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Cork was an amazing stopover and a very fitting finale. Despite a disappointing finish into the pictoresque Irish port, we were soon subsumed into the party atmosphere, especially as friends had travelled from across the world, a world that we had so nearly circumnavigated. The Murphy’s flowed, chased down with the odd tequila and we were welcomed with the friendly faces, hospitality and overwhleming warmth that has been such a feature of this adventure and which is something that will remain with me as an abiding memory of the trip.

Leaving the joys of Cork behind us, Skipper decided on a new watch system: boys V girls! I was hoping that the extra spice might gee us on to another podium. With a good result, fourth place in the overall race was very much in our grasp and I just had a feeling that with the right attitude and a bit of luck, it was a very real possibility and fourth place would have been a huge achievement after our predicaments along the way.

Some ingenious tactics from the skipper saw us leave Cork’s shores in third place, with Irish sunshine blazing down on us. Once more we took an ‘independent’ route and headed away from the rest of the fleet. We were all up on deck, boys and girls together, fighting hard to stay with the leaders. As our penultimate dusk of the race drew in, the boys headed off watch with the fleet sailing along the horizon as the sun set against the green Irish coast. Thankfully we were very much in touch with the lead boat and I went to bed optomistic of our chances.

As the night progressed, it became harder and harder to see the navigational lights of the rest of the fleet and by morning, our destiny was no longer in our hands. We were ninth and I was desperate. Our only chance rested with the tides being against the 8 boats ahead of us and turning in our favour as we criss-crossed our way through Clipper’s course across the Irish Sea. Once more we were playing catch-up, only this time we had less than 24 hours in which to pull off our final and our most remarkable Houdini masterpiece.

July 4th, 2008 was not to be our day. As winds came and went and as they shifted in and out of favour, our main competition came from behind, not in front. Clipper kept the course flexible but time was running out for us and with it went our hopes of a respectable finish.

As a somewhat fitting finale to the voyage and an almost enjoyable reminder as to ‘who is boss’ out there on the ocean, a Force 7 storm was forecast for the evening and for once the weather files were correct! In an ironic way, I was pleased to have some rough weather to finish with, just as we had started with 10 months previous. There were only a few hours left of our mammouth journey. Getting drenched one more time, for old time’s sake, was somehow fitting. It just felt right.

As we reached the buoy marking the final triangular course, as if to rub salt into our wounds, our closest rivals in the overall race were approaching the finish line. I was so disappointed. We crossed the line in 9th and I felt awful. I really felt as though we’d let ourselves and all the other WA crew throughout the race down. Was I disappointed with our position or that the race was over? I don’t know but it certainly wasn’t how I’d expected to feel. I didn’t even go up on deck as we crossed the line to celebrate the end of the race.

After a few hours sleep, I managed to put the disappointment of the race behind me and concentrate on our achievement. The celebrations were fantastic; thousands lined the docks to welcome us home but seeing friends and family amongst them was a very special feeling.

10 months after leaving the Mersey, scared and frightened, the fleet returned safely, happy, triumphant with tales of man overboards, storms, doldrums, losing masts and having formed some extraordinary friendships and part of a very special group that had circumnavigated the globe. I’d done it; the dream had come true.

Thank you to all those who have followed my journey and especially those that have donated to the PGMT. There have been tough times during the race but knowing that I had your support was a huge comfort - I hope to catch up with you soon to thank you in person!