British yachtswoman Dee Caffari MBE is the first woman to have sailed single-handed and non-stop around the world in both directions and the only woman to have sailed non-stop around the world three times, receiving an MBE for her extraordinary efforts.
A former secondary school teacher in physical education, Dee changed careers, setting her sights on the marine industry and seeing the 2000/01 Global Challenge fleet return home was the catalyst for Dee’s next goal. By 2004, Dee had secured her place as the only female skipper in the fleet to compete in the next Global Challenge race. Just four months after returning from leading a team around the world, Dee set off again on a six-month voyage to become the only woman to sail solo, non-stop around the world against the prevailing winds and currents. The rest, as they say, is history. Dee has now circumnavigated the world five times. Dee competed in the Volvo Ocean Race 2014/15 with Team SCA, the only all-female team taking part in this iconic offshore round the world race.
In March 2016, Dee was delighted to be onboard a high profile charity sailing challenge for Sports Relief. The Hell on High Seas crew, featured on the BBC’s the One Show, included a team of celebrity novice sailors and their voyage around part of the coast of Britain in difficult conditions raised over £1m for charity. Dee is actively involved in a number of charities. She sits on the Operations Committee for the RNLI and is a patron for GAFIRS, an independent lifeboat station. Dee is also a patron of the charity Sail4Cancer and St Mary’s Junior Sailing Club.
Without doubt, one of Britain’s most inspirational women, Dee is now an acclaimed international speaker. She tells her highly motivational story with great humour and insight. Her autobiography ‘Against the Flow’ is available in French, Italian and German.
