An Interview with Double world record holding Titchfield sailor, Dee Caffari.

36-year old Dee Caffari lives in Titchfield, Locks Heath. She holds two world records for circumnavigating the world – one for sailing the ‘wrong-way round’ - against prevailing winds and currents, and then a second by becoming the only female to sail solo, non-stop in both directions around the world. An amazingly inspirational character, Dee is not only passionate about sailing, but about many many other good causes.

Dee - What did you want to grow up to be when you were young?

I was keen to be a dancer when I was younger and trained up until I was 18. I always loved sports and activity so it was a natural progression for me to go on and become a PE teacher.

Did you always know you’d be successful or did your confidence come with age?

I have always been quite determined in whatever I have set as a goal but I think that confidence is something that comes and goes. Once you have mastered something your confidence improves but every time you push your boundaries a little further or attempt an unfamiliar challenge, your confidence seeps away again. I think success comes from being resolute in mastering the new skill or overcoming the fear in whatever area that might be.

What school did you teach at?

I taught at North Halifax Grammar School initially and then Harrow House International College in Dorset.

What inspired you to change career from PE teacher to Sailor?

I feel that teaching was the right job at the wrong time as I still yearned for adventure and to travel at that time. My father’s words, which have stayed with me ever since, were ‘Are you going to do it or just talk about it?’ I decided that if I wanted to give sailing a go as a career I would just have to take the plunge, leave teaching and immerse myself in the world of sailing whole heartedly.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement so far?

In my career it would have to be the Aviva Challenge simply because until I crossed the start line of my journey around the world against the winds and currents, I had never sailed solo before. I embarked on a 6-month voyage at sea on my own I and although I felt confident in my seamanship skills, I really didn’t know how I was going to feel emotionally. My most recent circumnavigation, the Vendee Globe race, was demanding in a different way because it was competitive and a much more intense environment. Both were tough  - just in different ways.

What was the lowest point during the AVIVA Challenge and how did you overcome it?

There were definitely a few low points and one that sticks out was when I sailed through icebergs for 3 days solid. It was a terrifying experience and because I was not able to sleep I became overly anxious. I got through it by trying not to look too far ahead in terms of time. I would fix goals and rewards - for example I would say to myself that if I can get through the next hour, I would make myself a cup of tea. I would break up the time into smaller chunks when things were bad and then increase the timescales as conditions improved. It is a coping mechanism that I have continued to use on all my races.

Are you afraid of anything – if so, what?

Really not keen on heights and will avoid having to climb my mast (which is 28 metres high on my existing yacht) as often as I can! I had a really bad experience on the Aviva Challenge when I was in the Southern Ocean just after I had I sailed through some terrible weather systems. It was at the end of a week of bad storms when my mast was struck by lightening, damaging my wind instruments. I thought that the storm had subdued enough for me to climb the mast and so I psyched myself up for the climb. At about 60ft I realised that the swell was too great for me to carry out any repairs so I decided to call it a day and come back down. My climbing gear had jammed and I could not change from ascending to descending so I ended up being stuck up there for an hour and a half, being thrown around like a rag doll. That was probably one of the most frightening moments – looking down at the boat from way up there and realising that if I couldn’t get myself down, there really was no one else to help me. 

What is your next big ambition – is there anything left?!!

My goal is to take part in the Vendee Globe 2012 and to aim for a podium position this time around. I took part in the 2008 edition as a novice with minimal experience on Open 60 yachts, so I would love to go back with some more sailing miles under my belt and a competitive edge. As with many sports, I am reliant on sponsorship for my funding and am actively looking for a new title sponsor to join me on the next adventure. Sailing sponsorship is gaining in popularity and works well as a platform for gaining global brand awareness. Having 3 world records to my name has put me in a good position and I am starting to have some interesting conversations in this area, so watch this space!

What is your favourite joke?

Two fish are in a tank. One said to the other; “Do you know how to drive this thing?” This was sent to me during my last race around the world and it made me giggle. The others were too rude to write here!

What do you do to relax?

I love cycling and getting out to enjoy the countryside. There are some great local walks and cycles in theTitchfield area and I am fortunate to have it all on my doorstep.

Who is your hero/heroine? Why?

The late Sir Peter Blake is my hero. He was an amazingly talented sailor and a dedicated environmentalist with a tenacious attitude.

What one thing would you most like to change about yourself?

I have the terrible habit of biting my nails and I would love to stop but I have yet to manage it. Maybe I will do better at New Year this time.

What do you most like about yourself?

I do struggle to look sad. I am definitely a glass half full type of person and prefer to smile and find the good in something.

Do you think you will settle down eventually, get married and have children?

I have been with my partner for nearly 8 years and we feel very settled. He also sails so he understands my appetite for getting back out on the water and chasing adventure. Children aren’t on the cards but I am trying to persuade him to let us get a puppy.

What makes you angry and why?

People who do not look after the environment frustrate me. If everyone does something to help then immediately we would see changes but there are those that still do not understand this. Another frustration in office situations are unnecessary printing. The way we use computers now should mean we need to print less, surely!

What would you like for Christmas?!

A chocolate Springer spaniel puppy please Santa.

You can follow Dee's next adventure as she takes part in the Transat Jacques Vabre race which starts on 8 November. Dee will be racing from Le Havre, France, to Costa Rica and you can follow her race progress on Twitter, Facebook, and Dee’s website.