First circumnavigation by amphibious car
The only circumnavigation by an amphibious
vehicle was by Ben Carlin (AUS) and a series of
partners in Half-Safe, a modified Ford GPA
amphibious jeep. He left from Nova Scotia,
Canada, on 19 Jul 1950 and returned to
Montreal, Canada, on 8 May 1958, after a
journey of 39,000 mi (62,764 km) over land
and 9,600 mi (15,450 km) by sea and river.First circumnavigation
by solar‑powered boat
An international crew led by Raphaël Domjan
(CHE) steered the MS Tûranor PlanetSolar
around the globe westwards from Monaco in
1 year 220 days, from 27 Sep 2010 to 4 May 2012.First non‑motorized circumnavigation
along the Equator
Mike Horn (ZAF) travelled along the Equator
back to his starting point of Libreville, Gabon, by
bicycle, dugout canoe and trimaran. His trip lasted
1 year 147 days, from 2 Jun 1999 to 27 Oct 2000.Longest series of sailing circumnavigations
Jon Sanders (AUS) made three non-stop single-
handed circumnavigations in his 13.9-m-long
(44-ft) sloop Parry Endeavour in 1 year 239 days,
from 25 May 1986 to 13 Mar 1988. Starting and
finishing in Fremantle, Western Australia, he
made one circumnavigation westwards and
two eastwards. He covered 71,023 nautical mi
(131,535 km; 81,732 mi), the longest distance
sailed non‑stop by any vessel.Oldest person to circumnavigate
the world by scheduled public transport
On 16 Aug 2012, Saburō Shōchi (JPN, b. 16 Aug
1906) returned to Fukuoka, Japan, having
circled Earth using only public transport.
He was exactly 106 years old.FASTEST CIRCUMNAVIGATION...
By scheduled flights
On 8–10 Jan 1980, David J Springbett (UK)
circumnavigated the world on scheduled flights
in 44 hr 6 min. His route took him eastwards
from Los Angeles in California, USA, via the UK,
Bahrain, Thailand, Japan and Hawaii.
The fastest circumnavigation by
scheduled flights visiting six continents
is 63 hr 47 min, by Kirk Miller and John
Burnham (both USA). Starting in
Bangkok, Thailand, on 7 Sep 2016,
they flew eastwards via Australia,
the USA, South America,
Europe and Africa before
finishing on 10 Sep.Circumnavigation
JOURNEYS
FIRST
CIRCUMNAVIGATION
BY MICROLIGHT
Brian Milton (UK) flew
around the world in
a Pegasus Quantum
912 flexwing
microlight between
22 Mar and 21 Jul- The lack of a
cockpit in Brian’s
craft made flying a
challenge in extreme
weather, notably
crossing the Syrian
desert and the
interior of Iceland.
He flew at an altitude
of 2,000 ft (610 m)
for most of the way,
with an average
flying speed of
65 mph (105 km/h).
By passenger aircraft (FAI‑approved)
Under Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
(FAI) rules, which permit flights that exceed
the length of the Tropic of Cancer or Capricorn,
an Air France Concorde piloted by captains
Michel Dupont and Claude Hetru (both FRA)
circumnavigated the world in 31 hr 27 min 49 sec.
The flight took place on 15–16 Aug 1995; a total
of 80 passengers and 18 crew were also on board.By helicopter (FAI‑approved)
Edward Kasprowicz and crewman Stephen
Sheik (both USA) flew an AgustaWestland Grand
helicopter around the world in 11 days 7 hr 5 min,
landing on 18 Aug 2008. Starting and finishing in
New York City, USA, they flew east via Greenland,
the UK, Italy, Russia and Canada, making more
than 70 refuelling stops.By car
The record for the first and fastest man and
woman to have circumnavigated the Earth
by car covering six continents under the rules
applicable in 1989 and 1991 embracing more than
an equator’s length of driving (24,901 road miles;
40,075 km), is held by Saloo Choudhury and his
wife Neena Choudhury (both India). The journey
took 69 days 19 hours 5 minutes from 9 Sep
to 17 November 1989. The couple drove a
1989 Hindustan “Contessa Classic” starting
and finishing in Delhi, India.By powered boat
On 26 Jun 2009, Earthrace was granted the
Union International Motonautique (UIM) record
for the fastest circumnavigation by powered
boat. The journey took 60 days 23 hr 49 min,
beginning in Sagunto, Spain, on 27 Apr 2008
and returning there on 27 Jun.Sailing non‑stop, westwards, solo (female)
Between 20 Nov 2005 and 18 May 2006, Dee
Caffari (UK) sailed her 22-m (72-ft) monohull
Aviva back to her starting point of Portsmouth,
UK, a journey that lasted 178 days 3 hr 5 min
34 sec. Caffari went on to complete the
Vendée Globe round-the-world yacht race
on 16 Feb 2009, making her the first female
to sail non‑stop around the world in
both directions.Ferdinand Magellan is often credited as the first person to circumnavigate the globe,
but he died – with most of the crew in his fleet – before completing the journey.YOUNGEST PERSON TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE
THE GLOBE BY MOTORCYCLE (MALE)
Kane Avellano (UK, b. 20 Jan 1993) circled the world
on his Triumph Bonneville T100 motorcycle, solo and
unsupported, leaving his home town – South Shields, Tyne and
Wear, UK – on 31 May 2016 and arriving back there on 19 Jan
2017, one day short of his 24th birthday. In 233 days, Avellano
covered 28,062 mi (45,161 km), passing through 36 countries
and six continents and negotiating extremes of weather from
Indian monsoons to the intense heat of Australia’s deserts.Kane Avellano
used his round-
the-world trip to raise
funds for the children’s
charity UNICEF: his
original donation target
was £1,000 ($1,464),
but he had more than
doubled that figure
as of Apr 2017.Q: Who was the fictional
circumnavigator created
by author Jules Verne?
A: Phileas Fogg
Complete navigationVittoria (ESP), commanded
by Juan Sebastián de Elcano
20 Sep 1519–8 Sep 1522
By planeChicago and New Orleans
(USA), by two US crews,
6 Apr–28 Sep 1924
Solo flightWiley Post (USA) in Winnie
Mae, 15–22 Jul 1933By walking (verified)David Kunst (USA),
20 Jun 1970–5 Oct 1974By spacecraftYuri Gagarin (USSR/now
RUS), Vostok 1, 12 Apr 1961H Ross Perot Jr and Jay W
Coburn (both USA) in Spirit
of Texas, 1–30 Sep 1982UnderwaterUSS Triton,
15 Feb–10 Apr 1960By helicopterCIRCUMNAVIGATION
FIRSTS