25th July 2017
We are delighted to report that adventurer Lisa Blair has sailed straight into the record books, becoming the first female to solo circumnavigate Antarctica! Experienced sailor Lisa arrived safely back in Albany, Western Australia at 18.30 local time to a hero’s welcome, after completing the extremely difficult challenge with 104 days spent alone at sea battling lashing rain and gale force winds.
Lisa began her record attempt on 22nd January, setting sail on her racing yacht ‘Climate Action Now’ with the aim of beating the record for the fastest circumnavigation of Antarctica, solo and unassisted, to raise awareness of the effects of climate change. Lisa spent three years preparing and training for the challenge, covering every sailing and safety scenario that could come her way.
Lisa’s extensive training was put to good use as she dealt with many challenges at sea including sea sickness, isolation and sleep deprivation, but it was her mast snapping 72 days into the challenge during extreme weather conditions that really tested the explorers’ skills and resilience. With extensive damage to her boat, Lisa had to make the decision to motor over 900 nautical miles to Cape Town, not knowing whether she’d be able to complete her record attempt.
With steely determination however, Lisa arranged the installation of a completely new mast and repairs to the hull and electrical navigation systems, and was again ready to complete her challenge almost two months after arriving in Cape Town. Although she wouldn’t beat the time she had originally set herself, or complete the journey in one go, Lisa was still aiming to become the first female to circumnavigate Antarctica; a huge achievement, and Satcom Global is extremely proud to see Lisa complete the final leg of her journey.
In live videos filmed on her arrival back in Albany, Lisa talked of her excitement at taking a long awaited hot shower and celebrating her return with family and friends who had travelled to greet her. Lisa also described how amazing it was to be able to complete her challenge highlighting the ‘Climate Action Now’ message. The ‘Climate Action Now’ campaign was designed to inspire people around the world to each make a small change, that collectively would have a big impact on the environment.
Satcom Global supported Lisa during her challenge by supplying satellite communications systems enabling her to keep in touch with life back on dry land. Lisa used our Inmarsat Fleet One terminal to send back a daily blog to her shore team, take part in live telephone interviews and send video footage back to shore, helping raise the profile of the challenge and cause. We also provided Lisa with a portable Iridium GO! device which connected to her mobile phone, enabling her to easily contact her family and shore team with mini updates via SMS.
For more information on Lisa and her amazing adventure, visit her website https://lisablairsailstheworld.com/ If you would like advice on maritime satellite communications for an adventure of your own, please contact us at [email protected]
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