Historedia
AmericasEvent

Joshua Slocum completes the first solo circumnavigation

When
1898–1899
Where
Newport, Rhode Island; Publication location unspecified
Episodes
2

Joshua Slocum completed the first solo circumnavigation of the Earth aboard the Spray, arriving in Newport, Rhode Island, on June 27, 1898. Departing Boston in April 1895, he sailed over 46,000 miles. His account, Sailing Alone Around the World, published in 1899, brought him international fame.

Episodes

  1. June 27, 1898 · Newport, Rhode IslandArrival in Newport

    Joshua Slocum arrived in Newport, Rhode Island, on June 27, 1898, completing his solo circumnavigation of the world.

  2. 1899 · Publication location unspecifiedPublication of Voyage Account

    Slocum published his account of the voyage, Sailing Alone Around the World, in 1899.

Background and detail

Background. Joshua Slocum, a Canadian-American seaman, undertook the first solo circumnavigation of the Earth. He departed Boston Harbor on April 24, 1895, aboard the 36-foot-9-inch vessel Spray. During the voyage, he modified the boat, reducing the mast height and bowsprit length in Buenos Aires in 1896. The journey covered more than 46,000 miles.

Publication and Fame. In 1899, Slocum published his account, Sailing Alone Around the World, which became an international best-seller. The book was first serialized in The Century Magazine. This work brought him widespread fame in the English-speaking world, leading to his invitation as a speaker at a dinner honoring Mark Twain in December 1900.

People involved

Sources

  1. Joshua Slocum Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-11
  2. Spray (sailing vessel) Wikipedia, revision of 2026-07-31

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.