A Sutherland rower has had to be rescued off the New Jersey coast – just four days after beginning his attempt to cross the North Atlantic in a wooden boat he built himself.
Duncan Hutchison, from Lochinver, was taken off his home made boat by US Coastguards, aboard a lifeboat 20 miles from the coast.
His own boat was initially towed back towards land but abandoned to the sea because of fierce weather.
Petty Officer Arthur Flaherty of the US Coastguard Station Barnegat Light said Mr Hutchinson had been “beat up” by the weather but was otherwise well. He was currently recovering from his ordeal.
The alarm had been raised around 2.30am (US time) last night.
“It was a case of the current and the seas – they were a battle for him. He is sleeping now from his experience,” said PO Flaherty.
“We took him off his boat – at the time there were 10ft high waves. He was beat up from being out for a while in those conditions. We towed his boat to about a mile offshore and then set it adrift because of the conditions. We have no idea where it is.”
Volunteer lifeboatman Mr Hutchinson has spent his working life at sea, including most recently in the offshore oil industry.
He took three years building the boat which he set out in from New York on Thursday.
But he had covered just over 60 miles when he was heading back towards the USA coast.
“Despite the pictures of mirror-like sea from Saturday, Duncan has been having a tough time since,” said the last update on social media.
“Exactly the weather he did not want so winds and currents have been pushing him towards the coast. Duncan has been taking advice from the coastguards but is very reluctant to have to go in then start all over again………………… we’ll see.”
The 52-year-old had finally set out from the Manhattan Yacht Club on his gruelling 3400 mile voyage – cheered by family and other well wishers.
Mr Hutchison expected he would take between 90 to 100 days to row it back to Lochinver.
His boat is called Sleipner, named after an eight legged horse from Norse mythology that could glide across the sea.
His expedition was raising money for the charity Wateraid. He has raised nearly £7200 so far.
