Update: Estimated time of departure from Port of Ness: 6am
An American carpenter who has kayaked over 14,000 miles since 1983 will leave the Butt of Lewis at 6am on Wednesday in his attempt to become the first person to make the crossing between Scotland and Iceland.
Former US Navy diver Chris Duff, from Port Angeles in Washington State, hopes to leave the northern tip of the Isle of Lewis and set course for the Faroe islands in the small but sleek orange kayak called Northern Reach which has been his focus and his home for the last month as he paddled around the Minch waiting for suitable conditions.
As well as paddling, he hopes conditions will also be right for him to get assistance from a kite which he will put up to help drag the kayak along – even when he is sleeping. Chris thinks it will take him five days to reach the Faroes and then another eight days to cross the final 250 miles to Iceland.
He became the first person to circumnavigate UK and Ireland in 1986 and has since also circumnavigated Iceland and the South Island of New Zealand.
It is impressive what he is trying to do and good luck to him. Just one question tho’ Iain: If he is hoping for assistance by flying a kite to pull him along some of the way, does that then mean that this attempt simply gets officially counted as ‘sailing’ and ‘paddling’? Something a good few have done before I am sure.
Chris is not looking to get any record officially counted. He is aware the solo crossing has not been done before, but as he has said before, he does not do it for recognition. If someone later officially declares his effort as a record, so be it. He does not seek it or nominate himself.