![Başak Mireli, the first Turkish sailor to cross the Atlantic solo Başak Mireli, the first Turkish sailor to cross the Atlantic solo](https://ilker.com.tr/storage/basak-mireli-167479843265f1e.png)
At 43, Başak Mireli last week became the first Turkish woman to cross the Atlantic solo under sail. Leaving Cape Verde on her 40-footer christened Istanbul, she arrived at the Sainte-Anne anchorage in Martinique on January 16 after 24 days and 2,346 miles, an inspiration for all sailors.