Paddleboarder's food poisoning 'nightmare' during 25 hours at sea

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2pv073kyzo

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Charlie Head's specialised paddleboard allows him to carry bags of supplies and rations

An endurance athlete suffered a food poisoning "nightmare" on a Scottish paddleboarding challenge between Shetland and Orkney.

Charlie Head became ill after eating a military ration chicken meal at the beginning of the 100mile (160km) solo trip at sea on Monday.

The 46-year-old, from the Isle of Wight, managed to complete the crossing in 25 hours and 40 minutes, sustained by a single digestive biscuit and drinking water.

After reaching a beach on Sanday, Orkney, Mr Head set up a tent to recover. He said: "I was so faint because I couldn't get anything in my stomach."

He recorded a video from inside the tent explaining his ordeal.

In it, he said: "It was a nightmare the whole trip from start to finish.

"I wish I could say something else, but I think I got food poisoning or something.

"I had my first meal, I wolfed half of it and it made me feel really sick straight away."

Mr Head set off from East Voe in Scalloway on Monday

The adventurer said his condition became "worse and worse" during the journey.

He was forced to urinate into his wetsuit and said he was too weak to change into a warmer drysuit during his night at sea.

"I just kept wanting to sleep," he said. "I was just shutting down the whole time.

"I tried to wake myself up, slap myself in the face, dunk myself in the water.

"I was so faint because I couldn't get anything in my stomach and so I didn't have any energy.

"The entire journey I've done on some rotten flesh, one digestive biscuit and water."

Biggest endurance challenge

Mr Head's challenge is believed to be the first ever stand-up paddleboard journey between Shetland and Orkney.

He set off from East Voe in Scalloway at 21:00 on Monday.

His specialised paddleboard allowed him to carry bags of supplies including military-style rations, water, a first aid kit and spare clothes.

The journey came after weather conditions forced Mr Head to cancel a separate planned crossing between Scotland and the Faroe Islands.

Speaking to BBC Radio Shetland before his departure, he said: "The biggest challenge here is the endurance of it and managing myself.

"Doing all of that while also keeping an eye on shipping, the changing of tides, and the changing of weather."

Mr Head previously circumnavigated the UK on his paddleboard and has attempted to paddle the Rio Marañón, the Amazon river's main source.

He was raising money for marine conservation organisation Sea Shepherd.