BRAVING 20ft waves, close encounters with polar bears and following in the icy footsteps of some of the most famous sailors in history, it is fair to say Phil Morgan has had a highly eventful three months.

Setting off from Camden, on the east coast state of Maine, the 59-year-old President of Kendal Mountain Rescue team has just returned to UK shores after successfully navigating his way through the 6,980 mile west bound transit of the North West Passage.

Alongside three friends, the grandfather-of-two took one of the seven routes available as he sailed from the Arctic Circle in the North Atlantic Ocean through the Arctic Ocean to the Arctic Circle in the North Pacific before docking in Kodiak Island, Alaska.

"It was absolutely staggering," said Phil, who lives in Arnside. "It was the most amazing thing I have ever done. My vocabulary is not great enough to explain how good it was. I have never had such a great time and fun. It was definitely fulfilling a life-long dream.

"We think we are only about the 82nd yacht to have completed the route."

Onboard a purpose-built 35 tonne, 60ft yacht called Novara, Phil was invited onto the trip by his friend Steve Brown and was joined by two of his friends.

Among the highlights for the father-of two were encounters with humpback and orca whales as well as sea lions and walruses.

But it was a chance meeting with a polar bear that stuck firmly in his mind.

"I was at the helm and nearly ran one over," said Phil. "I never saw it and the next minute I heard a huge growl. He was only about 8ft away."

Another highlight was a stunning display of the Northern Lights near Queen Maud Island.

Phil now plans to head back to the USA later this year to complete another section of sailing as he looks to circumnavigate the whole of the Americas.

Sought by explorers for centuries as a possible trade route, it was first navigated by Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen in the early 20th century.

Visit www.captainmorgan55.blogspot.co.uk for Phil's account of the trip.