FORMER George Ward School teacher, Chris ‘Cam’ Cameron, is now over two weeks into living on a remote uninhabited North Atlantic rock, in a bid to break the world record for the longest stay there and raise funds for armed forces charities.
Cam hopes to live for 60 days on Rockall situated 230 miles west of mainland UK and described as ‘the remotest, loneliest and most desolate place in the British Isles’. He’ll be living on a ledge, measuring just 1.5 x 4 metres (5ft x 13ft), just below the peak of the 17-metre-high sheer-sided granite outcrop.
Cam landed on Rockall on 30th May with radio operators Adrian ‘Nobby’ Styles and Emil Bergmann, who have since left, leaving Cam with just gannets, kittiwakes and other seabirds for company
After arriving on the island, he tweeted, “We made it, team. Thanks everyone. All safe. Tough ascent. Rough at the base of the Rock and weather is pretty good. Only 58 days to go.”
Other tweets from Cam said, “Live update from the rock! 3,000 radio contacts so far! Plus – it stinks! …Two minke whales visiting within 50m of the rock daily!”
“I miss my wife and children. They are everything to me and it’s my daughter’s birthday today. I know how my father felt, as he was a master mariner.”
Cam, who was a science teacher and head of year at George Ward School for 12 years, plans to spend 60 days on the rock in an attempt to break the current record of 45 days. He hopes to raise £50,000 for The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and ABF The Soldiers’ Charity.
On the expedition’s JustGiving page, he says, “My team and I intend to radio broadcast from Rockall, the remotest, loneliest and most desolate place in the British Isles.
“Any donations received will be split between these amazing charities, helping our serving personnel, families and our veterans.
“We’ll do the tough part – if you could make a donation to the charities, we’ll keep going for as long as we can.”
Rockall, situated around 220 miles (354 km) west of the Outer Hebrides, is an isolated granite islet measuring just 91 metres in circumference. In 1955 it was added as part of the United Kingdom’s territory and incorporated as part of Scotland in 1972. It gives its name to one of the UK’s Shipping Forecast areas.
Cam, an army veteran who served for six years with the Gordon Highlanders, will be following in the footsteps of only five other people who have successfully stayed for more than one night on Rockall, including Nick Hancock, the current record holder, who stayed for 45 days in 2014.
To support Cam in his challenge and raise funds visit JustGiving
