Setting off successfully from Hamble on Sunday, the team supporting Geoff Holt on his Challenger trimaranFreethinkerwere determined to take the credit. It was all much better than the first attempt, when the skipper, paralysed from the chest down, was thrown into the water by the wash from a spectator boat.

“I hope you like the photo,” Geoff wrote on his blog. “It was crew’s idea in case they have to put me back in my boat…!! If you can’t see the sign, it says “This Way Up”. Oh how I laughed……………!!!!”

“Well we’re off,” wrote Geoff at the end of the first leg. “We were met en-route by the Lymington inshore lifeboat and the Committee boat of the RLYC which was wonderful. We arrived on the slip about 8.30pm, just as the sun was setting and were met by a group including good friends from New Forest Sailability, members of Lymington Sailability and even one of my official suppliers, Ohmex.”

The team have also completed leg 2 as far as Weymouth and have halted due to strong winds today.

Keep up with Geoff Holt’s personal Everest challenge on www.personaleverest.com