Race 6 - Day 6
Crew Diary - Birthday Boy
28 January

Today is my 60th birthday.

In previous decades I have celebrated with family and friends at home in London. Typically this involved taking a group of close friends out clay shooting for the day followed by a black tie dinner at our house in the evening. But this time I have chosen to do something different.

There have been many changes in my life over the past three years, and it seems right to be doing this now.

Five seas, 4,300 miles, challenging navigation, an opportunity to travel through an area of the world that I have come to know a little over the past ten years and to sail past such places as the Caroline Islands, Paracel Islands, New Ireland, Bouganville and many others that most people have never heard of.

Something different, that provides time to reflect on the past and to plan for the future. An opportunity to reassess what and who is important in my life and to ensure that I do everything I can for those I love to make their lives fulfilling and complete.

I see my life in three parts: the first 30 years was a formative period setting the trajectory of life, the second is about family, especially children and the desire to equip them for life, the third presents an opportunity to enjoy what life has provided me with so far and to give something back.

Part 3 starts today, so watch this space.

I am looking forward to celebrating my 60th when I get back with my children, Tom and Lucie, and with Kirstie, the love of my life, but today I am celebrating with new found friends as we chart our course to victory in Sanya.