Patrick Coote, the European Managing Director of global yacht brokerage firm Northrop & Johnson, is taking on an extraordinary challenge that will see him row the wild and untamed waters of the North Sea between Scotland and Norway in the name of a very worthy cause.
At 8am on Monday 15th July, the Monaco resident and his 11 teammates will set off from Inverness Marina on the eastern coast of Scotland on an adventure of a lifetime.
The group will battle weather, wind and weariness as they work in three-hour shifts, 24 hours a day, to cross the North Sea, with the end goal of reaching the Norwegian city of Stavanger in about a week.
Coote and his team, many of whom are experienced open sea rowers, will be travelling in a 24-foot ocean rowing boat that features a special design to handle the worst weather conditions, as well as the ability to right itself in case of capsizing – a feature they hopefully will not need, but one that offers peace of mind to the rowers and their families.
This brave mission is all for a good cause, with the funds raised by the rowers due to be donated to the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF).
“The health of our oceans is critical for the health of our planet and the WWF has numerous projects to protect marine wildlife,” says Coote. “I want to play a small part by supporting them and increasing the awareness of their efforts.”
This is far from Coote’s first charity endeavour. In the last three years alone, he has raised in excess of €40,000 for various charitable associations through challenges such as the upcoming North Sea row, such as his successful attempt to become the first person to circumnavigate Scotland in a rowing boat in 2022 and his participation in a rowing race from Barcelona to Ibiza in 2023.
To support the WWF through Patrick’s next adventure, click here. For more information on the WWF and its projects, click here.
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