He crossed the finishing line at 20:58, nine months and one day after setting off from Plymouth having completed the first leg of his journey to Sydney in 107 days and the second leg back to Plymouth in 119 days. Sir Francis was the first man to sail around the world solo with only one port of call.
Thousands of small boats accompanied Sir Francis into Plymouth Sound and over 250 thousand well-wishers cheered and sang, welcoming home this 65-year-old seafaring adventurer who had inspired a nation.
Click on the picture below to read more about this amazing achievement and more about him in his biography at britannica.com!
Sir Francis then sat down to write one of the great narratives of modern voyaging: Gipsy Moth Circles the World:
“Francis Chichester’s account of his solitary, nine-month journey around the world in his 53-foot ketch Gipsy Moth IV. The story of how the sixty-five-year-old navigator singlehandedly circumnavigated the globe, the whole way battling hostile seas as well as his boat’s numerous design flaws, is a tale of superhuman tenacity and endurance to be read and reread by sailors and armchair adventurers alike.
First published in 1967, just months after the completion of Chichester’s historic journey, Gipsy Moth Circles the World was an instant international best-seller. It inspired the first solo around-the-world race and remains a timeless testament to the spirit of adventure.”
