Dee Caffari MBE

Yachtswoman Dee Caffari has sailed into the record books – three times.

On 18 May 2006, Dee became the first woman to circumnavigate the world solo ‘the wrong way’. It is an extraordinary achievement. Only four men have ever managed to finish this gruelling route before: more people have walked on the moon. In recognition of her first world record, Dee was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday honours list.

Not one to stay in her comfort zone, Dee launched a campaign for a new world record just months after her first solo circumnavigation. She announced that she wanted to become the first woman to sail solo, non-stop around the world in both directions. In order to do this Dee entered the highly competitive world of Open 60 racing.

She aimed to compete against the best international sailors in a race held every four years ‘the right way’ around the world. After one of the most dramatic Vendée Globes ever known (2008/09) – it is not called ‘The Everest of the Seas’ for nothing – Dee finished on the 16 February 2009 and claimed a double world-first.

On completing the Barcelona World Race in April 2011 with her co-skipper Anna Corbella, Dee became the only woman on earth to have sailed non-stop around the world three times. Dee has proven herself to be a yachtswoman of the highest calibre and many are amazed to learn that she only began her sailing career in 2000.

With a passion for sport and exercise, Dee is an Ambassador for Active Southampton promoting 30 minutes of exercise a day. A strong desire to face and overcome challenges has led Dee into adventures outside the sailing environment too. One such challenge was leading a female team over 6500km of rugged terrain in the Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge. The focus was to raise money for cancer charities and Dee has since become the Patron for the charity Sail4Cancer.