I decided to set off during the month of June the following year, to arrive in Irish waters before our winter started. As no onefrom the canoe and kayak show stepped forward to help with clothing, I was introduced to an outdoor clothing company, based in Scotland, that tends to specialise in mountaineering gear. They kindly offered to supply me with the apparel I needed for the challenge. Jim began to collect all of the equipment that I would require, from spraydecks to emergency kits, including a very comprehensive first aid kit. We had a special trailer built to take the kayak around the UK for trials, and 'LandRover' sponsored a 4x4 vehicle to tow the trailer. In order to raise financing, on these tours we gave presentations to help promote the challenge. In the eleventh hour, an Internet auction company became our main sponsor. With a secure sponsor on board, we were able to head off to Newfoundland and wait for good weather to commence the challenge.

After a couple of weeks making final preparations in Newfoundland, I got the weather that I needed: a window of five days of Westerlies. I started at about 20:00 hours as the tide was turning to help me paddle out of St. Johns. The media and a few hundred well-wishers were there to see me off. Four sea kayakers escorted me out through the narrows before turning into the small harbour of Quidi Vidi. Jim followed me out in a fishing boat with a film crew and then turned back for St. Johns harbour, leaving me to paddle through the night. There were a few long liners heading for St. Johns but nothing else. It was a clear night and after three years of planning I was finally on my way and enjoying it. I felt good.

Size comparison to a typical sea kayak

My speed while paddling was 3 knots, as registered by the GPS. I was very pleased with that. In the morning, out of sight from the land, I was well and truly on my own. I had covered about 40 miles-a good night's paddle-and it was time to get some sleep. Once I had changed my clothes and was in my sleeping bag, it did not take long to fall sleep, but I managed only a couple of hours. Waking up, I looked out the small porthole to see rain pouring down, and decided to go back to sleep. About 12 noon, I woke again and decided to call Jim and let him know everything was going well. I moved some bags and noticed water in the cabin and wondered where it had come from! I opened the air vent in the door and put my hand through to feel for any water in the cockpit. There was water over three-quarters of the way up the door. This was a serious problem. A bilge pump system was installed through all the compartments to the cabin, for just such a scenario. Using this, I started to pump the water out of the cockpit via the cabin. Realising I was making no progress, I had to get into the cockpit and use the hand pump. I decided to take my watch off, because I would be immersed in the water and although it was water-resistant, it was not waterproof.