Photo: Gareth Owen-Conway/Robin Morritt

75 year old Australian yachtsman Jon Sanders recently sailed into Perth after finishing his ninth circumnavigation. Yes, you read that correctly — his ninth circumnavigation. Sanders is best known for his incredible voyage in 1986 – 1988 in which he circumnavigated the world three times singlehanded, non-stop without re-provisioning.  That voyage alone set something like 25 world records and no one has duplicated the voyage since. Previously, Sanders was also the first man to circumnavigate Antarctica, circling the continent twice in 1981 – 1982.

His more recent trips around the world have been primarily singlehanded, though he has had crew aboard, from time to time. He is generally happy to sail alone. “I get on well with me, I’m good,” he is quoted as saying.  When asked about what he was looking forward to coming home to, he commented “I’m sick of my cooking.”

Inveterate sailor Jon Sanders returns home to Perth after ninth circumnavigation of the globe