Congratulations to Ewan, Jamie, and Lachlan MacLean, three brothers from Edinburgh, Scotland who rowed across the Atlantic in just 35 days. They departed from La Gomera, in the Canary Islands on 12 December and completed the 3,000-mile row to Antigua as part of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. 

In the race, the MacLean brothers set three world records. They broke the previous record time of 41 days for a trio to row across the Atlantic. They also are the first trio of brothers on record to row across any ocean and also the youngest team of three to complete the crossing. Jamie is 26, Ewan is 27, and Lachlan is 21 years old.

In addition to the physical challenges of the trans-Atlantic, the brothers had to row the last 20 days without recorded music, podcasts or audiobooks, as their iPhone cables were damaged by sun and seawater. The three bothers, however, are all musicians and kept themselves entertained with a set of bagpipes, a harmonica, and ukelele.

While it may not constitute a fourth world record, I wonder whether the MacLean brothers were also the first rowers to arrive in Antigua with their own bagpipe accompaniment.

The brothers hope to raise £250,000 for Feedback Madagascar and Children First. Children First is Scotland’s national children’s charity, while Feedback Madagascar works with some of the poorest communities in Madagascar to improve their lives and their environment.

Scottish brothers beat world record after rowing Atlantic Ocean in 35 days