ewan said. Overall, physically, the brothers say they feel really good. "We're all probably getting about four to five hours of sleep, but it's broken into two halves. So, you sleep for a bit, then you get up and row, and then you sleep a bit more, and then you row again. And then you're into the day shifts," Lachlan said. Ewan, Lachlan and Jamie are hoping to raise $2 million for clean drinking water projects in Madagascar. They've raised just over $180,000 so far. "We're actually really happy for where we are in the crossing. We're hoping that a lot of the fundraising will take place in the last, kind of, 10 per cent of the trip," Lachlan said. The brothers are aiming to arrive in Sydney Harbour in early August — if all goes to plan.
