Jasmine Harrison

On Wednesday 30^th September 2026,  50 Rotarians and their guests enjoyed an excellent lunch at the Royal Hotel followed by a very interesting and informative Illustrated Talk by Jasmine Harrison.

Jasmine is a member of Thirsk Rotary Club and something of an adventurer.

In 2021 she became the youngest solo female to row the Atlantic, aged 21, and in 2022 became the first woman to swim the full length of the British Isles from Lands End to John O’Groats, aged 22.

This time she told us about her latest adventure when in 2025-26 she sailed around the world – 24,000 miles - solo – in the Mini Globe Race, aboard her 19ft plywood boat named ‘ Numbatou’. And what an adventure it turned out to be! 

After sailing across to Antigua she met the other contestants and they set off on their adventure. Jasmine thrilled us with her tales of sailing single handed in storms, squalls and the doldrums. Her encounters with dolphins, whales, birds,  flying fishes and not forgetting a ‘dugong’. There were also other encounters which were less pleasurable !  Large ocean ships bearing down on her little boat, being shadowed by a pirate boat and the enormous amount of litter in the sea, especially in the Indian Ocean.

All these encounters and tales were brought to life by Jasmine in a fascinating and memorable talk which ended with a short video of moments during her trip. Her talk enthralled her audience and she richly deserved the vote of thanks that was given by the Club’s President Soraya Watson.