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Geoff Holt past the halfway mark on his Round Britain sail

by Susan Preston Davis 2 Aug 2007 09:38 BST

Quadriplegic sailor, Geoff Holt, has passed the half-way mark on his attempt to be the first disabled person to sail around Great Britain.

After five days weatherbound in Whitehills, Scotland, the weather was good enough for Geoff to sail again yesterday and he left at 11.15am, sailing more than 7 hours to get to Peterhead, the latest port of call on his voyage.

Today, weather permitting, Geoff will take to the water again, bound for Stonehaven.

Geoff could not have chosen a worst summer to attempt this ambitious project. He left his home port of Southampton on 20th May, but the bad weather around the coast has greatly hampered his progress and he has spent 34 days weatherbound in various ports.

Geoff, 41, who is paralysed from the breast line down as the result of a swimming accident when he was 18, spends every night in a specially adapted motor home, and is pleased that he is on the move again.

“It has been so frustrating spending day after day in a port or campsite just looking at the wind and rain,” he said: “It is still quite chilly and blustery up here, but we are hoping that as we move down the East Coast the weather will improve further to give us a speedy journey home”.

Geoff’s Personal Everest Project has been made possible by sponsorship from law firm Blake Lapthorn Tarlo Lyons, who are providing the funds to ensure that Geoff has the necessary back-up team and equipment to make his Personal Everest attempt safe and efficient.

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