The world’s oldest solo female circumnavigator is on track to complete her voyage in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada within 24 hours. London-born, former mathmatics lecturer Jeanne Socrates, 70, sailing Nereida her Najad 38 expects to complete – at last – a nonstop unassisted circumnavigation.

Her 25,000 mile journey is her third attempt at a circumnavigation to raise cash for free home nursing of the terminally ill provided by Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Her poignant voyage was inspired by the untimely death of her husband George, from cancer, in 2003. The couple – with two grown-up children – had set off to live aboard and go Blue Water cruising.

But instead of sharing the oceans with her husband Jeanne was reduced to sailing solo to scatter his ashes at sea.

But, this in turn made Jeanne realise she could handle the boat alone and so she carried on.

On her first attempt she was within 60 miles of achieving a circumnavigation when she was shipwrecked on a Mexican beach at the age of 66.

Her second attempt was scotched when she hit severe weather off Cape Horn and had to be assisted into port.

For more go to http://svnereida.com/