Sean Morley: Grim forecasts

Sean Morley set out five months ago to be the first person to complete the 4,950-mile (7,920km) trip.

But after rounding every inhabited piece of land including the remote St Kilda, the Channel Islands proved a paddle too far.

He will still become the first person to kayak solo around all the inhabited islands of the UK and Ireland.

The 38-year-old traffic police officer, from St Erth, is in Weymouth and is due to finish his journey in Falmouth on 26 September.

I shall leave it to someone else to do. That's life unfortunately Sean Morley

He said: "It is a 50-mile crossing to the Channel Islands and the forecasts are looking pretty grim.

"I would rather not have tried it, than attempted it and have had to be rescued.

"I shall leave it to someone else to do. That's life unfortunately.

"You have to make a decision and be happy with that."

His favourite memory will be of kayaking alongside a pod of dolphins surfing the waves off the west coast of Ireland.

Big welcome

He said: "It was a particularly windy day with a big swell and the dolphins surfed past me.

"That is something I shall never forget."

Throughout the whole trip he has never capsized, although he had come close to it in a big swell, with "waves the size of houses" off Barra in the Western Isles.

He said: "You just have to be confident in your abilities and judgement."

He is hoping for a big welcome when he returns to Falmouth at midday on 26 September, where he will be met by his wife Linda who has provided back-up support for him throughout the journey.

He has been raising money for the RNLI and the Marine Conservation Society during the trip.