Albany 2026: How the city left a lasting impression on sailor who circumnavigated Antarctica in record time

Remember when Lisa Blair and her post-it note boat came to town?

The solo sailor and climate activist caused quite a stir and has proved to be one of the most memorable nautical visitors to Albany in the city’s long history.

Famed as being the first and then the fastest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around Antarctica, her first circumnavigation began and ended in Albany in 2017 aboard her boat Climate Action Now.

Her second time around was the record-breaking journey in 2022 but both trips have given her a feel — and a great love — for the town and its people.

She remembers her visits as though they were yesterday.

“The first time was the culmination of three-and-a-half years of preparation, and I spent about six weeks in Albany just trying to finish the boat,” she said.

“I think about 20 different people showed up to lend a hand, all volunteers, with some of them working until 2am.

“When I was leaving, the Boatshed Markets were on and there was quite a community there, but I didn’t really clock at first that they were there to see me off.

“Suddenly, though, there were people on the rock walls and loads had made banners wishing me luck so it really felt special.

“It was then, seeing all that, that it actually really dawned on me that I was actually doing it and there was this enormous hurdle in front of me.”

The reception when she returned as the first person to complete the circumnavigation was equally remarkable — though she was eight hours late.

“I was late to my own party,” she rued.

“But people had waited eight hours for me to come in which was amazing.

“I was about 20 miles out when the wind dropped so there wasn’t anything I could do.

“But when the horn sounded to say I had crossed the finish line I was expecting just the one boat but there were about 10 vessels escorting me in — it was fantastic.”

She completed her record-breaking 2022 journey a bit earlier in the evening and the crowds again came out.

“I had been 92 days at sea at that point, hadn’t seen anyone in all that time and I remember when I jumped out of the boat I just shouted out whether anyone wanted a hug,” she said.

“I had a reception with the mayor and the town was just fantastic.”

Next on Blair’s agenda is a solo trip circumnavigating the Arctic, a journey she feels is a natural extension of her Antarctic adventures.

Passionate about the environment — her boat is plastered with notes urging climate action — and she wants to spread the message about the warming of the planet.

“It is only because of climate change that it’s actually possible to circumnavigate the Arctic Circle,” she said.

Her trip will be completed in a boat made of volcanic rock and bio-resins and she expects to set sail in July 2027.