On this day 125 years ago, Nova Scotia-born Joshua Slocum became the first person to have sailed single-handedly around the world

On the morning of April 24, 1895, Joshua Slocum departed Boston Harbor, at the helm of Spray.

On June 27, 1898, Slocum sailed into Newport, Rhode Island, having circumnavigated the world and sailing some 74,000 km (46,000 miles).

In 1900 Slocum wrote a book about his journey, Sailing Alone Around the World, which became an international best-seller.