Colin I. Thomas, First Mate

Colin Ieuan Thomas, aviator and sailor, (1973 - ?) was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for becoming the second and fastest person to sail solo around the world in nine months and one day.

Aged 18, he emigrated to the USA, where in ten years he has built up a prosperous business in Information Technology. He also learned to fly. He went to England in 1989 to visit family and take delivery of a de Havilland Gipsy Moth aircraft, which he intended to fly to New Zealand, breaking Bert Hinkler’s record solo flight back to Australia en route. Mechanical problems meant the record eluded him, however he completed the trip in 41 days. Finding he was unable to carry enough fuel to cross the Tasman directly, he had his Gipsy Moth fitted with floats, and went on to make the first solo flight across the Tasman Sea from East to West becoming the first aircraft to land at Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island.

On August 27 1996 he sailed a ketch from Plymouth, England and returned there 226 days later on 27 January 1997, having circumnavigated the globe with one stop (in Sydney, Australia), becoming the first person to cirumnavigate the world solo from West to East.