Bid to row the Pacific a reminder of the power of positivity – and stubbornness

Rowing across the Atlantic Ocean was one thing, but the Pacific is much, much bigger

When the MacLean brothers rowed the Atlantic in a record-breaking time for a crew of three of 35 days, they celebrated with a rousing tune on the pipes.

Now 40 days and nautical 2,700 miles into their bid to row the 9,000 miles from Lima, Peru, to Sydney, Australia, they will have a much better idea of just how vast the Pacific Ocean really is. They hope to complete the journey in 120 days, 42 faster than the current record.

Speaking from the boat, Lachlan MacLean said they’d been “naive enough to start” but were “stubborn enough to finish”.

The Maclean brothers are 40 days and some 2,700 nautical miles into their bid to row from Lima, Peru, to Sydney, Australia without a support crew. Just 6,300 miles to go | The Maclean Brothers/PA Wire

“It's brutal, brilliant, and bizarre in equal measure,” he said. “Sometimes the lows are unavoidable, but they always pass. Looking for the positives goes a long way out here. Would I get off the boat tomorrow if I could? Genuinely, I don't think I would.”

This epic journey is a reminder that, whatever challenges we face in life, positivity and persistence are always going to help.

We wish the MacLeans all the best, and hope they have enough puff left to pipe themselves into Sydney harbour.