Jeanne Socrates, 74, is set to become the oldest person to sail solo non-stop around the globe. Today, October 19, she set sail on the sailing yacht Nereida from Victoria, Canada.
During her 7-8 month voyage, she will pass five headlands(Cape Horn in South America, Cape Needle in Africa, Cape Leeuwin in Australia, South East Cape in Tasmania, and the South West Cape in New Zealand) and return to her starting point.
Nereida is an 11.5m 2009 Najad 380. She is equipped with solar panels and wind generators but also has a small back-up generator for when there are no windy overcast days.
There is a desalination unit on board. Of the drinking supplies, Socrates has taken milk and juices with her. Food supplies include eggs that will last a couple of months, onions and potatoes for the entire voyage, canned and dried foods.
The title of the oldest person to have made such a voyage so far belongs to a 71-year-old yachtsman from Japan.
«After witnessing my husband and friends die of cancer, I suddenly realized that I could have been in a similar situation and gone in a year. So let's do the best we can in the time allotted to us»," says the yachtswoman.
