The Long Row Home

After 80 days at sea, facing wind, rain, tides, lightening, live firing ranges, entangled fishing gear and ships on a collision course with them Mother Nature has got one more storm to throw at Allan and Mhairi.After they reached Tobermory Storm Lillian rolled into the west coast of Scotland and forced them to make the hardest decision about The Long Row Home yet.Faced with pausing their row Allan and Mhairi describe what bought them step ashore and how they have been overwhelmed by support since.Listen to the end to find out how much they have smashed their fundraising target by.Track our progress with our Yellow Brick Tracker: https://www.thelongrowhome.co.uk/keep-track/Support The Long Row Home: https://justgiving.com/team/stormyandstethVisit The Long Row Home online: https://www.thelongrowhome.co.uk/Follow our socials:Facebook - The Long Row HomeInstagram - The Long Row HomeThe Long Row Home podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio Ltd.

Lots and lots has happened since the last update from Boudicea. As they left Gigha loaded with some sound local knowledge from a fisherman the row has been a battle of tides, weather, getting tangled in fishing gear and being anchored just below Allan’s favourite whisky distillery on Jura. While they were dodging the weather, they also had to navigate around the 3rd largest whirlpool in the world, the Gulf of Corryvreckan, before they could reach the relatively sheltered waters of the Sound of Mull.This should have been the start of the home straight, rowing through the beautiful north west Scottish highlands before turning along the north coast and home to Wick. But Mother Nature had other plans for them.Make sure you listen to Tobermory part 2 to hear from Allan and Mhairi exactly why they made the national news headlines.Track our progress with our Yellow Brick Tracker: https://www.thelongrowhome.co.uk/keep-track/Support The Long Row Home: https://justgiving.com/team/stormyandstethVisit The Long Row Home online: https://www.thelongrowhome.co.uk/Follow our socials:Facebook - The Long Row HomeInstagram - The Long Row HomeThe Long Row Home podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio Ltd.

When the going gets tough, the tough get rowing. What should have been celebrations and joy at being back in Scottish water has been some of the toughest hours of The Long Row Home yet. Physically and mentally the challenging tides and conditions around the Mull of Kintyre have proven to be almost, but not quite, enough to end the row. But Allan and Mhairi have picked themselves out of their pit of despair by rowing for one more hour, then one more hour.Eventually they got shelter at Gigha, but were tired and in pain after 9 brutal hours on the oars.Home feels tantalisingly close now, which in some ways makes it all harder during the tough times.If you’ve been following the row, please send them messages of support on their Facebook Page, it is making a massive difference to them. The link is below.Track our progress with our Yellow Brick Tracker: https://www.thelongrowhome.co.uk/keep-track/Support The Long Row Home: https://justgiving.com/team/stormyandstethVisit The Long Row Home online: https://www.thelongrowhome.co.uk/Follow our socials:Facebook - The Long Row HomeInstagram - The Long Row HomeThe Long Row Home podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio Ltd.

Allan, Mhairi and Boudicea have made it back to Scotland!Rowing up the east coast of Ireland has been great. Good conditions and weather meant that Allan and Mhairi were able to keep a very steady 6 hours on 6 hours rowing pattern all the way up the coast.After successfully crossing the busy ports of Dublin and Belfast they arrived in Red Bay on the Antrim Coast to be met by one of the volunteer RNLI Coxswains who came out to visit them. It was carnival night in the village and they were treated to an incredible fireworks display.But there was no carnival on Boudicea because just a few tantalising hours of rowing away was the Scottish coastline. So hauling anchor while Red Bay partied Boudicea slipped out of the bay and headed home to Scotland.Track our progress with our Yellow Brick Tracker: https://www.thelongrowhome.co.uk/keep-track/Support The Long Row Home: https://justgiving.com/team/stormyandstethVisit The Long Row Home online: https://www.thelongrowhome.co.uk/Follow our socials:Facebook - The Long Row HomeInstagram - The Long Row HomeThe Long Row Home podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio Ltd.

Allan and Mhairi have made it across The Irish Sea, but it threw everything at them. The crossing from Ramsey Sound to Rosslare Harbour tested them and Boudicea to their physical and mental limits. This without doubt has been the toughest crossing so far and not something either of them was looking forward to.Every stroke of the crossing presented challenges to them but safety wasn’t found on the Irish Coast as tides, wind and sandbars all kept on testing them as their energy levels continued to fall.But there is hope, it’s now less than 500 miles left to go to Wick and The Long Row Home is starting feel like it is entering the final stages.Track our progress with our Yellow Brick Tracker: https://www.thelongrowhome.co.uk/keep-track/Support The Long Row Home: https://justgiving.com/team/stormyandstethVisit The Long Row Home online: https://www.thelongrowhome.co.uk/Follow our socials:Facebook - The Long Row HomeInstagram - The Long Row HomeThe Long Row Home podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio Ltd.

The latest leg of The Long Row Home took Allan and Mhairi from Newquay due north across The Bristol Channel to Wales. A 2 day crossing that kept them on the oars for over 70 miles rotating 2 hours on and 2 hours off.After a big swell pushing them north from Newquay the sea conditions eased and it bought out incredible amounts of wildlife. They have had more dolphin encounters, with pods circling them and rolling over to get a good eyeball on them and Boudicea. These are precious experiences for them both.A mid channel meeting with a yacht helps break the monotony of the crossing and then they guided into Welsh waters with more dolphins, this time hunting fish while gannets dive around them.Reaching shelter in Ramsey Sound nr St. David’s they rest up before getting caught in swirling confused tidal currents that push and pull Boudicea in all directions and rowing becomes a real battle.But now a big decision looms. Should they cross The Irish Sea and go north or hug the coast of Wales and risk being affected by weather again.Track our progress with our Yellow Brick Tracker: https://www.thelongrowhome.co.uk/keep-track/Support The Long Row Home: https://justgiving.com/team/stormyandstethVisit The Long Row Home online: https://www.thelongrowhome.co.uk/Follow our socials:Facebook - The Long Row HomeInstagram - The Long Row HomeThe Long Row Home podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio Ltd.

Talking to us from Newquay Allan, Mhairi and Boudicea have made it round Land’s End, but not without more challenges. Just as they were making their run for Lizard point and Land’s End, it turned out the Lizard had one last sting in the south coast tail for them – super strong tides. To stop themselves being flushed east again they had to row hard for 3 hours before being able to get some final shelter.But advice from an old friend at The Lizard RNLI helped them judge when to make their run around Land’s End.As they arrived in Sennen Cove the Lifeguards came out to meet them. For now though the psychological boost of leaving the south coast behind and heading north again is immense and has them surfing the crest of the next wave towards Wales.  Track our progress with our Yellow Brick Tracker: https://www.thelongrowhome.co.uk/keep-track/Support The Long Row Home: https://justgiving.com/team/stormyandstethVisit The Long Row Home online: https://www.thelongrowhome.co.uk/Follow our socials:Facebook - The Long Row HomeInstagram - The Long Row HomeThe Long Row Home podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio Ltd.

Getting the right weather conditions for rounding Lands Ends is vital. So it has taken a lot of planning and watching for the right weather window for Allan and Mhairi to reach this milestone of their row.After leaving the River Yealm anchorage they pushed for Lands Ends but their weather window was closing fast. A decision had to be made on pause or keep going. Despite the psychological impact of having to pause again for the weather this time the clouds came with a silver lining as they sought shelter in Coverack Cove just as the carnival was on.But how much would all this test their resolve though as the smell of fresh fish and chips wafted over Boudicea’s bow?Track our progress with our Yellow Brick Tracker: https://www.thelongrowhome.co.uk/keep-track/Support The Long Row Home: https://justgiving.com/team/stormyandstethVisit The Long Row Home online: https://www.thelongrowhome.co.uk/Follow our socials:Facebook - The Long Row HomeInstagram - The Long Row HomeThe Long Row Home podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio Ltd.

In some of the best rowing conditions yet since leaving Wick Allan and Mhairi have made fantastic progress along the south coast. After leaving Poole Harbour they make it to Lulworth Cove and anchor Boudicea where both jump overboard in turn for a swim, a wash and to scrub Boucidea’s hull.Progress is paused for a short while when they approach a live firing range and are met with the words, Stop or you’ll get shot….that kind of warning grabs but tier attention, but soon, after taking advice about rounding the tidal races at Portland Bill they head further west.Perhaps it’s the time at sea and hallucinations or a coastal mirage but Mhairi is convinced she saw some naturist sailors.With good rowing conditions, Allan and Mhairi have spent long stretches on oars and the efforts are all paying off, because just over the horizon is Lands End and the next big turn to starboard for The Long Row Home.Track our progress with our Yellow Brick Tracker: https://www.thelongrowhome.co.uk/keep-track/Support The Long Row Home: https://justgiving.com/team/stormyandstethVisit The Long Row Home online: https://www.thelongrowhome.co.uk/Follow our socials:Facebook - The Long Row HomeInstagram - The Long Row HomeThe Long Row Home podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio Ltd.

Fear has two meanings - You can either Forget Everything And Run or you can Face Everything And Rise. The last passage from Newtown Creek to Poole Harbour has tested Allan and Mhairi to their limits. Drawing on all their experience of time at sea and working in pressured environments they had to face one of the most daunting things of the row so far. Tidal overfalls in the pitch dark. The noise from overfalls is immense. It is really strong tidal water, that is angry and disturbed and breaking over itself in a way that normal waves don’t. Overfalls are unpredictable and in a small rowing boat in the dark they can be terrifying. But they faced everything and rose.To make the run to Poole Harbour they needed to weather window, but this meant travelling west out of the Solent in the dark and through and patch of overfalls, and frankly it’s not something either of them want to do again.Arriving in the safety of Poole Harbour they take stock and start to think of the psychological impact of the next big turn, Lands End, when they can start thinking about powering north home to Wick.Track our progress with our Yellow Brick Tracker: https://www.thelongrowhome.co.uk/keep-track/Support The Long Row Home: https://justgiving.com/team/stormyandstethVisit The Long Row Home online: https://www.thelongrowhome.co.uk/Follow our socials:Facebook - The Long Row HomeInstagram - The Long Row HomeThe Long Row Home podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio Ltd.