Conrad left the mooring at Simon’s Town, South Africa, at 1130 local time (0930GMT), to resume racing.

“I got off the mooring okay, one of the last challenges, as it was blowing 40 knots across Simon’s Bay and I had to drift back off the mooring with 3 reefs in the mainsail and head off in the right direction straight away so as not to spear any of the surrounding boats.

“I was met by 40 knot headwinds in False Bay so I spent the first 2 hours beating in a nasty chop, but was greeted by a school of dolphins putting on a private acrobatic show as I was passing the Cape of Good Hope for the second and last time, and I cracked open a bottle of bubbly, that was a great moment…

“It’s never easy to leave, all along I’ve just been raring to get back out there and it’s going to be hard. It would have been a little easier if it hadn’t been blowing a gale on my nose! Mentally, I’m now preparing for the long journey ahead, and a lot more challenges still to come. “Thank you to everyone who sent messages of encouragement over the last few days, I have at times been overwhelmed with their support, and all I can say is that I will get back out there and do you proud.”