Meet the paralysed man circumnavigating the UK who wants more disabled people to access the sea

A quadriplegic man who is circumnavigating the UK in a specially adapted boat says it's his dream to make the sea more accessible to other people who are disabled.

Geoff Holt MBE has already travelled more than 600 miles around the coastline of the UK. He set off in his modified boat from London and on Saturday 18 May arrived in Milford Haven.

His epic challenge is all in aid of his charity, WaterWheels, which has already provided thousands of disabled people with the opportunity to access the water.

Geoff says he wants to introduce new accessible boats to new locations, including Milford Haven.

Geoff's journey started in London earlier this week, and he has already covered nearly 600 miles in less than a week. Credit: Wet Wheels

Geoff was eighteen when a swimming accident meant he became paralysed. However, his disability hasn't stopped him from taking to open waters.

In 2017 the yatchman, from Hampshire, became the first quadriplegic person to circumnavigate the UK in a sailboat.

In between challenges, Geoff has pioneered the charity Wetwheels, which enables wheelchair users to come on-board fully accessible powerboats. It is one of the modified Wetwheels vessels he is driving hundreds of miles around the country.

"We have a ramp on all of our boats", Geoff explained, "This particular boat has a suspended ramp. So when I hit those particular big waves, it takes the shock out of them so I don't hurt my spine too much."

As well as ramps all around the vessel, the Wetwheels boats are wide enough to fit wheelchairs and have anchor points to secure chairs in rougher conditions.

Geoff told ITV Wales about the importance of removing barriers for disabled people. "There's many disabled people who simply can't get out onto the water.

"But you remove the barriers, you create a boat, like Wetwheels, you put in a ramp to the steering wheel, a ramp to the deck and all of a sudden you can take disabled people out onto the water", he added.

"There's something very special about it. There's something very inspiring, it's difficult to kind of put into words but you forget about your disability out there.

"The last thing we're doing out on the water is talking about our disabilities. We're talking about the wildlife, dolphins, you know, the birds, and the and the sea - everything that we can see and feel and smell and touch out there", Geoff said.

"It's a very sensory experience. So that's what for me makes being on the water very special."

There are seven Wetwheels boats around the UK, in locations including Portsmouth, Edinburgh and Dover. Credit: Wetwheels

Through his mammoth challenge, Geoff wants to raise awareness for the Wetwheels project and raise money to modify more boats.

"We can't do this without funding each boat health, just about a quarter of million pounds, and each boat costs nearly 100,000 pounds a year to run", Geoff said.

"So we need people to help us achieve this goal of acquiring another four boats around the country. And we'd love at least one boat to be based in Wales. And somewhere like Milford Haven, I can't think of a better place."

Geoff Holt and his team leave Milford Haven on Sunday, 19 May, with their course set for Holyhead, north Wales.

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