It's the fact that no-one's managed it before makes me want to do it," said the 44-year-old who has attempted to row the 4,500 miles from Choshi, Japan to San Francisco in the USA twice before.

But after two attempts that were halted by Mother Nature, Mick will again brave industrial shipping routes, sharks, whales, typhoons, hurricanes and, he jokes, old age in May.

The former Royal Marine is no stranger to the waters.

He works as a skipper on a private yacht in Nigeria, but he was back at his family's pub, Boston's Cowbridge Inn to work on his vessel, this week.

Mick has twice rowed the Atlantic, from Tenerife to Barbados, once with his brother Steve, who was part of a record-breaking team that rowed the same ocean from Canada's Newfoundland to Falmouth.

But completing the Pacific challenge is his dream.

The voyage is expected to take between four and six months.

However, this time he will be joined by pal Chris Martin, from Surrey, a former World Rowing Championships bronze medallist.

"I'd be just as confident if I was doing it solo, but with their being two of you it makes the job more feasible," Mick added.

And the pair will be taking plenty of music and audio books to keep them going on their journey on their vessel, named Bojangles.

The boat was named after Mr Bojangles, the Sammy Davis jnr song which Mick remembers listening to when out drinking with friends when he was younger.

And to celebrate their journey, Surrey brewery Hog Back have launched the Bojangles Real Ale in their honour, a tipple they will hopefully toast when they sail under the Golden Gate Bridge next year.

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