‘I decided to just go alone'

Chris Ayres realised a childhood dream when he sailed from Britain to New Zealand, via Panama, in a 28ft yacht – bravely setting sail solo when crew let him down at the 11th hour

- Chris Ayres

A particularly vicious squall was under way when the reality of my situation hit me. I was alone in the southern Pacific Ocean, 14 days out from the Galapagos Islands 1,000 miles in my wake and bound for the Marquesas, still 2,000 miles away. Far from any shipping lanes and far from any help; I had to manage on my own.

How had I come to be here? I was sailing my boat, Sea Bear, a Vancouver 28, single-handed across the Pacific.

On the point of retiring from work aged 66, it dawned on me that maybe I could revive an almost forgotten boyhood dream of a long ocean trip. I had thought that things like that were not in my reach, but here I was. I had the boat, the question was, was I up to it?

Gradually plans took shape and after a hectic time of preparation and planning I slipped away from Victoria Dock, Caernarfon to head out for the open sea.