Jeanne Socrates

[DeepFrz]

For those of you who were following or are interested in Jeanne Socrates solo voyage she has arrived safely in Nelson, NZ. Her arrival was reported at 05:00 UTC, May 10, 10.

She should now be able to get her computers fixed/replaced and continue her blog.

[Hirophant]

Article and pic here Solo yachtswomen pass in rough seas

[Hirophant]

I thought Jeanne was intending to do all the great capes on her voyage, but first she misses Tasmania and now the New Zealand one!

Incidentally she finally has a new blog entry up!

[TaoJones]

I believe that the storms and huge seas Jeanne and Jessica were both experiencing in the Australian Bight in late April caused some problems for Jeanne that led to her deciding to make the direct run to New Zealand, where she has family. I wouldn't be too hard on her for whatever sailing decisions she makes. She's a very experienced and capable yachtswoman, and she has suffered some great losses, beginning with the death of her husband to cancer a few years ago.

Keep in mind that she was within less than 100 miles of completing her own solo circumnavigation in June, 2008, when her vessel fetched up on the west coast of Mexico and was destroyed. See: Latitude 38 - 'Lectronic Latitude for "Nereida Lost on Mexican Beach." Those who are disparaging this remarkable woman, inferring that she was just some Jessica "groupie" who wanted some of Jessica's reflected glory, have no clue whatsoever what they're posting about.

TaoJones

[SvenG]

Originally Posted by TaoJones

Keep in mind that she was within less than 100 miles of completing her own solo circumnavigation in June, 2008, when her vessel fetched up on the west coast of Mexico and was destroyed. See: Latitude 38 - 'Lectronic Latitude for "Nereida Lost on Mexican Beach."

I didn't realize she was one and the same. I just knew she seemed very real and capable.

Those who are disparaging this remarkable woman, inferring that she was just some Jessica "groupie" who wanted some of Jessica's reflected glory, have no clue whatsoever what they're posting about.

The Jessica PR machine seems to engender a certain fanaticism that is unbecoming.



-Sven

[DeepFrz]

She had set out to do a non stop/unassisted around the world trip but problems with her new boat forced her in to Cape Town where she found she needed a new engine on top of other problems. She was forced to stay in port for longer than expected and so lost the weather window for Cape Horn. I'm not exactly sure what her plans are now.

[NDH]

Without wishing to sound patronizing it is still a very great achievement for a lady who is not in the first flush of youth. I have been following her journey via her blog before the computer problem.

She does not have a backup team to tell her every move and I have nothing but admiration for her.

[DeepFrz]

According to her blog update today she is heading to Victoria, BC and will start another attempt at ATW later this year. She is waiting out weather in NZ after a number of repairs.

[Hirophant]

Jeanne has arrived in Hawaii after a near miss with an incommunicative ship and a little confusion as to which island she needed to check in at: Landfall in Honolulu, Oahu, after 36 days. I wonder if she'll really have another go at a non stop circumnavigation, this would be her third attempt.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Hirophant

Jeanne has arrived in Hawaii after a near miss with an incommunicative ship

LOL People have got to realise to keep the hell away from ships!!!

Whatever the Colregs say just chuck the waste of print overboard and listen:

Give ships the right of way!!!

In all cases.

Go close to them,
Sail in the shipping lanes (we do)
But let them own the figgin ocean!

Oh, and give Mexican beaches the right of way too!

[Noztradamus]

She's done it!

Last Friday she crossed her own track as she sailed in to Cape Town.

Her first attempt on a circumnavigation alone ended on the beach only 12 hours from completion. Her next trip was more successful, but also included drama on the high seas
~~~~
- On 10th March 2010, with repairs completed and new engine installed, I left Cape Town to continue heading east from South Africa to pass south of Australia, making landfall in Nelson, New Zealand, after 62 days at sea, and then on to Hawaii - well over 12,000 miles in total. It proved impossible to make San Francisco to start the Single-Handed TransPac Race in mid-June, but I did manage to meet the racers finishing in Hanalei Bay, Kauai, in early July, before heading north with the intention of re-starting my non-stop circumnavigation via Cape Horn early in October 2010, she writes on her homepage.

The meeting with the famous Cape Horn was to rough for the 68 year old as she got 70 knots of wind and giant seas. This is a lot more than sailors like Abby Sunderland and Jessica Watson got when they where in those waters. The conditions knocked the boat over and snapped the boom. She limped in to Ushuaia unassisted, and after assessing the damage she was uncertain if she would continue. But she preserved yet again, and managed to fix it all.

Friday 6th May she crossed her own track outside Cape Town.

Updated Solo Circumnavigators from Slocum to 2010: Sir Robin Knox-Johnston hasn't been updated since October. but it there have been no others since then, this should put Jeanne of the list at #177 after Alessandro Di Benedetto