Crowds greet Naomi

Press, 9 June 1978, Page 1

Crowds greet Naomi

The New Zealand yachtswoman, Naomi James, sailed into Dartmouth to a tumultuous welcome yesterday, and clipped two days off the late Sir Francis Chichester's record for a lone around-the-world voyage, John Ross reports from Dartmouth. Hundreds of people in launches cheered her, and thousands lined the river banks at Dartmouth, in Devon, as the 29-year-old housewife sailed across the finish line after her epic journey. The huge crowd included Dartmouth’s 600 schoolchildren, who had been given the day off to join in the celebrations. a special trainload of people from Paignton, seven miles away, and one family who had made the trip from Sheffield, 400 miles north, having been in Dartmouth when Mrs James set off last September. Among the first to greet her were three round-the-world veterans, Sir Alec Rose (354 days), Chav Blyth 292 days), and Robin KnoxJohnston (313 days). Experienced seamen doubted if the slim, blond New Zealander who had never before sailed on her own, and had to suffer from sea-sickness, would complete the epic voyage when she sailed from Dartmouth on September 9. She had left New Zealand for Europe in 1970, and married Rob James, aged 30, a company director. “When we met it was love at first sight for both of us.” she said. “Three days later he took me sailing and I knew it was the world I had always wanted.” Mrs James said before she left that she felt compelled to sail around the world alone. “I am doing it for myself for the sense of achievement 1 will get from it.l know I will enjoy it, she said.