Clare Francis
Encyclopedia
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 17 April 1946) is a British novelist also known for her former career as a yachtswoman
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
.
Clare Francis was born in Thames Ditton
Thames Ditton
Thames Ditton is a village in Surrey, England, bordering Greater London. It is situated 12.2 miles south-west of Charing Cross between the towns of Kingston upon Thames, Surbiton, Esher and East Molesey...
, Surrey, and spent summer holidays on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, where she learnt to sail. She was educated at the Royal Ballet School
Royal Ballet School
The Royal Ballet School is one of the most famous classical ballet schools in the world and is the associate school of the Royal Ballet, a leading international ballet company based at the Royal Opera House in London...
then gained a degree in economics at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
After working in marketing for three years, in 1973 she took time out to make a single-handed
Single-handed sailing
The sport of single-handed sailing or solo sailing is sailing with only one crewmember . The term is usually used with reference to ocean and long-distance sailing, and particularly competitive sailing....
voyage across the Atlantic, making the crossing from Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
to Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, in 37 days. Following this she received sponsorship to take part in the 1974 Round Britain Race with yachtswoman Eve Bonham, finishing in 3rd place. She followed that with the Azores and Back Singlehanded Race, and L'Aurore Singlehanded Race in 1975. In 1976 she competed in her Ohlson 38 Robertson's Golly in the Observer Singlehanded Transatlantic Race
Single-Handed Trans-Atlantic Race
The Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race, or STAR, is an east-to-west yacht race across the North Atlantic. When inaugurated in 1960, it was the first single-handed ocean yacht race; it is run from Plymouth to the USA, and is held every four years....
, finishing 13th overall and setting a new women's single-handed transatlantic record. In 1976 she took part again in L'Aurore Singlehanded Race. In 1977–78 she was the first woman skipper in the Whitbread Round the World Race, finishing in 5th place.
After writing three accounts of her sailing expeditions she turned to fiction, and is the author of eight international best-sellers.
She suffers from Chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome is the most common name used to designate a significantly debilitating medical disorder or group of disorders generally defined by persistent fatigue accompanied by other specific symptoms for a minimum of six months, not due to ongoing exertion, not substantially...
and is a trustee of the UK charity Action for ME.
Fiction
- Night Sky (1983)
- Red Crystal (1985)
- Wolf Winter (1987)
- Requiem (1989)
- The Killing Winds (1992)
- Deceit (1993)
- Betrayal (1995)
- A Dark Devotion (1997)
- Keep Me Close (1999)
- A Death Divided (2001)
- Homeland (2003)
- Unforgotten (2008)
Non fiction
- Come Hell or High Water (1977)
- Come Wind or Weather (1978)
- The Commanding Sea (1981)