Scotland to Syria : March 2008 - September 2008

In the spring of 2008, Julie and Colin will travel by rowboat from Scotland to Syria. A labyrinth of canals and rivers connect the North Sea with the Mediterranean, and the team will trace a 5,500 km zigzagging route through 13 countries in their self-propelled vessels. The route will also involve coastal rowing along the shores of the North Sea, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.

Julie and Colin are getting married in the summer of 2007, and their row from northern Europe to the Middle East will be part of their honeymoon plans. Julie's family comes from Syria and Colin’s parents are both from Scotland, so the adventure will be connecting their ancestral homelands with a human powered journey.

There are several route options, and the team has finally chosen a course that will begin on the east coast of the Scottish Highlands.  The duo will row down the coastline until reaching the Caledonian Canal system which crosses Scotland diagonally, along the border of the highlands, through Loch Ness, and over to the West Coast.  The rugged shorelines of Scotland and northern England will be followed until Liverpool, where the rowers will again venture inland on the canal systems.  These canals lead to the Thames River which will be followed, through the heart of London, and down to the English Channel. 

After rowing across the English Channel the team will continue up the Rhine River into Germany, France and Switzerland.  Here they will cross into the watershed of the Danube River and follow this flow through Germany, Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Romania and on into the Black Sea. The shores will then be followed to Turkey where a canal leads into the Mediterranean Sea.  The final 1000 km leg to Syria will be on the shores of the Mediterranean.

The journey will take five or six months, and will be exclusively human-powered. It may be necessary to portage certain sections due to strong currents, shipping congestion, or local regulations barring low-powered vessels. With this in mind, the team will be designing and constructing two rowboats capable of carrying bicycles and rowboat trailers. This amphibious combination will enable usage of the numerous bike paths paralleling the canal systems. The bicycles will also allow Julie and Colin to take excursions from the water to explore the surrounding regions.

The journey will commence in March in the frigid waters off of Scotland and finish in late September in the Syrian heat.