Jeanne Socrates sets solo record

Socrates

Not only did Jeanne Socrates finish her 260-day solo, nonstop circumnavigation via the five southern capes on Monday, July 8, 2013, becoming the first woman to do so, but the intrepid British sailor was age 70 when she ended her passage. Sailing on her 38-foot sloop Nereida, Socrates faced down numerous challenges that threatened to end her effort, including storms, knockdowns, several equipment failures like her satphone, her computer monitors and her masthead wind instruments. Socrates was forced to climb the mast to attempt to fix the wind gear, but was unable to affect the repair.

Socrates, who raises money for Marie Curie Cancer Care in honor of her late husband who she lost to cancer, plans to take some time to refit her boat and then continue her ocean sailing exploits — although probably without any more solo circumnavigations. 

By Ocean Navigator