Record-breaker

Lisa Blair, the 416th person I've met on my quest to have lunch with 500 strangers, is an ordinary person who has achieved extraordinary things.

Lisa is one of only three people in history to have sailed solo, non-stop and unassisted around Antarctica, and she holds the record for the fastest voyage. She also holds the record for the fastest solo voyage from Sydney to Auckland, and was the first woman to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around Australia.

As Lisa readily admits, she wasn't born with any great physical, intellectual or financial gifts. However, she is extremely stubborn and determined, which has allowed her to turn seemingly unrealistic dreams into reality.

Lisa’s original life plan was to become a teacher. Shortly before finishing her degree, she spent six months working as a crew member for a sailing company in the Whitsundays, where she fell in love with sailing. Soon after, she was approached to help sail a boat from Samoa to Hawaii, which, at the time, was the greatest adventure she’d ever had.

That inspired Lisa to sign up for the Clipper Round The World Race, an amateur yacht race that is held every two years. To secure a spot, Lisa had to commit to paying the organisers $80,000 in fees; she then spent months trying to secure the money, through a combination of relentless fundraising and saving every possible cent from her retail job.

The race was both exhausting and exhilarating. Lisa (and the other crew) were required to do very demanding physical work on very little sleep in often difficult conditions. As an inexperienced sailor, Lisa found herself learning new skills and becoming mentally tougher, while also developing strong bonds with the other crew members. By the end of the race, Lisa felt like she could achieve anything.

Nevertheless, when another sailor suggested to Lisa that she should circumnavigate Antarctica on her own, she initially dismissed the idea, because it seemed dangerous and unrealistic. But once the idea was planted in her brain, she couldn’t let it go, and eventually decided to pursue the project.

It took Lisa more than three years to raise the $500,000 needed to buy the boat, supplies and equipment. She received countless rejections from potential corporate sponsors, but refused to give up.

In 2017, Lisa set sail. About three-quarters of the way through the voyage, disaster struck – her mast collapsed, with a portion then snapping off and becoming a giant spear that got caught in the rigging and started methodically tearing a hole in the hull of her boat. Despite terrible weather and extreme cold, Lisa was able to eventually throw the ‘spear’ overboard, patch up the hole, pump out the water and build a new mast. It took her another 10 days to sail to South Africa, during which she knew the patching could be torn away at any moment and the boat could sink.

In 2022, Lisa made another attempt at the Antarctic record and this time succeeded.

Lisa plans to continue her sailing adventures for as long as possible, and is aiming to become the first person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the Arctic (which is now possible due to climate change).

Most people have big dreams, but almost none of us take the actions required to make them come true. That’s because it can feel overwhelming when we realise how much time and effort would be required, and how much money and comfort we would need to sacrifice. Lisa could’ve had a stable career as a teacher, but instead has had the courage to accept a frugal, unpredictable life as an adventurer. 

Lisa is the author of Facing Fear: The First Woman to Sail Solo around Antarctica and the subject of Ice Maiden, a documentary that is about to be released in cinemas. She’s also a motivational speaker, who not only shares her story but also passes on valuable lessons about resilience and mental agility.

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