WHEN Flight Lieutenant John Ball joined the Royal Air Force, he did not envisage taking part in an ambitious SAILING challenge.

But after a 2,200-mile sailing passage on board the 50ft yacht Ice Maiden he believes he has finally graduated as a sea dog.

John, 53, of Barnoldswick, was one of 12 crew members chosen from all three armed services to complete a voyage down the coast of Brazil from Recife to Punta del Este in Uruguay.

The trip was one leg of the ten-month exercise Southern Tartan Challenge -- a 20,000-mile round boat trip, which set off in September 2000 from Gosport, and the scaling of South Georgia's 7,483ft peak, Mount Roots.

The aim of the challenge is to retrace Ernest Shackleton's heroic attempt in 1914 to be the first to cross the Southern Ocean.

John's passage took him from the blistering heat of the small port of Joao Passoa near Recife in the North East of Brazil to Punta del Esta on the mouth of the River Plate.

As the boat progressed further south the weather become increasingly mild until they neared their final destination, where they encountered gale force winds.

The crew stopped off in Rio de Janeiro on route, mooring at the exclusive Rio Yacht Club, while the crew carried out some running repairs and took in a few of the tourist sights.

At one stage on the trip the Ice Maiden became surrounded by sharks and on another occasion a couple of the crew were stung by jelly fish.

The boat's skipper Major Richard Williams praised John and the rest of the crew. He said: "Many of the crew were unaccustomed to this harsh way of life. They have learned much about motivation and resilience, not to mention the ability to cope with the rigid and somewhat monotonous watch system."

John, a former Barnoldswick County Modern School pupil, has been in the Forces for 38 years and has travelled to numerous exotic countries, such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Borneo.

A keen sportsman, he enjoys canoeing, hill walking and has represented the RAF in Judo.