It's here. Today's the day.

Three-plus years on, and it's here. We slip ropes just after 1400, and start our race by passing under one of the most iconic landmarks in London, not to see it again for 11 months and after travelling more than 40000 miles of the world's oceans.

Boat prep is done, both Gosport and London editions. I wrote a London edition blog, but didn't get it posted because time just slipped away. Time filled with so many little things. Hank pulls on foresails. AISs fitted to lifejackets. Leaks hunted down and patched. Bunk assigments, lockers packed, water tanks filled, gear in zip lock bags in dry bags in dry bags.

Foulies hung up, boots labelled, batteries charged, toilet paper stowed, and all the apples, oranges, and bananas you could want to eat squirreled away.

Crew brief and Team Garmin brief and crew party. Emergency procedures gone through. The days schedule, and the race schedule, looked at. Racing rules.

I'm sure there's a thousand things I've forgotten, and a hundred things o haven't said, and tens of things I've packed that I don't need.

And for all of you been following along with me, thank you. I know in some cases it's been a long bloody time coming, but now it's here. And this time next year it'll all be over, and you won't have to hear about the boat race any more. At least, the prep. You'll just have to put up with the stories.

You can follow the race at clippers website, clipperroundtheworld.com. Read team Garmin's blog, also on the website. And see you in Rio.