Super swimmers make history

Colin S Macleod, Stuart Baird and Ed Smith took on the might of a 21-mile swim from the infamous lighthouse in the North Atlantic in relay style 45-minute swim shifts.

The boys braved the swim in representation of the famous story of the three mysteriously lost lighthouse keepers and also to raise funds for the RNLI.

Permission was granted by the Northern Lighthouse Board for the swimmers to stay overnight in the Flannan Isles Lighthouse on the eve of their epic charity swim but weather forced them to move to the support boat.

Colin explained: “The weather forecast changed so we had to stay on the boat but I started from the steps at the Flannan Isles in the morning.”

The swimmers set off at 5:35am and finished 14 and a half hours later in Uig, Lewis.

“The Flannan Isles are a dramatic and eerie kind of place but really beautiful,” he said.

“The early part of the swim was ‘fresh’ to say the least with big waves banging off our heads in the water but it was only the first swim which was really like that and it calmed down.

“It got a bit fresh coming towards Ardroil at the end but it sheltered as we got closer.

“We drifted off course on the tide a little so I think we did more mileage than the 21 which would have been a straight line.”

In 2012 experienced open-water swimmer Colin was part of the Big Minch Swim Team which raised more than £23,000 for charity swimming from Ullapool to Stornowy. Since then had also been part of the St Kilda Swim team and he isn’t finished here.

He added: “I’m thinking of tryign a solo swim of the Little Minch from Skye to Harris as that was where all this charity open water swimming started.

“I did the Shants which is 10 and a half miles and the Little Minch is 15 so I could manage it solo.

“Thanks to all involved with this for their help and we couldn’t have done without them all from the kayakers going as slow as a swimmer and Murdanie on the boat. The sponsors and all who supported us too it was a fantastic all round team effort.”