Naomi James

Dame Naomi James DBE, (born 2 March 1949) was the first woman to sail single-handed (i.e., solo) around the world via Cape Horn. She 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.

The New Zealand-born James sailed around the world aboard the 53-foot (16 m) yacht Express Crusader. During her voyage, she once nearly lost her mast, capsized and had no radio for several weeks. Although she finished her voyage without a companion, she did not start it alone. A kitten named Boris accompanied her but went overboard during the voyage.

Naomi James was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 1979 in recognition of her achievements.

She gave up sailing in 1982 after winning the two thousand mile Round Britain Race with her husband Rob James, because she suffered badly from sea sickness during that voyage (possibly augmented by morning sickness due to her pregnancy). The following year she lost her husband who fell overboard and drowned while sailing off Salcombe, Devon.

Naomi James now lives in southern Ireland with her daughter, Lois, who was born 11 days after Dame Naomi's husband's death.

Naomi James received her PhD in Philosophy in 2006.

In context

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 April 21, 1978, less than two months before Naomi James, starting and finishing in the Canary Islands.

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. 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; Naomi James started and finished her voyage in Dartmouth, therefore fulfilling this condition.

In 1988, Kay Cottee of Australia became the first woman to complete a non-stop single-handed circumnavigation, on Blackmore's First Lady.