The Big Minch Swim

A team of nine swimmers have taken it in turn to swim across the Minch in 34 hours. Starting at midday on Monday, the team set off from Ullapool and splashed ashore on the wee bit of beach between piers no 1 and 2 in the centre of Stornoway at 10pm yesterday, Tuesday. Keeping a steady pace of 1½ mph, and accompanied by support vessel Cuma (normally doing tourist trips out of Miavaig, Uig) and a canoeist, the team made good progress. They encountered seals, porpoises, dolphins, a giant whale and a killer whale en-route.

Upon arriving off Holm Point yesterday evening, the incoming ferry tooted the team and the local RNLI lifeboat came out to join them for the last leg of the journey. At 10pm, the swimmers finally reached dry land in the town centre, and were afforded a rousing welcome by the ferry’s horn, the sirens on the emergency vehicles and a crowd of several hundred on pier no 1 and South Beach Street.

The Big Minch Swim was performed to raise funds for the RNLI. Up to the moment of posting, the fundraising effort has collected nearly £9,000. Anyone wishing to contribute can continue to do so through this link.

The swimmers on South Beach at 10pm on June 26th

The team passing Arnish Lighthouse