Jeanne Socrates - Sailing Solo Around the World
Jeanne Socrates, aboard S/V Nereida, successfully completed a nonstop, single-handed, unassisted sail around the world, arriving back at Ogden Point on July 8, 2013, 259 days after leaving Victoria in October 2012. She became the first woman to sail solo nonstop around the world from North America and the oldest woman to sail solo nonstop around the world.
Gerry Kelly introduced our speaker, Jeanne Socrates, to speak to us about her amazing solo sailing adventure. Jeanne and her husband moved from England to the Caribbean in 1992, where they sailed extensively. When he died in 2003, Jeanne decided to continue to sail solo.
I confess that I found it difficult to write up this speaker for the Bulletin. I was gobsmacked to see Jeanne herself – small, self-contained, quiet and self-effacing – and realize that she had done this adventure when she was 70 (my age, but who’s telling). While I was able to follow the geography during her presentation, the nautical terms and tales were somewhat beyond me.
Her presentation was visual, lots of pictures and maps. She told us about the first trip she made, which she aborted when her boat was swamped near Cape Horn. She then made a successful trip, starting from Ogden Point in October 2012 and arriving back in July 2013.
Jeanne has a terrific website, www.svneireda.com, which gives all the details of her journeys. From her website:
Jeanne Socrates, aboard S/V Nereida, successfully completed a nonstop, single-handed, unassisted sail around the world at 2:26 a.m. on Monday 8th July 2013, when she passed Ogden Point at the entrance to Victoria Harbour, 259 days after leaving Victoria in October 2012. She became the first woman to sail solo nonstop around the world from North America and the oldest woman to sail solo nonstop around the world (a record noted in the Guinness Book of Records). This was her third attempt to circumnavigate solo, nonstop and unassisted - eastabout via Cape Horn and the Southern Ocean - all attempts made without the help of a shore-based support team .... "My team is simply 'Nereida' and me!"
I did make some notes:
- Sailing seems to be a bit like being at war – many days of "nothing much happening", followed by short bursts of terror and frantic activity.
- She had lots of pictures of waves and water - and of birds. Many types of albatrosses.Nearer shore, finches. And a flying fish.
- An amazing picture taken from the top of the mast on her sailboat, where she had climbed to change a wind instrument.
- Modern instrumentation makes it possible to track weather more accurately, see the locations of other boats and icebergs, and keep in touch constantly with other people through phone and email.
- Jeanne had to be prepared to fix anything that went wrong, mechanical or electrical. She carries an extensive toolkit.
Questions from our members showed they were also amazed at this adventure and wondered about:
- Food. She carried all her own food, mostly dried, canned, dehydrated, but also fresh eggs, potatoes and onions (household hint – never refrigerate your eggs!).
- Water. She was able to make her own water with a desalinator.
- Sleep - did she have to worry about running into other ships? The only dangerous area is the California coast where there are many ships; on most of the ocean she never saw other boats, so could sleep when she needed to.
- Mental preparation. We were all interested in the psychology of how someone could spend nine months alone and face the trials she did. Jeanne replied that she’s an optimist and practical. She doesn’t feel lonely because of the constant communication. As to why? She didn’t answer that, but did comment that “Nereida est mi casa et mi vida” (Nereida is my home and my life).
Most amazing is that she is planning to do this journey again – leaving in October 2016. She welcomed us all to come to Ogden Point to see her off.
Gillian Manson thanked Jeanne Socrates.