Scots brothers return after 139-day Pacific crossing and smash £1 million fundraising target
Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan Maclean completed an unsupported 9,000-mile crossing and say the money will fund clean-water projects for about 40,000 people in Madagascar
Three brothers from Edinburgh who completed a 139-day unsupported crossing of the Pacific Ocean announced on Wednesday they had passed their £1 million fundraising target to support clean-water projects in Madagascar.
Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan Maclean said donations to the Maclean Foundation would fund access to safe water for about 40,000 people. The brothers, who rowed approximately 9,000 miles from Peru to Australia, returned to Scotland this week after landing in Australia just over a week earlier.
The campaign drew more than 14,000 donations and was bolstered by endorsements from public figures including actors Ewan McGregor and Sam Heughan, broadcaster Lorraine Kelly, former footballer Ally McCoist, actor Mark Wahlberg and race organiser Anna Campbell Jones. The brothers said nearly £60,000 was donated in the final 24 hours before they landed in Scotland, and the £1 million mark was reached about 8 a.m. Wednesday when Cairngorm Coffee, run by their cousin Robie Lambie, added £1,500 raised through sales of a limited-edition coffee.
Middle brother Jamie Maclean, 31, said the family was "blown away" by the global support. "To come home having reached £1 million is something we never imagined when we first set out. Knowing that this will change 40,000 lives with access to clean, safe water is the greatest reward we could have asked for," he said.
Youngest brother Lachlan, who turned 27 while at sea, called the achievement "truly monumental" and said he and his brothers were grateful to everyone who backed the effort. The brothers have said they undertook the journey unsupported and carried food and supplies intended to last the duration of the crossing.
During the voyage, the team maintained contact with supporters and featured occasional interactions with celebrities. Jamie played the bagpipes virtually with the American rock band the All-American Rejects and spoke to actor Ewan McGregor while at sea. Mark Wahlberg has told the brothers he is interested in portraying the three siblings in a film about their journey.
The Maclean Foundation was established by the brothers and their father, Charlie, to finance projects that deliver sustainable water access in rural Madagascar. The brothers said they were pleased to be reunited with family members who could not travel to Australia to meet them at Cairns Marlin Marina.
Donations to the Maclean Foundation remain open. The brothers provided a link for contributions at https://www.themacleanbrothers.com.
The crossing adds to a growing list of long-distance ocean endurance efforts that combine high-profile fundraising with sporting endeavour. Organisers and participants of such expeditions emphasise careful planning and self-sufficiency; the Macleans said they stocked provisions and equipment to remain independent for the length of the crossing.
Local and international reaction to the brothers' return included praise for the fundraising milestone and interest in the logistical and safety planning of the voyage. The brothers plan to continue work with the foundation as funds are deployed to water projects in Madagascar, officials said.