Incredibly exhausting eleven months Jeanne Socrates was on the road. On Friday afternoon local time yesterday (Saturday night CEST) it reached Victoria, the provincial capital of British Columbia on Vancouver Island off the coast of western Canada. From there she set out on October 3, 2018 to sail around the world from west to east in her “Nereida”, a twelve-meter-long and ten-year-old Najad 380.
Socrates on her Najad 380 "Nereida"
Not only that Socrates on this, their third successfully completed circumnavigation of the world, the weather in the southern hemisphere was at times bad. She had to seek shelter on New Zealand's coast as a result of a capsizing in a storm in order to repair the damage to the ship, at least poorly, lying on a mooring buoy (which, according to the World Sailing Speed Record Council, has no consequences for the record). Finally, their arrival at the finish was delayed time and time again.
Socrates had actually planned to arrive in Victorian last week - after giving up hope of being able to celebrate her 77th birthday ashore on August 17th. But days of lull off the coast of Canada slowed them down in the past few days. Sometimes she was even carried away from the target by the current.
Jeanne Socrates on her 77th birthday last August 17th at sea
When asked how she is now, Socrates replied: “I am healthy, and I did not have to feel lonely either. I am always in contact with a lot of people when traveling via shortwave. I can talk to other people every day. I take full advantage of that when I'm at sea."
In an interview with YACHT, she only admitted that she had lost a lot of muscle mass. Socrates: “When I look at my arms, wow, it's almost shocking how thin they have become. The muscles are just gone, I've noticed that more and more, especially in the last few weeks. I have to build it up again now."
When asked about the rigors of the past months, she says: “Well, this time I really had a lot of technical problems. Fortunately, I was able to keep sailing, but some of the things on my boat are broken. I almost have the feeling that it is only held together by wire and tape in places."
In an interview with the YACHT, the British woman also revealed why Socrates started again after her previous circumnavigation and what her plans for the future are now. The complete interview can be read in issue 21/2019, which will be available in the magazine trade on October 2nd and will be available as a digital edition from September 28th.
Socrates route around the world from October 3rd, 2018 to September 7th, 2019