YACHTSMAN Mike Morgan has embarked on an adventure of a lifetime to sail round the world.

Mike, 54, who lives in Cheselbourne, near Dorchester, set sail yesterday on board one of 12 yachts taking part in the Global Challenge 2004.

The flotilla of 72ft ocean-racing yachts set sail from Portsmouth for the race which goes 'the wrong way' around the world.

Volunteer crew members paid £26,000 each for a berth on the yachts, which will stop off in Buenos Aires, Wellington, Sydney, Cape Town, Boston and La Rochelle during the voyage.

The yachts were escorted out of Portsmouth Harbour by the Royal Navy warship HMS Portland and dozens of other vessels.

The Princess Royal also attended the event to meet the crews, particularly those of a yacht sponsored by the charity Save The Children of which she is a patron.

Father-of-two Mr Morgan has paid out almost £30,000 to take part in the round-the-world adventure - the only yacht race to sail around the world the wrong way - from east to west against prevailing winds and currents.

He has spent the last few days in Portsmouth preparing for the race with the other members of Team Stelmar and set off yesterday in gale force winds for the first leg of the adventure down to Buenos Aires.

The 12-strong crew will spend the next ten months aboard the 72ft yacht and after Argentina will visit Wellington in New Zealand, Sydney in Australia, Cape Town in South Africa and Boston in the USA before arriving back in Portsmouth.

Mr Morgan took part in the first leg of the 2000 Global Challenge and was so taken with the event he decided to pursue his dream of completing the whole race.

A former software engineer at Weymouth firm DEK, Mr Morgan retired 18 months ago so he could dedicate himself to achieving his dream.

"I raised £29,000 over the last four years to take part, which is a lot of money, but it will be worthwhile because it will be such a good experience," he said

"The race certainly won't be easy - there is an awful lot of work involved to make sure we are competitive. I've been appointed as a watch leader for our team, probably because I've got a bit of sailing experience.

"That means I'll organise some of the duties on board and make sure everyone is doing what needs to be done."

He said he was looking forward to what lay ahead but admitted that sailing was not always easy.

Mr Morgan, who is married to Valerie and has two grown up children Elizabeth and Anna-Marie, says being away from home for such a long time will not be a problem.

"What started as something to do in my mid-fifties, when the children had left home, has now become a way of life."