Minch swimmers plan St Kilda challenge 14/3/13
A total of £23,430.61 has been presented to Stornoway RNLI by a team of swimmers
who swam the Big Minch last June.
Eight swimmers, accompanied by three kayakers and support boat MV Cuma, completed
the 50 mile open water swim challenge.
The cheque was handed over to Stornoway lifeboat this week.
Now the fundraisers plan to follow it up with a challenge swim to St Kilda later
this year.
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.”
In a 34 hour stint, the squad team swam in relay formation between Ullapool and Stornoway,
fending off whales and dolphins to average a speed of 1.5 knots.
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.
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.”