Rockall adventurer arrives on dry land

Rockall record-breaking adventurer Nick Hancock has arrived on dry land, a day after departing the isolated Atlantic rock.

The Edinburgh-based chartered surveyor survived 45 days on uninhabited Rockall, making it the longest occupation of the small, barren chunk of granite jutting out of the sea, some 250 miles west of the Hebrides.

On Thursday, the Edinburgh-based chartered surveyor beat all former claims to residency records.

Nick’s achievement was marked by a fireworks’ display on the American research vessel, Knorr, which was working in the area that day.

But the 39-year-old was stuck on the ancient volcano until the weather improved at the weekend for a motorboat to collect him.

Nick missed the entire World Cup and - without telecoms or radio masts hundreds of miles - didn’t know that Germany had won until he got a Inmarsat satellite link for a Skype call with his wife.

On Saturday afternoon, he was delighted when the his transport, the modern passenger coastal cruise boat, Orca III, of Harris-based Kilda Cruises, came into view over the overcast horizon.

Wet-suited crew members jumped into the Orca’s dingy and clambered up the rock to help Nick lower plastic barrels and equipment down its vertical east side.

Last of all, his heavy bright-yellow pod was glided down the sheer rock face.

Nick scrambled down its slippery southern face, caked with a mix of seabird droppings and water.

The six-feet-high swell made it impossible for the tender to close in so the adventurer jumped into the sea and swam out

The crew yanked him inboard and sped to the nearby Orca III where Kilda Cruises’ owner Angus Campbell was the first to congratulate him with champagne as he stepped onto the catamaran.

But he had to wait yet another day before he could touch dry land. The homeward bound Orca III steamed 100 miles to shelter in Village Bay, St Kilda. She arrived in her home port of Leverburgh around 9.30am on Sunday.

Nick is hoping to raise £10,000 for Help The Heroes and he has asked for the public to support his aim by donating via www.justgiving.com/rockallsolo

The crew yanked him inboard and sped to the nearby Orca III where Kilda Cruises’ owner Angus Campbell was the first to congratulate him with champagne as he stepped onto the catamaran.

But he had to wait yet another day before he could touch dry land. The homeward bound Orca III steamed 100 miles to shelter in Village Bay, St Kilda. She arrived in her home port of Leverburgh around 9.30am on Sunday.

Rockall adventurer arrives on dry land 21/7/14

Nick Hancock departs Rockall