Paddle adventure called off

THE THREE adventurers attempting to paddle from Shetland to Norway have decided not to venture out after this week’s weather forecast has become too unpredictable.

Patrick Winterton, Olli Hicks and Mick Berwick had hoped to embark on the 220 miles journey from the Out Skerries to Norway on Tuesday.

Spokeswoman for the team, Cathy King said on Tuesday morning that the wind and wave models for the northern North Sea were changing all the time, with the result that the weather window the team had hoped for had disappeared.

The adventurers, who had hoped to replicate the daring voyages of the wartime Shetland Bus, needed at least three days of half decent conditions to reach Bergen, in Norway.

Ms King said: “They paddled from Whalsay to Skerries on Monday, but this morning decided against setting off. They will now paddle back to the Shetland mainland.

“They obviously feel very sorry that it is not happening this time, but they are all okay.

“They didn’t want to go out and then be rescued, because that wouldn’t do anybody any favours.”

They had originally set off from Lunna nine days ago, but were forced back by force five northerly winds around 25 miles east of Skerries.

The three had hoped to raise thousands of pounds for the RNLI and the Make-a-Wish Foundation.