When Jeanne Heydon and Bill Heffner arrive back in the United States after five years at sea they can expect to see fireworks.

For the American couple will hopefully have completed their circumnavigation of the globe just in time for Independence Day.

The pair arrived in St. George's on the sloop Northmoor last week and will soon begin the final leg of their journey home.

They set off from Newport, Rhode Island, on Tuesday, November 8, 1988, heading towards the West Indies. They expected the circumnavigation to last three years.

Owner and captain of the 44ft sloop, Ms Heydon said: "The whole idea of a circumnavigation is not to do it in as fast a time as possible but really to take your time or as long as the money lasts.

"It is not a case of just visiting major cities. There was just too much to see in three years.'' Originally the couple planned a straight route through the Panama Canal across the Pacific and Indian Oceans around South Africa and back home.

But with so many places to see and new challenges they became sidetracked in the Pacific islands.

Australia proved a major delay for Ms Heydon and Mr. Heffner. Firstly they took part in a 55,000 mile double-handed race, a non-stop 43-day ordeal from Melbourne to Osaka in Japan. They finished second in their class.

They then took part in a trip with 40 other boats around Tasmania to commemorate the voyage of Able Tasman.

On their main journey, Ms Heydon said the trip involved long and lonely hours away from land and one particularly odd excursion along Australia's desolate Kimberley coast where they anchored with other boats only twice in six weeks.

They travelled across the Indian Ocean and to South Africa, where they spent the cyclone season. Then they set off across the Atlantic, via a couple of other islands, and finally over to Bermuda.

Ms Heydon said: "It is my first trip to Bermuda and it has been fantastic. We were checked by the most wonderful Customs officials we have come across on all of the trip.

"We will be staying here until next week but I want to get back to Newport for Independence Day and to see the fireworks in the United States for the first time in five years.'' Both Ms Heydon and Mr. Heffner hail from Connecticut. She worked as a financial controller for a large US corporation while he was a banker.

They put together a 10-year plan to raise the cash to complete their circumnavigation. It was ready within eight years.

Nearing the end of the marathon journey Ms Heydon said: "It is a dream trip but if anybody has an idea in the back of their mind to do this they should bring it forward and do it.

"I think the best thing in this whole experience was the people we have met.

It is so nice to meet people who actually do things rather than just think about it.

"We have met all sorts of people but we all seem to have a common bond being on the sea and doing similar kinds of things. We also went ashore and met a lot of different people.

"We have also met a lot of people from the Seven Seas Cruising Association which is a worldwide association. Everywhere you go you find members and make friends.'' And what comes next? Ms Heydon said: "I just do not know. I am certain this will not be the last time I circumnavigate the world. Maybe I will try it on my own next time.'' After stocking up with supplies, fuel and Bermuda T-shirts in St. George's, the Northmoor and its cheerful crew will start the final leg home next week.

MARATHON VOYAGE -- Ms Jeanne Heydon and Mr. Bill Heffner in Bermuda before the final leg of their five year, round-the-world journey.