Two Australian water skiers left Minneapolis, Minn., on June 26 and are trying to ski the commercially navigable length of the Mississippi River.

The men are trying to cover the distance, 1819 miles, in six days.

The two brothers, Sean and Brenton McGraths are skiing from Minneapolis to the Gulf of Mexico to try to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

The brothers and their support team will stop in Nathcez at about 3 p.m. Friday for an overnight stay.

When they leave Natchez at 6 a.m. Saturday they will point their skis south and head for the Gulf of Mexico.

Once they reach the gulf, they will scatter the ashes of a friend, Neville Wilson, who died of stomach cancer earlier this year.

Brenton McGraths, a leukemia survivor, said the trip is a way to help raise awareness for the fight against cancer.

&uot;I have dreamed of helping other victims of the disease,&uot; McGraths said.

This long-distance ski trip is not the first for the brothers.

Three-and-one-half years ago they and Wilson skied 1300 miles of the Murray river, Australia longest river.

The trip down the Murray river took less than 27 hours.

On the Mississippi trip, the skiers plan to average about 55 to 60 mph on the water.

The Australians have also got help from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Coast Guard to pass through the 29 locks and dams they encounter along the river.