Captain Howard Blackburn, a citizen of Gloucester, crossed the Atlantic twice alone despite having no fingers or toes and part of one foot missing after they were frozen in an accident at sea. On June 18, 1899, he sailed from Gloucester, Mass. to Gloucester, England, on the thirty foot sloop Great Western and arrived August 18, 1899, after a trip of 62 days. On June 9, 1901, he sailed from Gloucester, Mass. to Lisbon, Portugal, on the twenty five foot sloop Great Republic and arrived July 18, 1901, after a trip of only 39 days.
