Meet the Rockall Ho! 2003 team

Those readers wondering who on Earth would be insane enough to give up two weeks of their Summer to travel aboard a 40-ft yacht to the end of the world need look no further than our Rockall Ho! rogues' gallery

Yes indeed, these are the individuals who in July 2003 pitted their wits and their bodies against the North Atlantic and the sacred islet of Rockall, and all in the name of charity. Read on in wonder:

Mark Alden: Photographer Mark spent several years as a cruise liner snapper and so reckons his sea legs will serve him well on the voyage. Sadly, every ship he ever sailed on either caught fire, capsized or sank. He has, however, noted that "there were never any fatalities", an assertion which has naturally put our minds completely at rest. Further updates on his erratic hair colour will follow in the coming weeks.

Al Baker: Climbing guru Al is a veteran of Greenpeace's 1997 occupation of Rockall, and so counts among the handful of people ever to have set foot on the sacred rock. Suffice it to say, the allure of this mystical location proved too much for the poor lad and he now finds himself pulling on his boots for the replay. Al is seen here enjoying one of the many challenging climbs Rockall has to offer.

Jamie Cambridge: Young Jamie (arrowed) whiled away many a happy hours lashed to the wheel of oil exploration vessels around the globe, and has accordingly been voted "man least likely to get violently seasick on 40-ft yacht". He's proved a bit useful on the climbing front too, and is seen here with our long-suffering instructor, Dave Tonks, on a recent training expedition.

Lester Haines: Lester has previously enjoyed weeks at a time up to his 'nads in tropical rainforest mud, but recently admitted that this experience will likely prove "as much use as a chocolate fireguard" in the North Atlantic. He is, nevertheless, fully trained to deal with any ocelots, jaguar or bird-eating spiders which may threaten a successful ascent of Rockall.

Bob Johnston: Apologies to skipper Bob for this rather unflattering photo, which has made him appear rather more sea-hardened than he actually is. Having said that, Bob has been sailing pretty well continuously since the golden age of tall ships. We can't imagine a surer pair of hands on the tiller for the 300-mile voyage to Rockall.