[Faline]

An adventurer is due to set out on his attempt to break the record for living alone on a remote rock in the Atlantic.

Nick Hancock, a chartered surveyor from Ratho, near Edinburgh, is to spend 60 days on the isolated outpost Rockall.
Rockall, an eroded volcano, lies 260 miles and an 11-hour boat ride west of the Outer Hebrides.

Mr Hancock is taking all food and water with him, and will live in a 150kg shelter bolted to the rock in his bid to break the current 42-day record.

Weather permitting, he is due to set off from the port of Leverburgh on South Harris in the Outer Hebrides.

The father-of-one will be taking nearly half a tonne of equipment for his two-month expedition.

That includes the custom-made pod, nicknamed Rockpod, which he built himself.

He will haul the pod on to Rockall, which is approximately 30m (100ft) wide and 21m (70ft) high, using a diesel-powered winch.

"It's a converted water bowser which has been fitted with hatches and fixing points so I can fix it to the rock," he told BBC Scotland.

"I have a daily routine of exercises and safety checks, and I'm also going to be carrying out some sample collections for St Andrew's University and the Hunterian Museum.

"I'm looking forward to it. It's just a waiting game now. I'm out on the Isle of Harris, waiting for the weather."

Marathon runner and climber Mr Hancock said that bad weather could see him stuck in the pod for three or four days at a time.

_________________________________________

The earliest recorded landing on Rockall was believed to be in 1810, by an officer called Basil Hall from the HMS Endymion.

In the past Ireland, Iceland and Denmark have lain claim to the rock and to the possible oil and gas reserves surrounding it.

The UK annexed Rockall in 1955, but its ownership is disputed.

The record for longest occupation was set in 1997 by three environment campaigners from Greenpeace.

They lived on Rockall for 42 days and renamed it Waveland in protest at exploration of new oil and gas reserves in the surrounding seabed.

As well as attempting to break the occupation record, Mr Hancock aims to raise money for the charity Help for Heroes, which supports injured military personnel.

[DannyDrama]

It's not survival if you take your dinner with you. Adventurers don't seem to be half as manly these days. I'm pretty sure even I could survive in a fucking cocoon for a few weeks, I'm excellent at laying in bed.

[GregK]

Originally Posted by DannyDrama ↗

It's not survival if you take your dinner with you. Adventurers don't seem to be half as manly these days. I'm pretty sure even I could survive in a fucking cocoon for a few weeks, I'm excellent at laying in bed.

Where do you suppose hed gather food?

Pretty stupid protest, to be honest.

[kellyhound]

even 2 hours there would drive me nuts.

[DannyDrama]

Originally Posted by GregK ↗

Where do you suppose hed gather food?

Pretty stupid protest, to be honest.

That's exactly it, he's only surviving because he's taking dinner with him. Do something that takes skill, like walking into the bush with NOTHING and catching food and shit. I wouldn't know what berries to eat, but I can lay in that capsule and eat beans.

[Johnny Wadd]

Originally Posted by GregK ↗

Where do you suppose hed gather food?

Pretty stupid protest, to be honest.

Ever heard of a fishing rod

[Ess-Eye]

Originally Posted by DannyDrama ↗

That's exactly it, he's only surviving because he's taking dinner with him. Do something that takes skill, like walking into the bush with NOTHING and catching food and shit. I wouldn't know what berries to eat, but I can lay in that capsule and eat beans.

Have you seen the place he's staying? Do you see any bush for him to walk into?

[hal0mega]

I've always wanted to stay on an island like Castaway, but of course, with people's knowledge that I'm there Kind of like Survivor, but on my own for a few months, learn to spear fish etc... would be an eye-opening experience