A woman from Ealing is hoping to sail into the record books.

Jeanne Socrates, 70, is aiming to become the first woman to sail around the world alone, nonstop and unassisted.

This is her third attempt at a nonstop, unassisted, solo circumnavigation on from the Victoria Harbour (British Columbia) entrance.

She is already the oldest woman to sail solo round the world, but now hopes to make the journey without stopping.

She will be sailing west towards the Pacific and then south west to get well offshore before heading south towards Cape Horn, which is two months away. She is hoping to return to the UK by next June.

Jeanne who is sailing her boat Nereida (a 38ft cutter-rigged Najad 380) has spoken of her passion for sailing:

'' It is difficult to explain the exhilaration and sense of awe at times, when you’re in the middle of the ocean, thousands of miles from land, with those large albatross soaring nearby so majestically – day in, day out, staying near the boat….especially in bad weather. When the seas build, more birds seem to appear and they really impress with their flight, using the uplift off the waves.

It has become a bit of an addiction. Not many people have managed the challenge – boat gear breakages posing the main problem, but the privilege of being out there, in the wild ocean, watching scenes of such natural beauty and being a part of it is what spurs me on to continue with my attempts.''

Mrs Socrates, a retired maths teacher, enjoyed sailing with her husband George and got more involved since he died of cancer in 2008.

She is raising money for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

She will be regularly updating her website

Read more about her story here and view here

 

24th October 2012