I know that it will soon pass but at the moment, typing on the computer keyboard is quite painful.

Today was my first day and it could have been better.

But at least it is over with now. From the morning onwards I had to face some very awkward wind and waves that made progress real torture for my hands. I know that it will soon pass but at the moment, typing on the computer keyboard is quite painful.

Now, at least, the wind has died down and I am immersed in total silence. I can’t wait for the moon to rise as this will make the place even more beautiful.

So, for those who are reading this blog for the first time and wondering what I am doing here, I will give a little bit of an explanation. I am rowing across the most polluted area of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Here in the Pacific, between California and Hawaii, four ocean currents converge to create a vortex that collects huge amounts of plastic.

One can see detergent bottles, beer and soft drinks crates, packaging straps, buckets, children’s toys, fishing net boys – you name it. The debris field covers 1.6million square km – three times the area of France. According to the United Nations, some 380,000 marine mammals are killed every year by either ingesting or being caught up in the pollution.

Ocean plastic pollution was unknown only 40 years ago. Today plastic has been discovered in the deepest parts of the ocean and in the most remote ocean eco-systems such as Antarctica.

The reason why I am here is because I want to offer everybody the chance to learn and understand this complex issue – and perhaps fire up conversation regarding what we can do to reduce or avoid plastic ending up in our oceans.

Yesteday, it was my daughter’s 8th birthday.

Two months ago she asked me if I would be home from my expedition for her big day and I had said I would be. Instead, I am here.

It was not the perfect conditions for me to depart but I wanted to do something on my daughter’s birthday, so I decided to embark on this long journey that will eventually take me home