Leonid Teliga

Leonid Teliga (28 May 1917 – 21 May 1970) was a Polish sailor, writer, journalist, translator, and the first Pole to single-handedly circumnavigate the globe on his yawl Opty.

In 1942 he joined the newly-formed Anders Army, established in the Soviet Union and made up mainly of Polish POWs, with which he got through to Great Britain.

The yacht Opty was designed by engineer Leon Tumiłowicz, based on his earlier construction, the Tuńczyk class, but modified so that it would better fit the task of long, solitary cruise.

Even though its masts and booms were wooden, the yacht was fairly well equipped, as it had a pneumatic raft, a plastic boat for easier communication with the coast, and a wide set of sails for every kind of wind.

Most likely this was the reason for him to skip Australia and do the final section of the circumnavigation without any landings, as after failing to get Australian visa he expected similar obstructions there.

It took him "2 years, 13 days, 21 hours and 15 minutes"[2] Due to rapidly developing cancer, Teliga was forced to stop in Casablanca.

Sailing yacht Opty - boat of Leonid Teliga, the first Pole who single-handedly circumnavigated the globe. Presently on exhibition in Shipwreck Conservation Centre in Tczew