Australian solo navigator Lisa Blair has arrived in Albany this morning after three months at sea with a new world record in her name.
Key points
- Lisa Blair of Sydney holds world record for fastest unannounced circumnavigation in Antarctica
- Ms Blair completed the trip in 92 days, 10 days faster than the previous record holder
- She says she’s anxious to start planning her next adventure
Hundreds of supporters gathered along the coast and the Albany marina, cheering, singing and playing the horns of the cars in celebration of the arrival of the record.
The Sydney sailor began the voyage from the coastal city of Western Australia in February, aiming to break the world record for the fastest unassisted voyage across Antarctica.
Lisa Blair arrived in Albany with applause from local supporters. (ABC Great Southern: Andrew Collins)
The previous record was set by Fedor Konyukhov, who completed the trip in 102 days, 56 minutes and 50 seconds in 2008.
Ms Blair tried to break that record for the first time in 2017, but was forced to abandon her target when her yacht’s mast broke in a rough sea near South Africa.
Blair said it was a hard pill to swallow, but it fueled his motivation to try again.
Lisa Blair first tried the trip in 2017. (Provided by: Lisa Blair)
Five years later, Lisa has won the title, breaking the previous record in 10 days, finishing the trip in just 92 days, 18 hours, 21 minutes and 20 seconds.
“I did, and I shaved for ten days without registration!
“That’s very important to me,” he said.
“I first committed to the goal of trying to set this world record in 2014, so it’s actually been an eight-year journey.”
“Waves the size of a five-story building”
Ms Blair said she experienced a mix of weather, with a few quiet days between what seemed like endless storms.
“This time it was actually more aggressive conditions than the one I experienced last time.”
“I had a lot of snowstorms, snowstorms, waves the size of a five-story building.
“The ship was picked up and dumped several times … I wasn’t really sure if it would suffer substantial structural damage to the ship.”
The record attempt was not only a success for Lisa, but also an opportunity to raise awareness of climate change, with the hope of inspiring people to take positive environmental action.
Lisa Blair’s goal is to inspire people to take positive environmental action. (ABC Great Southern: Kyle Pauletto)
Her ship, called Climate Action Now, is decorated with positive climate actions presented by the community and, throughout her voyage, has collected samples of microplastics and weather data to help with global weather tracking.
“When I talk to people about our environment and the crisis we’re in, most people feel like it’s such a big deal that individual effort won’t make a difference.”
“For me, the power of the campaign is to show people that as individuals we all have the power to make changes.
“It’s about empowering people to take that positive step in the right direction.”
As for the next one for Lisa, she said a shower was her top priority, before she started planning her next big adventure.
“It’s been two and a half months since I was able to wash my hair … it’s too cold in Antarctica to risk getting my hair wet and risking hypothermia.
“It was an amazing adventure, and I think I want more.”
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