Cottee, Kay (1954-…), an Australian sailor, became the first woman to sail around the world nonstop, solo, and unassisted. She completed the journey in 1988 after six months at sea. The voyage broke several world records, including the longest period alone at sea for a woman. In addition to sailing, Cottee is a motivational speaker and boat builder.
Cottee set sail from Sydney, Australia, on Nov. 29, 1987. She was aboard a 37-foot (11-meter) yacht named Blackmores First Lady. Cottee sailed west around the globe, passing south of the five southernmost continental capes. A cape is a body of land, usually the tip of a continent or island, that extends prominently into the ocean. Cottee met with many dangers on her voyage, including icebergs, whales, and storms. Near the southern coast of Africa, strong winds and waves over 70 feet (20 meters) tall tipped over the yacht, throwing her into the sea. She waited until the ship righted itself and climbed back aboard. Cottee returned to Sydney on June 5, 1988. She had been at sea for a total of 189 days and 32 minutes and traveled about 22,100 miles (35,600 kilometers).
Cottee had built the yacht for her voyage herself. It was originally named Jimmy Mac, after her father, James McLaren. She renamed it to honor her sponsor, the nutritional supplement company Blackmores Laboratories. The ship is now kept at Australia’s National Maritime Museum in Sydney.
Kay McLaren was born on Jan. 25, 1954, in Sydney. She grew up sailing with her father and helping him build boats. She began ocean racing when she was 11 years old. She began building boats in her 20’s and founded a yacht-chartering business in Sydney in 1981. She was married to Neville Cottee from 1972 to 1981.
Kay Cottee wrote the book First Lady (1989) about her voyage. She also wrote All at Sea on Land (1998) about her life after the journey. Cottee was named Australian of the Year in 1988. In 1989, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia. The Order of Australia is the nation’s highest award for service to the country or to humanity.
