Former Clark County Fire Captain Jimmy Johnson completed the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race despite entering the 11-month journey with little sailing experience

By Kalohe Danbara
Las Vegas Review-Journal

CLARK COUNTY, Nev. — A 59-year-old retired Clark County fire captain returned home from an 11-month journey sailing around the world.

In August 2025, Jimmy Johnson embarked on the 14th Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. After nearly a year at sea, he returned to Las Vegas last month. Prior to the race, Johnson spent the majority of his life in the desert and had hardly any sailing experience.

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“It was daunting at times, and there were times when you’re just out there going, ‘What am I doing here?’ Middle of the Pacific, and the closest people to you are the space station,” said Johnson. “It’s humbling. It’s definitely humbling.”

Beginning in Portsmouth, England, the race consisted of 10 teams on 70-foot sailing yachts, each team with 18 to 20 people. Johnson sailed for Team Warrant, which represented a logistics company out of England.

The crew was hit by three storms back to back on the first leg of the journey while sailing from England to Puerto Sherry, Spain.

“The conditions were so violent. The waves were huge,” said Johnson. “I was seasick for five days. I couldn’t even get up in my bed. I was so weak from being ill.”

In addition to the seasickness, Johnson twice dislocated his thumb during the beginning leg of the race and had to fix it himself.

‘Just sheer terror where your life is actually in danger’

Despite the rocky start to the first 10 days of the race, Johnson continued across the Atlantic from Spain to Punta Del Este, Uruguay.

As they approached South America, the seas grew increasingly rough, sending one of their men overboard.

“This storm descended on us really quickly, and we had to go on the bow to take down the head sails, said Johnson. “I was helming the boat, and the wave just took him off the side.”

Thankfully, the crew member was rescued.

Johnson feels that his firefighting experience wired his nervous system for the challenge. He said he noticed similarities between his sailing and firefighting crews.

“I’m living with them day and night. We’re in a small space together, the fire station versus the boat,” said Johnson. “There’s times when there’s nothing going on for like 90 percent of the time, and then 10 percent of the time is just sheer terror where your life is actually in danger.”

After the rescue, the crew continued on from Uruguay to Cape Town, South Africa, then to Fremantle, a port on the west coast of Australia. After Fremantle, the crew made their way to Airlie Beach on Australia’s west coast for what would be Johnson’s favorite leg on the journey.

Team Warrant won the race from Airlie Beach, Australia to Subic Bay, Philippines, earning their boat a yellow first place flag. After the Philippines, the teams made their way to Qingdao, China. From China they went to Tongyeong, South Korea, to Seattle, and then to Panama.

Partner flew to meet him at every port stop

With every planned port stop on the journey, Johnson’s partner, Marcella Brous, met him at the dock, often bringing with her an abundance of groceries and a meal plan for the crew.

“This woman flew to every stop to meet me when I got off the boat,” Johnson said affectionately of Brous. “She was probably the only family member of all the sailors that did that. So, she traveled the whole world, too.”

“I accumulated over 125,000 miles in 11 months,” said Brous. “But it was incredible just hanging out with different families, people, locals and getting to know different cultures.”

While sailing through Central America, Team Warrant had to make a pit stop for supplies in Costa Rica on Johnson’s birthday.

Though Brous was unable to meet the crew at this unplanned stop, she managed to make a phone call to a bar in the marina.

“Some crewmates went up to the bar at the marina to chill and have some coffee,” said Johnson. “The bartender’s like, ‘Oh, are you Jimmy? I have something for you.’ They brought out this birthday cake and candles.”

After the birthday surprise from Brous in Central America, the journey continued to north to Washington, D.C., then to Oban, Scotland, and, finally, back to where they began at Portsmouth, England.

‘Now what?’

Team Warrant came in 9th place overall.

Johnson felt elated, accomplished, and yet anxious with his feet back on land.

“There’s this huge celebration at Portsmouth when you get in, with massive crowds, news, helicopters, fleets, fire boats with water cannons. It’s this huge rush, and they bring you on stage, and they celebrate you, and then it’s over, and then that’s it,” said Johnson. “I couldn’t help but feel there was a sense of, now what?”

Though he is not certain of his next adventure, Johnson said that he is in the planning stages of a motorcycle ride from Alaska to Argentina.

“I have a bucket list that I’ve been checking off since retirement,” said Johnson. “But I notice the thing about bucket lists is they get longer as you check them off because you experience more things.”

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