Adventurer's 'emotional' return from global voyage

An adventurer has said the thought of being the first person to circumnavigate the globe by air, sea and land has not "really sunk in yet".

James Ketchell, 43, from Basingstoke, Hampshire, sailed into Gosport's Haslar Marina on Saturday, completing his eleven-month voyage around the world on his class 40 boat Mindset.

It is his third circumnavigation challenge, following his Guinness World Record for flying a gyrocopter 44,450 km (27,620 miles) around the world in 2019 and a 29,000 km (18,019 miles) ride around the globe in 2013 on a second-hand bike.

Ketchell, who is waiting for his record to be ratified, described his return as "quite emotional".

He said his thirst for adventures had stemmed from a serious motorcycle accident, which prevented him from walking for a long time.

"To give me something to look forward to when I was lying in hospital completely smashed to bits, I said to myself 'I'm going to row a boat across the Atlantic'."

Despite people's doubts, once Ketchell recovered he not only rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, but also climbed Everest, cycled around the world and fulfilled his dream of flying thanks to the gyrocopter.

He combined his adventures with talking at schools in the countries he passed through.

"School was very, very difficult for me, I had huge confidence problems.

"I use a lot of my experiences to share life lessons with kids in schools, it just feels right.

"I talk to kids a lot about not being scared to try new things."

He was welcomed back to the UK by a party of family and friends, and his fiance Lisa Bulmer, who last saw him in Cape Town six months ago.

He said sailing around the world had been his "biggest challenge".

"When you're out in the middle of an ocean you don't really have any control over anything - the only thing that you can control is just trying to stay positive because you can control your own mind."

That was the reason behind the name of his boat - Mindset.

"I say this to kids - everything we do in life is all in the head," he added.

Ketchell's words of inspiration were presented to youngsters from his stops in Lanzarote, Cape Verde, Brazil, South Africa, Tasmania, Argentina then back to South Africa.

Ketchell said it had been "quite emotional" to get back 30,000 nautical miles (55,500 km) later.

He had been around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, Cape Leeuwin in Australia and the "notoriously difficult" Cape Horn in South America.

"I was very fortunate it all came together."

But he said he had not done it only for the world record.

"And if someone else had already beaten me to it, I'd actually be the first to shake their hand and say 'Wow, well done'

"But we don't know of anyone," he added,

During his voyage, he raised money for Kindled Spirit, which supports young female victims of exploitation and human trafficking, and Baton of Hope, which supports suicide prevention.

The adventurer, who is the author of two books, said he was not sure what he would like to do next.

He said he was "excited" to write some children's books.

"Who knows - maybe go into space. I need to chat to Elon Musk and see what he's up to," he added jokingly.