Solo sailor Lisa Blair completes antarctic circumnavigation
Australian sailor and adventurer Lisa Blair has become the first woman to sail solo around Antarctica below 45° (with one stop).
Six months after departure and with a total of 104 days at sea, the Sydney-based sailor returned to Albany Waterfront Marina, Vancouver Peninsula, Western Australia on 25 July. The yachtswoman’s Open 50 Climate Action Now was met by family members in a motorboat on the final 8NM stretch, and she described feeling ‘so excited and bursting with joy.’
Pending the official ratification of a record by the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC), Lisa is set to become the first woman to circumnavigate the Antarctic. Her journey began on 22 January 2017. After 72 days of travelling solo and unassisted, Climate Action Now was dismasted. Lisa was rendered fuel from a container ship, built a jury rig and motor-sailed herself to Cape Town. After two months of repairs, Lisa departed Royal Cape Yacht Club, Cape Town bound for Albany on 11 June 2017. Lisa sailed back to the position of dismasting and crossed her track, re-sailing that section again unassisted.
On 21 July, Lisa crossed her outgoing track at position 45.02 S 118.06 E, completing a full circumnavigation below 45° south without assistance and solo. She said: ‘None of this would have been possible without the support of my amazing family, sponsors, the volunteers and all of the generous people who made donations to my campaign.’ n Read Lisa’s blog at lisablairsailstheworld.com