When fellow Blue Badge Tourist Guide Brian Harlock told me he was signing up to sail around the world I thought, hmm, nice. I imagined a luxury yacht, lazing around in the sunshine on calm waters, comfortable cabins and hot water (and of course a decent stock of chilled wine!). A few days before he set off on his adventure I visited him on board his boat Mission Performance and realised this trip was going to be anything but luxurious and felt an impending sense of fear and trepidation.

On Sunday, 30 August we gathered with tears in our eyes and hankies at the ready to wave off our friend, colleague and now officially super-hero, Brian Harlock, on the greatest adventure of his life – the 10th Clipper Round the World Race. Over the next 11 months he will sail as part of the crew (The Warriors as they are known) on board Mission Performance, one of twelve 23-metre yachts, on a route that covers 9 countries, stops at 14 ports, covers 6 continents, and involves 6 ocean crossings and 40,000 nautical miles. During this time they are likely to get through 561,600 tea bags and 10,200 loaves of bread (baked on board by the crew) and they will use over 1,000 wet wipes per week! Those of you who visited him on board before he sailed will understand the importance of the wet wipes!