The Ellen MacArthur Trust Skandia Round Britain Voyage of Discovery arrived into the PSP Southampton Boat Show to a hero’s welcome from some of Britain’s top record breaking sailors. Waiting to catchScarlet Oyster’s lines were three sailors who all hold sailing around Britain close to their heart: round the world yachtswoman Dee Caffari (right), and quadriplegic sailors Geoff Holt (left) and Hilary Lister (centre) were all on the dock to welcome the Voyage to Southampton on the final leg of their inspirational journey around Britain.

AsScarlet Oysterarrived Dame Ellen MacArthur was onboard with five of the 74 young people who have taken part in the Voyage. Onboard with Ellen were five young people in recovery from cancer who had made the journey from Torquay on the final leg of the Voyage.

Ellen of course became the youngest person to sail solo around Britain in 2001 at just 18 years old in her 21ft yachtIduna. On Saturday Scarlet Oyster will complete her circumnavigation of Britain when she returns to Cowes and in doing so will join an esteemed list of record breaking round Britain Voyages.

During the Ellen MacArthur Trust Skandia Round Britain Voyage of Discovery 74 young people in recovery from cancer across 17 legs, have sailed the 48 foot yachtScarlet Oysterover 2000 nautical miles around Britain on a four month voyage stopping at 17 major ports including; Brighton, Dover, London, Ipswich, Hull, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness, Glasgow, Belfast, Douglas, Liverpool, Cardiff, Torquay, Southampton and Cowes. ]

Throughout the voyage the young people have been returning to the paediatric oncology wards of the hospitals they were treated in to talk to those currently undergoing treatment for cancer about their experience. OnboardScarlet Oysterwith Dame Ellen MacArthur were:
– Tom Battram (14, from Shanklin, Isle of Wight)
– Abi Nickless (16, from Alresford, Hampshire)
– Rhiannon Bull (16, from Gainsborough, Lincs)
– Claire Amaladoss (16, from Bognor Regis)
– Barnaby Daines (17, from Great Yeldham, Essex)
– Dan Monk, Ellen MacArthur Trust Ambassador (23, from Basildon, Essex)

Click here for the Ellen MacArthur Trust website