Monday 21^st September

Finally I get an opportunity to update on the past week.  The most notable event has been the 9 day long PSP Boat Show here in Southampton which finished yesterday.  And my special thanks to National Boat Shows for allowing the presence of Impossible Dream on a Feature Berth at the show for 4 of those days.  The reaction and feedback from the public was overwhelming, quite literally.  On several occasions, there were so many people, we had to actually secure the boat to stop more people coming aboard whilst we showed others around.  And if we were lucky to find a spare 5 minutes in the day, we would have to hide down below to have a bite of a sandwich.  The fantastic publicity undoubtedly helped raise awareness of the project but, no-one walking around the marina at the show could fail to notice us – we really were a “Show Stopper”.  And as though that was not enough, last Thursday the 17^th, Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal paid a special visit to the boat to find out more about the project and to inspect the boat.  You may have seen some of the coverage on the National BBC News. (A full list of media coverage is given at the bottom of this Blog).  She was particularly interested in the array of Raymarine electronics and spent quite a while learning about the various buttons I push to sail the boat. Amongst the guests on board were Mike, Martine & Bob, trustees of the Sporting Activities for the Disabled Trust, Fiona Pankhurst from Raymarine, my cameraman Digby Fox, Elaine, Susana and a new performance partner, Charles Haymer from Pol Roger champagne, the last independently owned champagne house in France and, having a particular like of champagne, I can assure you it is by far the best. What a terrific sponsor to have..!!

Princess Anne meets Mike Browne and Martine Radville

Whilst at the Show, I had several other events to attend.  For example, I had to appear on the main stage in a bizarre attempt to set a new record for the sending of a mass-semaphore message with flags – I told you it was bizarre.  I held the record for 6 days, having got 239 people in the audience to spell out the word “R-E-C-O-R-D” but my short-lived attempt was smashed by Dee Caffari and Ben Ainslie who, together managed to get nearly 450 people to take part.

I also got to meet Tom McNally at the show who plans to sail across the Atlantic next month in his 3ft long boat.  And people say that I’m mad..!!  His boat needs to be seen to be believed.  Will he do it? It doesn’t matter really, at least he’s trying and helping to raise a lot of money for charity. And in case you are wondering, he sleeps standing up.  I would give you a website but I can’t find one, you’ll just have to Google him.

Timothy & Tom McNally in his record-breaking boat

My friend and ex-Personal Everest crew, superstar rower Sarah Outen was also at the Show with “Dippers”, her tiny rowing boat that she rowed from Australia to Mauritius a few months ago.  The voyage took her 124 days to row nearly 4000 miles making her the first woman, and the youngest person ever to row the Indian Ocean single handed – amazing. 

Inspecting Sarah's record-breaking boat

I should also like to quickly thank Pains Wessex for dropping off a complimentary MCA coded offshore flare-pack for the voyage. Obviously we hope to never use them, but at least they are all up to date now.

I took two days out of the Show.  On Tuesday 15^th, wearing my RYA Paralympic Steering Group hat, I attended the Sail for Gold regatta at Portland, the Olympic sailing venue for 2012.  To see 500 boats on the water, some 750 sailors from around the world, was quite a sight.  After the meeting, I got a tour of the top secret British training HQ – impressive stuff – my lips are sealed but overseas nations would be right to be nervous.  And on Friday 18^th, Elaine & I were invited aboard the Saga Ruby cruise ship by my publisher to celebrate a launch of a new book, Master Mariner, by Philip Rentell, captain of the Saga Ruby.  It was a great lunch and celebration, marred only by my near-arrest at the security check.  It’s the first time I’ve ever been on a cruise ship so had no idea the security was as tight going aboard ship as it is on an aeroplane.  Consequently, they took exception to my 10 inch fishing knife that I take everywhere with me in my back pack.  “Planning on doing any fishing aboard this afternoon sir”? asked the lady security guard sarcastically.

(L to R) Captain Peter Hore, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Captain Philip Rentell (Aboard the saga Ruby)

Susana is doing her 7 day intensive Ship’s Doctor medical course this week.  I took a peek at the syllabus and I couldn’t even understand the pictures, let alone the words.  Once qualified, she’ll be able to cut me open and stitch me up again, now there’s something to look forward to mid-Ocean on those long, boring night-watches.

Amongst all this, Elaine & I celebrated our 22^nd wedding anniversary on Saturday night.  Well, I say celebrated, we were actually at my sister Jenny’s 60^th birthday party, themed Rock n Roll party so not exactly a romantic dinner for two.  And as I write this, one of Timothy’s guinea-pigs has just died so we have a rather distraught young man sobbing into his boiled egg at the moment.  And if you think the thought of a young boy crying about his dead guinea-pig is a sad sight, you should have seen me yesterday when I learned the cost of insuring Impossible Dream for the Atlantic crossing, not to mention the Insurance Excess.  The boat leaves in less than 2 weeks, still much to do, and I have no doubt there will be more tears before then.

PHOTO's: Courtesy of OnEdition

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