Published 7 years ago, updated 5 years ago

Lisa Blair arrived in Albany, Queensland, Australia, after a 184-day circumnavigation of Antarctica. Blair set off from Albany in Western Australia in January and is to be named the first woman to circumnavigate Antarctica solo.

From ABC (Australia)

Scores of supporters have welcomed Queensland sailor Lisa Blair back into Australia, capping off her 184-day journey around Antarctica in her sailing yacht Climate Action Now. Blair, 32, set off from Albany in Western Australia in January and is set to be named the first woman to circumnavigate Antarctica solo.

Blair was expected to reach Albany’s Princess Royal Harbour early on Tuesday afternoon, but strong winds kept her from making landfall earlier.

Blair initially attempted to break Russian adventurer Fedor Konyukhov’s 2008 record for the fastest solo, unassisted and non-stop trip around the icy continent. However, she was forced to abandon her goal when her yacht’s mast snapped in rough seas near South Africa in April. She spent two months in Cape Town repairing her boat, Climate Action Now, before resuming her journey last month.

“If you do the first of something, no one can ever take it away from you,” Blair said. “I will always remain the first woman to ever sail around Antarctica solo. For me, that’s just an incredible achievement.”