Preparation

Since the beginning of this project my target had been to reach Russia. I’m relaxed about the sailing, eating, sleeping, and people - that will be fine. But borders and visas unsettle me more. The required authorizations are time consuming and sometimes costly to attain. And still uncertainties remain. They impinge upon appreciation of the day to day, like clouds that won’t clear.

I'm not a natural rester, but am a firm believer in listening to the body and these last days it has been reminding me that I've been pushing harder than it can sustain. That last break - with Antonio and Maria at Karma Surf, near Estepona - seems a long time ago now.

The gear is here and yesterday got wet for the first time having undergone the first stages of fitting out.

Excess luggage

Early trials with my old round Britain board were interesting. I increased gear carrying capacity but had glossed over the difficulties of launching and landing with such a loaded craft. So I slashed my limit and realigned myself with 'fast and light' principles. I also slashed (carefully cut) the orange spray hood which initially extended further forward. So, I am back with what I know - minimal gear.

Long Standing Ambition - nearly two years in the making - I hope you like it.

Making expeditions happen is a lot of work. There are multiple puzzles to resolve and - initially at least - uncertainties on every front.

Website development and writing takes many hours. Presenting a simple concept is anything but simple. Selecting a charity is complex - particularly with multiple languages and nationalities to consider.

In May 2017 Jono Dunnett will set sail from the Norway-Russia border starting an attempt to solo windsurf the mainland coastline of Europe.

I seem to have been here before. Two years ago I announced via Facebook that I would be attempting to windsurf round Britain. I remember very clearly the moment of going public, and the trepidation I felt at that time.

The response then makes me less nervous of posting the news this time round, but there are still butterflies. The click-to-share is to all intents and purposes the click of no return.

The first 1000 kilometres of the expedition will be inside the arctic circle. Settlements are few and far between. The cold wilderness will be a real challenge. I need to carry more and warmer layers, a thicker sleeping bag, and food to get me to civilisation and see out periods of bad weather. On my last expedition I had a barrel on the back of the board and a small rucksac. That worked well, but I had no spare capacity.

The publication of a website is a concrete step towards backing yourself into a corner that is difficult to escape from. If you are reading this it means that I have taken the plunge - publicly committed to a challenge seemingly so large that I question my own sanity. It's good to ask those questions, rather than blindly stumble into this.