Games Day is a miss but row goes on
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HE had hoped to row triumphantly into Lochinver harbour on Assynt Games day last Friday after conquering the Atlantic.
But unfortunately circumstances conspired to make this a shattered dream for fundraising solo rower and Assynt native Duncan Hutchison (53).
The schedule for his New York to Lochinver challenge was thrown widely awry by a series of unforeseen events including a hold-up in the delivery of his hand-made boat Sleipnir and a fierce storm which led him to abandon ship.
But a determined Mr Hutchison is doggedly pursuing his aim of rowing across the Atlantic to raise money for his favourite charity WaterAid.
His wife Marianne wrote in an email to the Northern Times on Thursday: "Duncan has passed the halfway mark and is making progress – slowly!
"He has had to deal with a lot of extreme weather recently, resulting in many off-course miles, but has always managed to get back on track."
She paid tribute to Duncan's father Willie Hutchison who is providing him with navigation and weather advice.
"Without Willie's expert knowledge and practical interpretations of weather conditions, Duncan may well have been properly adrift!", said Mrs Hutchison.
She added that Duncan was in good spirits and enjoying observing marine life, listening to audio books and reading letters from family and friends, put together for him by his daughter Franci.
Mrs Hutchison said: "He spoke to a real human being on his birthday – the captain of a nearby freight liner called him up on the radio to ask how he was!"
A Duncan Adrift stall at the Games raised £502 which will be added to the £11,809 he has raised so far. To make a donation, visit the JustGiving website and use the search term Duncan Adrift.
