At 81 years young, Jeanne Socrates is breaking records and showing the world that it’s never too late to chase your dreams. With minimal sailing experience, Jeanne and her husband George bought a sailboat in the late 1990s, retired early, and began their life at sea. Just a few short years into their grand adventure, George lost his fight with cancer, but Jeanne was determined to keep pursuing their dream. Nearly 30 years later, Jeanne still lives her dream life on the water. With three and a half solo-circumnavigations and countless awards and accolades, Jeanne is an inspiration to sailors around the globe!

Answering the Alluring Call of the Sea

For some, the ocean beckons with a call they cannot resist, no matter how hard they try. Lured in by the thrill of the unknown and its impressive vastness, these individuals can’t help but spend their lives at the mercy of the ocean’s waves and currents.

This was certainly true of avid mariners Jeanne and George Socrates. No matter how many rough passages, daunting weather patterns, and massive waves they faced, they were happiest on the water. Even during their worst sailing conditions, George and Jeanne were exceptionally giddy over the sight of a stunning sunset or dolphins playing in the waves beside their boat.

Originally from England, Jeanne and George hadn’t spent much time sailing during their early lives. Following their marriage, the couple had two children, and Jeanne spent her career teaching math at Brunel University and a local school in London. In their free time, George and Jeanne loved spending time outdoors, encountering wildlife, and watching the clouds. After trying dinghy sailing and windsurfing in the summer of 1990, they were hooked and began dreaming of what life on the water could be like.

Jeanne and George Socrates Face Adversity at Sea

In 1997, when Jeanne was just 48, the couple retired early, purchased a new Najad 361 sailboat they named Nereida, and spent time sailing around northern Europe. By the summer of 1999, George and Jeanne crossed the Atlantic to explore the Caribbean and eastern coast of North America. Their life at sea was just beginning, and the couple was looking forward to many more years together on the water.

The onset of severe back pain in late 2001 led George to discover that he had prostate cancer that was spreading to his bones. Despite the devastating diagnosis, Jeanne and George were determined to continue sailing. George was much happier on the ocean, enjoying the sea breeze and adventuring to new places. Jeanne progressively took over more sailing responsibilities as George’s condition worsened, but the pair kept their spirits up, enjoying the time they had together.

While on anchor in Bonaire in March of 2003, George lost his fight with cancer. Although the loss of George was extremely difficult, Jeanne was determined not to abandon their dream. In July 2003, Jeanne set off on her first solo sail to spread his ashes in the ocean, the place George loved the most. And, in his adventurous and tenacious spirit, Jeanne kept going. “There was no question in my mind of giving up sailing. I had come to love the life too much.”

Solo-Sailing Adventures | Jeanne’s Quest for Circumnavigation

Although Jeanne faced a steep learning curve as she began her solo travels, she quickly fell in love with the thrill of being behind the helm with nothing but waves on the horizon. In early 2004, Jeanne was ready to leave Bonaire in anticipation of joining an Ocean Cruising Club rally in British Columbia later that year. After beginning her sailing trek with the help of a young Dutch sailor, Jeanne felt ready to take on an extended passage alone.

With her sights set on Key West, Florida, Jeanne sailed through the Caribbean. “I’ve never forgotten how exhilarated I felt one night, sailing single-handed from Belize towards Cancun in Mexico. Despite a swell running on the beam, we were sailing beautifully at six knots, and I shot off emails saying how wonderful it felt.” And just like that, Jeanne’s doubts about sailing alone had slipped away into the ocean breeze.

Jeanne’s adventures continued as she sailed along the west coast of North America, exploring parts of the Pacific she hadn’t seen before. In 2006, she partook in a three-week singlehanded ocean race from San Francisco to Kauai. Despite facing unexpected challenges, Jeanne was inspired to attempt solo circumnavigation. On March 26, 2007, Jeanne set sail from Zihuatanejo, Mexico, towards Australia. Jeanne made steady progress and reached South Africa by mid-summer of 2007. With plenty of time to complete her travels, Jeanne made sure to stop at incredible anchorages and explore new places along the way.

A Sailor’s Unyielding Spirit and Perseverance Through the Waves

As summer began in 2008, Jeanne set her sights on the finish line. Late in the evening on June 18, Jeanne sailed away from Acapulco, Mexico, planning to reach Zihuatanejo by the next afternoon, completing her circumnavigation. But, just before dawn, disaster struck. “I ran aground on a remote surf beach on the Mexican coast after the autopilot had gone into standby mode and drifted off-course. Just 60 miles from completing my voyage, I managed to salvage what I could, but the boat was lost.”

Despite a disastrous finish to her last attempt, Jeanne was determined not to give up on her dreams. She quickly found a Najad 380 sailboat to replace her previous N361 and kept the name Nereida. When 2009 rolled around, Jeanne was for another attempt, but this time, she was aiming for nonstop circumnavigation. Starting in the Canary Islands on October 10, 2009, Jeanne sailed south through Cape Horn and across the Atlantic towards South Africa. Extreme weather resulted in several bent stanchions, a burst water hose, leaking oil, and a broken engine. After just 61 days of sailing, Jeanne made the difficult decision to head into Cape Town, compromising her nonstop circumnavigation.

Once she had solved Nereida’s significant problems, Jeanne left Cape Town to spend time with her family in New Zealand, eventually making her way to Victoria, British Columbia. On October 25, 2010, she set out again, hoping to complete nonstop circumnavigation. Less than three months later, a rough passage led to a knockdown over 120 miles west of Cape Horn. Although Jeanne escaped unscathed, Nereida faired much worse. Significant damage to essential parts of the sailboat took two months to repair before Jeanne could push through more challenging weather and make landfall back in Cape Town on May 11, 2011.

Jeanne’s Determination to Sail Around the World

Although her nonstop attempt had been thwarted, Jeanne’s landfall in Cape Town again marked her first complete solo circumnavigation. This achievement punched Jeanne’s ticked to the Adventurers and Explorers Banquet in England, where The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh for a reception at Buckingham Palace invited her. Upon returning to Nereida, Jeanne continued sailing from the Cape of Good Hope, ending in Victoria, British Columbia, on August 1, 2012, making her the oldest person to solo-circumnavigate across the five great capes.

As she approached her 70th birthday, most would consider this to be the accomplishment of a lifetime, but Jeanne was still not ready to give up on her dreams. “I’d achieved a great deal for a woman in her sixties, but I wasn’t about to give up on my original plan. So, after intensive preparations, I began my third nonstop attempt on October 22, 2012.”

Powering through the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), Jeanne made her way toward Cape Town, South Africa, dodging rough weather and making constant boat repairs along the way. As she continued onward, Jeanne welcomed some calm seas just past the Great Australian Bight and, once again, more rough weather. Making her way back toward British Columbia, Jeanne spent the last two months of her sail without a usable computer, relying on ham radio and friends to relay her messages.

In spite of the challenges, Jeanne sailed around the world and neared the bright lights of Victoria Harbor near midnight on July 8, 2013. “After almost 260 days at sea and well over 25,700 miles, I had become, at 70 years old, the oldest female sailor to complete a nonstop circumnavigation and the first woman to circumnavigate solo nonstop from Victoria – indeed, from any point in the Americas.”

What’s on the Horizon for Jeanne Socrates?

Now, over ten years since she completed her first nonstop circumnavigation and almost 30 since she started full-time sailing, Jeanne still loves her life on the water. In addition to the memories made of exploring new places and meeting new people, Jeanne has racked up countless awards for her achievements. She has received the CCA Blue Water Medal and Special Award, the CA Duchess of Kent Trophy (twice), the OCC Barton Cup, the RCC Seamanship Medal, and a Guinness World Record for being the oldest woman to circumnavigate the world nonstop. Recently, Jeanne was even a part of the 2023 class of inductees into the Cape Horn Hall of Fame.

At 81 years young, Jeanne isn’t ready to hang up the sails yet. In 2022, Jeanne upgraded her sailboat’s electrical system with 3 – 100Ah 12V Battle Born Batteries. After decades on the water, she was ready to have a robust and reliable electrical system. Her new batteries have made a difference in keeping all her critical electrical systems up and running throughout her travels.

Currently, Jeanne is enjoying time in New Zealand before making her way to Tonga & Fiji. Even after 15 years on the water and three and a half circumnavigations, Nereida is still going strong. With countless repairs and upgrades over the years, Jeanne’s sailboat is still the perfect home on the water. Looking towards the horizon, Jeanne plans to continue sailing as long as possible. “I love being on the boat, living the life I’m living. I love sailing and being out in the middle of the ocean with just albatross keeping me company.”

Be sure to check out Jeanne on her Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and website and stay up to date on her latest travels.