Solo sailor stops in Lerwick, for a 10km run

A sailor who is single-handedly circumnavigating the UK and Ireland has made his latest stop in Lerwick.

Alan Rankin is making the 2,300-mile voyage to raise money for various charities.

He arrived in Lerwick on yesterday after leaving Ullapool on Saturday and sailing north around Muckle Flugga. At 6pm today he will be doing a 10km run around the town when members of Shetland Athletics Club will be joining him.

The runners will be setting off from Victoria Pier and heading via the Knab, Sound, Cunningham Way, Ladies Drive, Holmsgarth, Hays Dock and back to Victoria Pier.

He is using the run as part of the fund-raising campaign and will also be meeting Sandra Laurenson and the Lerwick Port Authority to collect a donation from the board.

As well as the fund-raising element Alan’s trip has an environmental theme. His trimaran sailing yacht has been fitted with a wind turbine and solar panels to generate electrical energy to supply power required for the navigation instruments, communication radios, satellite phone, automatic steering gear, navigation and on board lights.

He said. “My ambition is not just to sail around the UK and Ireland but in doing so leave little or no trace or impact of my voyage. Unfortunately many use the sea as a ‘tip’ and what is out of sight is out of mind.

“I would like to think my low carbon, low impact ambition is a positive statement to those who enjoy and make a living from the sea. I am passionate about how look after our seas and aim to complete the voyage with not one scrap being thrown overboard and having used only renewable energy. I have also based my food provisioning around suppliers who have strong sustainability values.”

After leaving Lerwick Alan’s next stop will be Blyth. For more on the charities Alan is supporting visit: www.soloroundbritain.com

Follow his progress on Twitter @soloroundbrit