Tired, hungry and alone. It wasn’t meant to be cold; this was the Caribbean after all.

The constant wind blowing against our wet skin amid shower after shower of whipping Atlantic rain brought a constant chill. We had set off for our overnight crossing of the Anegada Passage from Dog Island, a small Anguillan cay, at 4.30pm with the sun already low in the sky. This had seemed like a good idea when we first discussed it over a pint in the Storey Arms in Durham 11 months before.

When we set off George Parry and I were both 21, students at Durham University and had less than a week of sea kayaking experience between us… brilliant… and to think we questioned people’s lack of confidence. Needless to say this was far away from our previous experiences together driving around the highland interior of Iceland, cycling from England to Barcelona and my other expeditions sailing around the Baltic, and mountaineering in Arctic Svalbard, Romania and California among others.

The sun continued to fall until it rested on the horizon, in perfect tangency with the vast curve of the earth. It paused there for a moment and then it fell some more and disappeared beneath the sea to our West. Very soon it was completely dark. We were just in a kayak… 35 miles out to sea… in the dark... with no support.  It would be 12 straight dark hours of kayaking though howling wind, rain and strong currents before the sun mercifully reappeared again to our East.

This exhausting 24 hour kayak across the infamous Passage was just one of our many passages between the 43 islands in 18 countries we landed on during the 94 day Golden Arc Expedition. The aim was to kayak the 2000 miles from Grenada to Miami, largely tracing the route of sea kayaking father John Dowd’s 1977/78 expedition. Why this route? Well, why not?

We were raising awareness and funds for the Get Exploring Trust. GET is a fund we set up to inspire and enable young people from underprivileged backgrounds to access adventurous sports and expeditions, to test themselves in different environments and develop character through exposure to challenging, exciting and inspiring experiences. We hoped by taking on our challenge it might open up people’s minds to the opportunities the outdoors offers.

In three months crossing the Caribbean Sea we faced some pretty crazy conditions including 25kt winds, 5kt currents (we can only kayak at 3kts) 15ft waves, thunderstorms, rain, more rain, and reefs that caused problems for us getting into and out from beaches. The scariest moment of the trip was being caught in a lightening storm with nothing to protect us as we sat still, our carbon fibre paddles in the water, waiting to see if we would live or fry.

We encountered sharks, dolphins, sea turtles and were bombarded by flying fish at night. The challenges were huge. Was it hard?... obviously. Of course the nature of the expedition meant prolonged exposure to the baking sun, harsh winds, and salt water. The level of discomfort was phenomenal. However, it was made a huge amount better by some of the great kit we had.

We were proud to be using Gill Marine clothing on the Golden Arc Expedition. The conditions, in particular the sun, wind and salt, were relentless and unforgiving. Despite this we emerged after a successful expedition with ourselves and all our Gill Marine clothing still fully serviceable – that says something about its robust quality.

William McCreadie

Kit supplied:

Men’s UV Tec Zip Neck Top A high quality, the Zip Neck Top was a fundamental piece of our expedition clothing.  UV50+ protection, the long sleeves were essential during our long passages in the extremes of the tropical sun, especially during our first two weeks as we acclimatised to the new environment. The collar is easy to turn up and stays in place when the zip is closed to protect your neck from the sun or lashing rain.  High wicking, the top is comfortable, dries quickly and robust against harsh maritime conditions. I would recommend this as a standalone top or an extra piece over a t-shirt or baselayer.

Men’s UV Tec Crew Neck T-Shirt As we acclimatised to the heat we progressed from the long sleeved Zip Neck Top to the Crew Neck T-Shirt. Another top quality garment that is attractive as a lightweight, comfortable, wicking and quick drying utility piece. After 85 days of wearing under a buoyancy aid I only noticed a slight fade in the final few days where the BA rubbed against my shoulders. As a high quality UV50+, lightweight t-shirt that looks and feels good the UV Tec Crew Neck T-Shirt is great value for money and another must have!

Men’s UV Tec Polo The Tec Polo is as at home in a smart club bar or the deck of a multi-million pound yacht as it is in a campsite or under the buoyancy aid. Very comfortable and well fitting it looks good, is smart, but is still fully functional as a UV50+ technical polo shirt. The lightweight polyester technical fabric seems to work well to wick moisture away from your body and dries quickly - definitely a piece to keep you feeling and looking cool in warmer climates.

Technical Sailing Sun Hat Would not set off in the sun without it. I wore mine every day for 94 days kayaking and it never failed to provide protection from the sun. It is well designed with sailing in mind – the inner headband works effectively to wick sweat away and keep it from dripping into your eyes and the volume adjusters / removable chin strap keep it secure. Lightweight, water resistant and it floats; what more could you want?

Deckhand Gloves – Short Finger Needless to say, kayaking can give your hands quite a beating. Durable and comfortable these remain a cut above any kayaking specific gloves on the market. Whether handling ropes or a paddle these provide grip, comfort and dexterity. Another must have!