Dame Naomi Christine James, DBE (née Power; born 2 March 1949) is the first woman to have sailed single-handed (i.e. solo) around the world via Cape Horn,[1] the second woman to have ever sailed solo around the world. She departed Dartmouth, Devon on 9 September 1977 and finished her voyage around the globe on 8 June 1978 after 272 days, thus improving Sir Francis Chichester's solo round-the-world sailing record by two days.[1][2]
Dame Naomi James | |
|---|---|
| Born | Naomi Christine Power 2 March 1949 New Zealand |
| Citizenship | British |
| Occupation | Ocean sailor |
| Years active | 1977–1983 |
| Known for | First woman to sail solo around the globe via Cape Horn |
| Spouse | Rob James |
She was born in New Zealand on a landlocked sheep farm and did not learn how to swim until the age of 23.[1] She worked as a hairdresser[3] until she boarded a passenger boat for Europe.[1]
In the summer of 1975 in Saint-Malo, France she met her future husband Rob James, who was skippering yachts for Chay Blyth and who had come into port with a charter boat. She learned about sailing from Rob James, and while waiting for him to return from an ocean race and marry her, she made the decision to sail single-handed around the world, non-stop.[citation needed] She told Rob her dream on their honeymoon, and had only six-weeks sailing experience at the time.[citation needed] Chay Blyth lent her the boat Spirit of Cutty Sark (later renamed Express Crusader), other people raised money for supplies, and the Daily Express raised sponsorship money.[4] She sailed around the world aboard the 53-foot (16 m) yacht Express Crusader. During her voyage, she once nearly lost her mast, capsized[1] and had no radio for several weeks.[4]
Naomi James was made a dame commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1979 in recognition of her achievements,[5] and was named New Zealand 1978 Sailor of the Year.[6]
She was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1979 when she was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the Earls Court Boat Show.[citation needed]
After her voyage, she found a house with her husband in Cork Harbour, Ireland.[4]
Naomi was reunited with the Express Crusader (fitted out and renamed Kriter Lady) for the 1980 Europe 1 STAR. She was the first woman back and broke the women's speed record for a single-handed crossing of the Atlantic,[7] with a time of 25 days, 19 hours. Rob also competed in that race, finishing twelfth in the trimaran Boatfile.[8]
In 1982, she and her husband Rob James sailed Colt Cars to win the two thousand mile double-handed Round Britain Race.[9][7][10] She gave up sailing after that race, because she suffered badly from sea sickness during that voyage (possibly augmented by morning sickness due to her pregnancy).[10][11] In 1983, while sailing in the same boat which won the race, her husband fell overboard and drowned off Salcombe, Devon.[4][9] Her daughter was born 10 days later.[1]
Dame Naomi was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.[7] She graduated with a MA in Philosophy from the University College Cork, and later a PhD from Milltown Institute of Theology and Philosophy.[12][13]
In context edit
Krystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz of Poland was the first woman to sail around the world solo, completing her 401-day voyage (via the Panama Canal) on 21 April 1978, less than two months before James, starting and finishing in the Canary Islands.[14]
James' voyage is notable as she was the first woman to single-handedly sail the clipper route, eastabout and south of the three great capes; and she completed a fast (although not without outside assistance) circumnavigation in just 272 days.[11] According to the rules of the World Sailing Speed Record Council, a circumnavigation of the globe for speed record purposes has to start and finish in the English Channel; James started and finished her voyage in Dartmouth, therefore fulfilling this condition.[11]
In 1988, Kay Cottee of Australia became the first woman to complete a non-stop single-handed circumnavigation, on Blackmore's First Lady.[1]
The first woman to sail around the world was Jeanne Baret, a French woman who, disguised as a man, sailed on the Etoile, one of the two ships on the French expedition led by Louis-Antoine de Bougainville.[15][16] Baret was a herbalist and assisted in the identification of new species. The expedition left France in April 1768.
Publications edit
- At one with the sea: alone around the world, Auckland, N.Z. : Hutchinson of New Zealand, 1979, 9780091368609
- At sea on land, London : Hutchinson/Stanley Paul, 1981,9780091446307
- Courage at sea: tales of heroic voyages, London : Stanley Paul, 1987, 9780091712501
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g Chris Redman (12 February 2005). "Sailing: The other Dame who sailed round the world". The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
- ^ James, Naomi (1979). At one with the sea: alone around the world. London: Book Club Associates. ISBN 0-09-136860-X.
- ^ Michael deCourcy Hinds (23 September 1979). "Unlikely Round-the-World Sailor Learned How on the Way". The New York Times. p. 60. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
- ^ a b c d "Trailblazers: Dame Naomi James". The New Zealand Herald. 16 September 2018. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
- ^ List of dames commander of the Order of the British Empire
- ^ "Excellence Awards Archive_Sailor of the Year" (PDF). Yachting NZ. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
- ^ a b c New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame – Naomi James Retrieved 18 May 2013
- ^ James, Naomi (1981). At sea on land. London: Hutchinson/Stanley Paul. ISBN 9780091446307.
- ^ a b "English Sailor Dies In Accident". The New York Times. 22 March 1983. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
- ^ a b James, Naomi (1987). Courage at sea: tales of heroic voyages. London: Stanley Paul. ISBN 9780091712501.
- ^ a b c "1978: Woman takes world sailing record". BBC on this day. 8 June 1978. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
- ^ Roche, Barry. "Broadcaster Marty Morrissey to be honoured by UCC for achievements". The Irish Times. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
- ^ "Irish sports broadcaster to be honoured by UCC". University College Cork. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
- ^ "Krystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz". Joshua Slocum Society International. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
- ^ Dunmore, John (2002), Monsieur Baret: First Woman Around the World, Heritage Press, ISBN 978-0-908708-54-3
- ^ Ridley, Glynis (2010), The Discovery of Jeanne Baret, Crown Publisher New York, ISBN 978-0-307-46352-4