What Happened On February 7th?

On this day in 2005, Ellen MacArthur, a 28 year-old English yachtswoman, crossed the finish line in Ushant, France after sailing all by herself around the globe. Not only was this her second time sailing around the Earth, but she completing her circumnavigation in a record-breaking time. She deservedly is the Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE), as Queen Elizabeth appointed her a day after on February 8th.

This was not a sprint by any means, and this grueling and dangerous marathon lasted 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes, and 33 seconds; 71 days of battling unpredictable weather conditions, navigating treacherous waters, and pushing her physical and mental limits to the very brink. With over 2 months of solitude, the ocean was her only friend.

On November 28th, 2004, MacArthur set sail aboard her trimaran, B&Q/Castorama. She had already carved her name in sailing history when she became the youngest person to complete the journey (2001), but this attempt was different. She was chasing the record for the fastest solo circumnavigation, a feat that many deemed unattainable.

Pretty much living off of convenient breakfast items such as cereal and bars, she based “her diet on eating a lot of them. Worse than that, (she’s) gone off porridge as well.”

MacArthur faced unreal challenges. A near-collision with a whale, equipment malfunctions, injuries, and moments of crushing loneliness threatened to derail her mission. But through it all, her determination kept her going. Especially as the Indian Ocean Tsunami destroyed Indonesia in December of 2004 (less than a month after Ellen embarked), her voyage was even riskier.

As she neared the finish line, the tension mounted and the roar of the crowd welcomed her back. With exhaustion and exhilaration in her eyes, crossing that line wasn’t just a victory for her; it was a testament to the human spirit.