This article was translated by John R. Bopp
The Scottish daily Inverness Courier has just published an article about the upcoming attempt to break the record in crossing the 20.5 mi (33 km) length of Loch Ness, which is currently 28 minutes and 9 seconds.
The attempt, which will happen any day now between Tuesday and Thursday, depending on the weather, will be done by Scottish maritime adventurer, polar explorer, and rower Jock Wishart, alongside a group of 13 rowers.
For the crossing, they’re going to use a boat that the Basques know very well, the trainera. This is a boat designed for 13 rowers and their helmsman, and is today the “sporty” version of the boats used by Basque fishermen in the 18th century after they were expelled from the whale hunting areas of Newfoundland.
That “daughter” of the txalupa that the Basques used to hunt whales in “their sea”, the North Atlantic, has been chosen to make this attempt at breaking the record. This is easy to understand, thanks not only to the boat’s great speed, but also its stability and maneuverability, all very useful when in seas with rapidly changing weather.
By the way, the trainera is from Orio, or so it would seem, at least, looking at the oars. We’re including this item in “Basques in the world”. Yes, there aren’t any Basques among the rowers, but the boat itself most definitely is!
Inverness Courier – 21/6/2019 – Scotland
A monster row: Aiming to smash Loch Ness record
Scottish maritime adventurer, polar explorer and rower Jock Wishart will make an attempt to break a 26-year-old record for rowing the length of Loch Ness next week. Mr Wishart and a team of 13 experienced rowers will be making the attempt in a unique rowing boat from the Basque region of Spain.
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Wikipedia
Jock Wishart
Jock Wishart is a maritime and polar adventurer, sportsman and explorer. Until his successful 2011 Old Pulteney Row to the Pole, he was best known for his circumnavigation of the globe in a powered vessel, setting a new world record in the Cable & Wireless Adventurer and for organising and leading the Polar Race.
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Last Updated on Dec 20, 2020 by About Basque Country
