A team of charity fundraisers are planning a 60-mile relay swim to St Kilda – the first time it has been attempted.
The nine adventurers intend to tackle the tidal streams between Harris and the remote island archipelago out in the Atlantic Ocean.
Forecasts of unseasonable gales and rough waves forced the challenge’s abandonment in May.
Even in July, conditions off the remote island archipelago out in the Atlantic Ocean will be difficult.
Swimmers plan to set off from Huisinish, taking 45-minute turns in relay formation.
They have a safety boat chartered for eight days from July 10 and hope for calm conditions during the period.
Organiser Colin Macleod admitted the challenge “will not be easy”.
He said: “This will be the team’s second go at St Kilda, managing to swim about 22 miles until the weather got the better of us.”
The group is fundraising for three good causes – Yorkhill Children’s Charity, the Leanne Fund, The Fishermen’s Mission and the Aberlour Child Care Trust.
A support team of three kayakers will paddle alongside the swimmers plus a cabin cruiser – the MV Cuma – acting as a mother safety boat and sleeping accommodation.
In 2012, the group swam the Minch in relay formation between Ullapool and Stornoway, fending off whales and dolphins to average a speed of 1.5 knots.
It took the Big Minch Swim Team 34 hours and they raised almost £23,500 for RNLI lifeboats.