A tall ship emerged from the mist into Falmouth Harbour on Sunday (Oct 1) as a crew of injured veterans marked an emotional conclusion to a gruelling round-Britain sailing expedition.

Seventeen military veterans celebrated the completion of the Turn to Starboard Round Britain Challenge – a 2000-nautical-mile voyage by finishing at Port Pendennis. Hardy participants had endured ferocious weather conditions – including menacing waves and wild gusts of up to 40 knots – in what organisers described as being ‘a challenge like no other’.

The return of the 92-foot long tall ship to Falmouth, where the challenge began on August 5, signaled the end of an epic marathon that has taken them to 15 ports across 3 countries.

A team of injured veterans on a round-Britain sailing expedition has reached the halfway mark in a grueling 2,000-mile sailing expedition around the British Isles.

Seventeen crew members – many with little or no sailing experience – set sail from Falmouth in Cornwall on August 5 on the Turn to Starboard Round Britain Challenge 2017.

The intrepid crew are circumnavigating the British Isles in a clockwise direction on board a tall ship, to help participants gain new skills and highlight the challenges veterans can face after leaving the military.