https://youtu.be/a1IoDsn87nc

Sunday morning 15th October. In 2 hours I’m heading off to Punta del Este in Uruguay to join the crew of Zhuhai for leg 2 of the round the world yacht race. The second leg race departs on the 22nd when I and 21 other amateur crew members will be heading off across the South Atlantic/ Southern Ocean heading to Cape Town.

I signed up for legs 2 & 8 of the race back in the first lockdown, when the desire for a challenge and to fulfil a long-term dream finally led me to cut the wishful chat (Katie was getting bored with me talking about it) and commit with hard cash. The subsequent training over the next two years was quite challenging with everything on these yachts being very big and very heavy and now here I am about to do the real thing.

To say that I’m anxious would be an understatement; surfing down 25metre waves, water, water everywhere - inside and out, land c 2000 miles away at mid-way, bunking with a stranger (well at least when the race starts!) hygiene and toiletry factors too basic to share, are probably contributing to the sudden periods of irrational sweating - though it could, of course, just be the male menopause.

There’s a lot of heart-breaking strife going on in the world and most of it impacting on the most vulnerable of society, children. I am, therefore, reaching out to you to ask if you would consider sponsoring my endeavours and in doing so providing me with the determination to see both legs through and help children in these shocking times, by giving a donation to support our boats chosen charity, UNICEF.

If you are interested in following our progress the Clipper round the world web site will give you regular updates and there’s a Clipper Facebook page for more pictures and stories. Leg 8 will be June next year, racing from Washington DC to Oban and then round the top of Scotland to Portsmouth finishing, we hope, on 27th July.