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Kay Cottee AO
1988 Award
Solo Yachtsman
Born in Sydney, Cottee came from a seafaring family. She ran her own yacht charter business with a friend to earn enough money to build her boat, Blackmores' First Lady. In a 189-day, 23 000 nautical mile voyage in 1988, Cottee set seven world records including: the first woman to circumnavigate the globe non-stop and unassisted; longest time spent alone at sea by a woman; greatest non-stop distance travelled at sea by a solo woman; first woman to circumnavigate west to east, south of five capes in the southern hemisphere, and fastest time and speed for a solo circumnavigation by a woman. She also raised $600 000 for the Life Education Centres, the late Reverend Ted Noff's drug education program.
After the voyage she found it difficult to adjust to being surrounded by people again. She threw herself into writing the story of her trip, and fundraising appearances for the Life Education Centres. Of all the awards she received, Cottee says that she has been bewildered and embarrassed by them, that she 'only set out to achieve a dream, a personal goal'.
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