The tenacity of a humble seabird chick has inspired the latest record attempt by sailing adventurer Pete Goss.
The veteran sailor, along with his friend Andy Warrender, are hoping to cross the North Sea in kayaks.
The Guillemot Challenge, which is sponsored by Gore-tex, will see the two men, who recently returned from completing a circumnavigation of Tasmania, attempting a feat which has never been achieved before.
Andy, from Plymouth, explained that the voyage had been named after the guillemot chicks that swim from Scotland to Norway soon after hatching. He said: "We thought, if they can do it, why can't we? We know it's going to be no easy feat and it will be completely different to Tasmania, but we are confident we can not only make the crossing, but make it safely."
Pete, who lives in East Cornwall, said the crossing had been tried before but never completed. He said: "It would be very easy to fail at this and we don't choose to rely on luck. For us, the way to make it safe is to ensure the preparation is there. Eighty per cent of what will keep us safe will be done before we dip our paddles into the water."
They plan to set off from the most easterly point of the Shetland Islands when a weather window permits in June. The non-stop 200-mile crossing is expected to take four days. Readers can follow their progress via a tracker at petegoss.com
