It's a strange feeling to be writing this. At least now. If everything had gone to the original plan, Spirit of Cardiff would have finished her round the world voyage over three months ago, and I would almost certainly have completed the book about it as well. But fate plays many tricks, which is why the final chapter in the Spirit of Cardiff story is still waiting to be played out.

I approach this final ocean crossing with a degree of trepidation. Although it's been difficult to get back into the swing of normal life, I have to say it's preferable to being cooped up in a small box which seems to do nothing but inflict injury and discomfort. On the other hand, given the problems I've encountered getting my head round normal day to day life, maybe going back aboard the Spirit won't be such a bad thing.

The only real minus side is that, from what I've been hearing from Alan since he's been back in Newfoundland, the weather is rather iffy. Tropical storm Gustav has developed into a full-blown hurricane. Word is it will have died down by the weekend, but naturally I'll prefer to reserve my optimism for when we're cruising across placid waters.

When our voyage came to such a dramatic end in July, with Steve Lloyd suffering a heart attack, we received many messages of support, encouraging us not to give up. At the time we were completely shell-shocked, and unable to contemplate finishing. But since the Union Internationale Motonautique - the international governing body of powerboating - told us that the clock is still running, we intend to bring the boat home via Gibraltar. So we can still establish the record for a circumnavigation by a powerboat under 50ft.

Taking Steve's place is Jan Falkowski, our original crewman forced to drop out three weeks before we set off in March. Jan may have missed the trials and tribulations of going around the world, but he's had a full summer of RIB racing to keep him amused.

We're very grateful to Air Canada and BTI Canada for providing us with the flights to St John's. I'll probably spend a little time inflight working on the book about Spirit of Cardiff's epic voyage. It's going to be a cracker, but then I would say that, wouldn't I?

Clive Tully

Copyright Clive Tully ©2002

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SPIRIT OF CARDIFF RUNS OUT OF LUCK

Throughout her 23,000 mile voyage around the world, Sprit of Cardiff's crew met with many huge problems, and every time they came up fighting. Even after crewmate Steve Lloyd suffered a heart attack in July, five days from the finish, Alan Priddy and Clive Tully were determined to come back to Newfoundland and finish the job.

But this time, luck has finally run out. When Alan Priddy, Clive Tully and Jan Falkowski arrived at St Johns harbour on Sunday morning, ready to take Spirit out across the Atlantic, they found the dive platform at the back of the boat submerged and the engine compartment full of water, the bilge pumps unable to cope with the level of flooding.

It seems a crack may have developed in the hull, possibly weakened by sitting out of the water on blocks during the high winds of Hurricane Gustav. Only after the boat was fully laden with fuel on the Saturday did she start taking on water. Had Spirit of Cardiff been a conventional powerboat without the inflatable tube, she would have sunk at her mooring. The alternator which charges the boat's batteries was wrecked, but worst of all was the damage wrought to everything in the boat.

Whilst the city of St Johns prides itself on its cleanliness, the harbour suffers from a major ongoing pollution problem, with raw sewage being discharged directly into the water. Sea water tainted with effluent has ruined all the carpets and soft furnishings in the boat along with everything that was stored below deck, including survival suits, life jackets, sea anchor, life raft, and many other peripheral items of equipment which would cost thousands of pounds to replace.

Waste disposal experts have pumped out most of the boat's fuel - about £1,000 worth of diesel - so she is floating high in the water to prevent further leakage, and a new alternator is being fitted. Unfortunately, even if it were possible to repair the hull and replace the survival equipment, the narrow weather window between Hurricane Gustav and Tropical Storm Hannah has been lost. Spirit will make the short journey back to the Royal Newfoundland Yacht Club for storage, and the crew will be looking to fly home in the next day or so. The boat's ultimate fate is uncertain at this stage. Needless to say, Alan, Clive and Jan are devastated at the turn of events.

"We've been hit by so many problems," said Spirit of Cardiff skipper Alan Priddy, "but even after Steve's heart attack, we were looking to finish the trip and come back with the under 50 ft class record for circumnavigating the world. This time it really is over. We are all feeling very low."

ENDS