16th August

It’s really happening. I am leaving on Tuesday to go to France and for the final 39 day countdown to the start of the mini Transat.

I cannot believe it has come round so quickly – well I can actually; I knew that this year would slip through my fingers like sand and my time would be impossible to hold on to. This geographical move is such a mile stone for me. It is the start; it is when I will leave behind all other life and thoughts and demands on my time and dedicate everything I have to my mini; the kind of dedication I wanted to put in from the start.

I had a quiet five minutes while delivering my boat back after Cowes week, a chance to reflect and to make an assessment of all the things I need to do but also all the things I have done. In some ways I am struggling to believe this is me; a dream I had when I was 20; an idle comment made has become reality. This transat is not something I have gone into on a whim, it is a dream I have nurtured for eighteen years and the emotional realisation that I am actually going to do it packs quite a punch when I linger long enough to let it.

It has been a very long journey, to end in a very short one; a life time of thinking about it, a too short ten month campaign followed by a four week race. Life is mad. One thing is for sure, I did not make this happen on my own.

There are too many of you to list individually but I sincerely wish that you all understand just how grateful I am for your help, support and sacrifice over the last couple of years.

Thank you to those who have pushed me, listened to me, believed in me, given me money, given me equipment, loaned me money, worked for me and with me, created my website, maintained my website, followed my tracker at 3 in the morning, listened to my moaning and shared my laughter, driven me to hospital, sailed with me, coached me, fed me, advised me, drove me across Italy while I slept in the passenger seat, promoted me, sent out endless brochures and letters, offered your help unconditionally and free of charge, wanted me to succeed.

There is so much more to thank you all for, and because I am soft I am getting all teary while I am writing this.

The start is on the 25th September from La Rochelle and I would love to see any of you there, if you can make it; there is a little band of people organising to come and I can put you in touch with each other if you wish. If you cannot make it for that day then come along before hand.

I do not have time to say thank you or goodbye to you all personally and I am sorry for that.

Thank you, bye bye.

Pip x