What do you do when your mast snaps in the middle of the Southern Ocean, 1,000 miles from land, no engine, no sails, no rescue on the way? You fight. You survive. And then you go back and finish what you started.
In this gripping episode, Sam Penny sits down with Lisa Blair, world record-holding solo sailor, bestselling author of Facing Fear, and subject of the documentary Ice Maiden. Lisa recounts the harrowing night her boat was nearly torn in half during a solo Antarctica circumnavigation, and the moment she knew she might not make it out alive.
But this isnât just a survival story. Itâs a masterclass in preparation, resilience, and courage. Lisa shares how she turned fear into focus, why she chose to go back and finish the job after nearly dying, and how her climate action campaign is leaving a powerful legacy, one Post-it note at a time.
Whether youâre climbing mountains or chasing bold dreams in business, Lisaâs story is a reminder that bravery isnât about having no fear, itâs about showing up anyway.
đŻ What We Cover:
- The terrifying night Lisaâs mast snapped in the middle of a Southern Ocean storm
- How preparation and muscle memory saved her life
- The 12-day journey back to land with no sails
- Why she went back and finished the Antarctica circumnavigation
- What it really feels like to sail through 15-metre waves
- How she built her boat into a floating science lab
- Why every action matters in the fight against climate change
- Her upcoming Arctic Circle record attempt and basalt-fibre boat
- What âFacing Fearâ really means, and how to build courage in everyday life
đŹ Notable Quotes:
âIf I donât cut this mast free, Iâm going to die.â
 âYour worst-case scenario can become your greatest preparation.â
 âIâm not an Amazon warrior. Iâm just someone who tried.â
 âIf you combine fear with action, it becomes courage.â
 âEvery action matters, especially yours.â
đ About Lisa Blair:
Lisa Blair is a solo sailor, climate advocate, motivational speaker, and author. She holds multiple world records in ocean sailing, including the first woman to sail solo around Antarctica with one stop. Through her campaign Climate Action Now, Lisa inspires communities to take small sustainable actions that add up to massive collective impact. Her next project? A solo, non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the Arctic Circleâsomething never done before by any human.
đ Book:
Facing Fear â Available wherever books are sold
Ice Maiden Documentary - Available on SBS On Demand and Amazon
Lisa Blairâs Website - lisablairsailstheworld.com
Follow Lisa on Facebook and Instagram - @lisablairsailstheworld
Visit sampenny.com/brave for other episodes on "Why'd You Think You Could Do That?" podcast
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