Lisa Blair at night in her wet weather gear, during rain for cover image for the documentary Ice Maiden — *Lisa Blair in the feature documentary Ice Maiden.* *Image copyright © 2023 Jackson Speed PTY LTD*

Ice Maiden premiers at the Doc Edge Film Festival in Otāutahi, Christchurch on 19th June 2024. Stay up to date with streaming dreaming details at Ice Maiden.

When Australian solo sailor Lisa Blair says “The sailing’s the fun bit” — it soon becomes pretty clear that fun sailing in the southern ocean is subjective. And the deeper I dig into her experience, the more obvious it is that Lisa is not just a sailor; she's a testament to resilience, determination, and the unyielding human spirit. And not in a doe eyed Disney way — I’m talking gritty superhuman Marvel.

That story that lies at the heart of the new feature film Ice Maiden directed by Nathaniel C.T Jackson and James Blannin-Ferguson documenting Lisa’s 2017 voyage to become the first woman in history to sail solo around Antarctica. It was this voyage that nearly cost Lisa her life.

Sailing into the brutal conditions in the southern ocean — Lisa and her boat Climate Action Now survived terrifying storms, blizzards, mountainous waves and the unimaginable horror of a demasting thousands of miles from rescue. The trauma of such an experience is raw and it’s hard to imagine how she survived.

I spoke with Lisa about this harrowing experience and what seeing this film produced means to her. "I was very conscious going into the trip that I might not come home from it," she reveals.

Lisa recorded the journey on cameras and GoPros hoping to share the adventure in the future. "I was very aware that if it was going to be a documentary, I had to capture the good moments and the bad moments," she said, reflecting on her daily video diaries and onboard footage. The documentary captures not only the physical challenges of sailing in the southern ocean but also the emotional turmoil Lisa faced during her journey. "I tear up every time I watch it," she admits, highlighting the lasting impact of her experiences and the storytelling skill of Jackson Speed, the film producer. Director Nathaniel Jackson's insistence on showcasing Lisa's vulnerability adds a layer of authenticity to the film, allowing viewers to connect on a deep level.

Lisa Blair inside the boat at night with her wet weather gear and red headlamp on — *Image copyright © 2023 Jackson Speed PTY LTD*

The demasting of Climate Action Now leads Lisa to abandon the record attempt and fight to keep her boat afloat and herself alive. Footage captured by Lisa is woven into the film alongside recreated scenes to recapture the horror Lisa endured as she battles to get her broken boat back to Cape Town, again surviving storms plus a near sinking by a containership during a fuel transfer.

Over the journey, Lisa avoids icebergs, sails through snowstorms and endures whipping 80 knot cyclonic winds and towering 15m waves, while being tossed about aboard like a matchstick, as her 10 tonne boat was sent airborne in the extreme conditions. There’s so much more to her epic adventure than the 90 minutes allows during Ice Maiden. Her boat suffered multiple knockdowns as well as being flipped completely upside down — Lisa herself was nearly washed overboard.

Despite the trauma and the near-death experiences she endured, Lisa's determination to push forward is absolutely remarkable. From Cape Town she decides to restart the record attempt and continues south to complete the circumnavigation, ending in Australia. A feat she summarises as a non-negotiable not only for herself personally but in delivering a successful project as a female skipper or “I never would have gotten anyone to believe in me again”. Seven years ago the landscape and opportunities for women in sport was vastly different. Yet building an ocean campaign and financing such sailing projects are still hugely challenging.

Major sailing projects that Lisa tackles like this Antarctica trip are tough from the start. It took three and a half years of incredibly hard work to get the boat to the start line, to raise the sponsorship, with sleepless nights, long working days, and months and months of boat preparation. When I ask Lisa about her resilience she talks about the years she spent visualising daily every worst case scenario every day and constantly running through “what ifs” for gear failure and accidents and what action she would take for every conceivable scenario. She had imagined the worst, planned for it and was prepared for everything. While at sea, it was this psychological and practical preparation that got her through, alongside reminders that in comparison to the years of hard work:

“The sailing’s the fun bit. I just have to go out there and survive and sail this boat.”

Lisa Blair onboard her boat called Climate Action Now as it sails on the ocean as seen from above — *Lisa sailing Climate Action Now. Image copyright © 2023 Jackson Speed PTY LTD*

As she reflects on the task of solo sailing, Lisa emphasises the endurance and mental fortitude required to succeed and the difference between ocean racing and setting a record. "It's not at all about performance every day," she explains. Instead, it's about strategic decision-making while chronically fatigued for the preservation of both equipment and oneself. There were times onboard Lisa would break down in tears ,overwhelmed by fatigue and disaster — moments shared in personal footage during Ice Maiden, and the viewer shares the emotion.

An albatross flies over rough seas in the southern ocean — *Southern Ocean wilderness*

Yet Lisa is in her element at sea — this is her version of fun. It’s clear by the way her eyes light up, with her ever present smile, that even when navigating through treacherous storms and facing unimaginable hardships, she found solace in the beauty of the Southern Ocean.

"It's my favourite ocean in the whole planet," she declares, describing the raw power and beauty of the sea. For Lisa, sailing solo is not just about achieving records; it's about living with a deep connection to nature.

Despite the challenges, Lisa's love for sailing just seems to grow stronger and her subsequent record-breaking circumnavigation in Antarctica in 2022 is testament to her spirit of adventure.

Together with Climate Action Now, Lisa raises awareness about the urgent need for climate action — a cause she champions both on and off the water. As Ice Maiden prepares to captivate audiences worldwide, Lisa Blair continues to set new world records with a positive message for us all — that together our small actions can create change. Led by her own refusal to give up, it’s the kind of inspiring message that is the making of a hero.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST EPISODES

Listen to Lisa Blair in the full interview and hear more about the challenges of sailing below 45°, coping with fear and with personal insights into solo ocean sailing.

I also spoke with Jackson Speed, Producer and Nathaniel CT Jackson, Director in an honest in-depth discussion about the making of Ice Maiden; what missed the cut, the cinematic style and editing decisions made to tell Lisa’s story.