Sherborne man completes mission to sail to every harbour in the British Isles after three and a half years

Three years and five months after leaving Dartmouth on his voyage to meet every harbour master in the British Isles, retired businessman Mark Ashley-Miller returned to his home port of Dartmouth on the final day of the Royal Regatta.
Mark, who lives near Sherborne, was welcomed back by Paul Britton, the 210th harbour master he has met on his odyssey sailing around the country clockwise. The journey has taken him into every nook and cranny of England, Scotland and Wales with a friendly welcome in more than 250 harbours and ports.
Highlights include sailing the Bristol Channel to Sharpness, into Liverpool Docks, visiting most of the Scottish Islands including St Kilda, rounding the top of Shetland, exploring far up many a river including the Tay, Forth, Tyne, Tees, Humber and Thames, and venturing into seldom visited harbours in north-east Scotland, The Wash, Essex and Kent.
Every harbour master he met has given Mark a fascinating interview ready for his forthcoming talks and book.

His return was organised by the chairman of Dartmouth Regatta, Ed Botterill, and Mark’s boat, a 34ft Nauticat called Good Dog, was invited to take part in the Jubilee Parade of Sail. Mayor David Wells joined the welcome along with assistant harbour master Jack Handley, who waved Mark off in March 2019.
Mark said: “It must be the slowest circumnavigation ever planned but I now know nearly every mile of the British coastline and urge people to explore our amazing country. As for a travel guide, you could not ask for a more experienced person than a local harbour master!”
It is estimated there are nearly 300 harbour masters in Britain and Ireland, but no-one knows! Next year Mark hopes to finish the challenge by circumnavigating Ireland and visiting the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
So far he has raised nearly £20,000 for The Seafarers’ Charity.