First of all, I'm delighted to say that Impossible Dream is back in the UK.  Owner Mike and his delivery crew sailed ID into Plymouth early Monday morning. Now begins a month of hard graft making modifications, servicing her many and varied components and updating her electronics.  All being well, she should be in the Solent by early July in time for a few months training in the build-up to the grand launch of the Atlantic Challenge at the Southampton Boat Show in September.  I'm going down to see ID tomorrow so I'll get some updated pictures.  A big "thank you" to all of those delivery crew who helped bring her back safely.

Well, what a wonderful week of sunshine, which made for a fantastic 3 day Old Gaffers Festival in Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight.  I had the very great honour of opening the OGF last Friday.  I would guess there were 10,000 or more visitors and it was quite something being applauded as I made my way through the streets, led by a marching band, to the platform where I did the "honours" and released hundreds of helium balloons (all bio-degradable).  The local BBC did a great piece on the Friday evening TV but I can't find it online.  I did however find this write-up, CLICK HERE for more info [Be sure to scroll down to the pictures at the bottom of the link]. Thanks to the organisers for asking me and thanks too for all the support from everyone I spoke to during the weekend.

Many of my followers will know that Peter Harrison (in my view, it should be Sir Peter Harrison), has been a very good friend to me.  If you have read my book (pp39-42), you would know the story of how Peter and I first met and how he has so generously donated more than £30 million (yes, thirty million) to disability sport programmes in the UK in the past few years.  Well, Peter's charitable trust, the Peter Harrison Foundation, has just launched a new video and I was flattered to see that he cited myself as being the reason behind his choice of philanthropy. If you want to see the video, CLICK HERE. If you too feel that it's an outrage that Peter has not been given any recognition by his country for the good work he has done, then write to the Honours Committe CLICK HERE.  The irony is, had he given Tony Blair £100,000 10 years ago, he would already have one. I challenge anyone not to watch the video, to see the incredible work he has done and not feel the same sense of injustice that he has not been honoured. It really is quite appalling.

OK, I'm off my soap-box now.  Talking of "boxes", I had a Google News Alert email for "Geoff Holt" pop into my in-box a few days ago.  When I opened it, I see that BBC correspondent Frank Gardner, himself a paraplegic, very kindly made reference to me and my book in an interview he did with The Independent. CLICK HERE for more details. Cheers Frank.

A couple of years ago, I was fortunate to meet a young University student called Alastair Callender who was studying Marine Architecture and Yacht Design. Well, Ali has now graduated and amongst his radical designs, including a hydrofoil to be sailed by me single-handed (now you know where I get my ideas from), Ali has just designed the world's first "green" superyacht. CLICK HERE for more info - no doubt we'll be hearing more from Ali in years to come.

Well, that's about it for now. I'll leave you with 3 final requests;

1  If you have not done so already, please register using the box on the right hand side of the screen. It is free and all we ask is your email address and user name - you can make up a name but please use your real email address so you continue to get my blog updates

2  If you have a TWITTER account, why not follow me on TWITTER and get my regular TWEETS (this will really become essential during the voyage itself when I will be TWEETING my every move) CLICK HERE

3  A final call for your attendance at the comedy show this coming Sunday (read previous BLOG). I shall be there as too will comedian Phil Jupitus so do come along, it should be a great night.