Jari Saario in Inverness
Finnish rower Jari Saario reached Inverness on his way to Finland
Transcript
00:00 Hi Gary, welcome to Inverness.
00:02 Thank you very much.
00:04 You finally arrived after a long journey.
00:06 Can you tell me a bit more about where you're coming from and why you're here today?
00:13 I started rowing in June from Canada.
00:18 We were thinking about going to Scotland or English Channel.
00:30 After a while the weather is bad all the time, so I called my 14-year-old daughter home.
00:40 I said I'm wondering if there is a channel going to Scotland.
00:48 She was checking that on the internet and I said I'm heading to the Caledonian Channel.
00:54 That's the perfect choice. I really love the country, the people, I enjoy the views and everybody is so...
01:04 This is an amazing place. I really love to be here. Maybe I stay here. I don't know.
01:12 A good possibility. Is this your first time in Scotland?
01:15 Yes, this is my first time in Scotland.
01:18 Brilliant. You've been for a long time rowing the Atlantic. You started in Canada. How many days ago?
01:27 I don't count days because it's such a long time, but I think about 82 days.
01:35 In January I started rowing the Canary Islands to the Caribbean this year.
01:42 After that we brought the boat to Canada and now I'm rowing back.
01:47 I try to go to Finland. It takes maybe two months.
01:54 Another bit of a journey and you're doing it in that solo rowing boat.
02:03 You've crossed the Atlantic on your own in that boat. Can you tell me a bit more about the boat?
02:12 It's 6 meters and 1.6 meters length and it weighs 275 kilos. The total load when the food and everything is in is about 700 kilos.
02:27 I have a cabin here in the front and I sleep there. There are my chart plotters and that kind of thing.
02:38 In the back cabin there is a steering system and a para-anchor.
02:49 Here are the lockers and a machine which I can make seawater, drinking water.
02:58 There are two batteries on the other side and everything is wet all the time. I don't have any heater or I can keep it warm.
03:11 It's very cold and very wet all the time. I capsized nine times when I came here and broke one arm.
03:22 That must have been quite scary being on your own and having those challenges.
03:28 That's not actually scary because I have been thinking about this challenge so much and thinking about everything that is happening.
03:38 I just have to focus on the moment and not panic. If you go into panic you're dead.
03:46 You have to stay calm and do what you have to do and turn the boat and keep the lockers shut because you don't want to go into the water.
03:59 Once there is going to seawater, many litres, but I'm lucky it's not going full.
04:11 It's impressive. I wonder what is the best part of the journey so far? Do you have any highlights of your journey here?
04:21 When I come to the north side there are many whales coming just under me.
04:31 The video is on my Instagram and that's one of the highlights. One is the ice mountain there when I started.
04:42 This is the highlight. Scotland is my highlight and Loch Ness is very nice.
04:50 Are you going to try and find Nessie?
04:53 I already found it. I saved my boat. I'm bringing it to Finland.
04:58 Are you still in Nessie? Let's not tell anyone. They might come after you.
05:06 Amazing. Are you looking forward to be back home?
05:13 I really miss my family. I'm in Finland also. I have two daughters. They are 17 and 14.
05:22 I miss my wife. I have to work very hard.
05:29 To sleep in your bed and be back home.
05:35 That's amazing. Thank you so much and best of luck for the rest of your journey.
05:40 Thank you very much. Thank you everyone in Scotland. You are very nice and kind people.
05:47 I really enjoy and say everyone in Finland how nice you are. I have many followers. I think they already know that now.