Sixteen-year-old Jessica Watson would sound like a typical teenager updating her blog, were it not for her special circumstances.
From her most recent entry:
"The sun’s still shining and the water is an even more amazing shade of blue, but I’ve been finding that sunset is my favorite time of the day when the whole world turns pink! This morning I had a school of dolphins pass by and the odd bird also drops in to check us out. I think keeping the cabin tidy is going to become one of those never ending battles. Is it just me or does housework always take this long?"
The Australian teen left Sydney Harbor in Australia early Sunday morning aboard her yacht, Ella’s Pink Lady, to begin her quest to be the youngest person ever to circumnavigate the globe solo.
The journey is projected to take Watson eight months, travelling 23,600 miles in her 34 foot craft through some of the most dangerous waters in the world.
Jessica’s attempt has been fraught with controversy and obstacles from the outset, heightened when her parents said recently that it was "worth dying for." Her grandfather affirms he believes she is up to the task, and dismisses Jessica’s critics.
Australian maritime officials urged Watson not to attempt the sail after she collided with a cargo vessel on a test run in early October off the coast of Queensland. Tragedy struck again when her friend and mentor, yachtsman Andrew Short, 48, and fellow racer Sally Gordon, 47, were killed in a freak yachting accident south of Sydney on October 9th.
Jessica’s desire to break the record for being youngest to circumnavigate the globe unassisted is shared by other teens, including 13-year-old Laura Dekker of The Netherlands. In August, a Dutch court intervened and placed Laura in state care to prevent her from undertaking a solo sail. British teen Mike Perham, 17, completed the journey in nine months in August, stopping once for repairs. The previous record is held by Australian Jesse Martin, who circumnavigated the globe solo in 1999 at the age of 18.
Watson is sailing with a satellite phone and Internet, as well as GPS locators on her clothing, and is regularly updating her blog as she sails through New Zealand waters heading for Fiji on the first leg of her journey. Many experienced sailors warned Jessica of the dangers of undertaking the journey, knowing that she will face treacherous seas and difficult weather conditions as the journey progresses.
Still, Jessica is not deterred in her determination to realize her dream.
On the Web:
Jessica Watson’s official website
Jessica Watson’s blog of the journey
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Kathy Riordan, swflgrapevine.com. swflgrapevine.com said: RT @katriord RT @iwomensports The Solo Sail: Jessica Watson’s Controversial Journey-iwomensports http://bit.ly/35ozD8 [...]
[...] Laura Dekker Wants to Sail Posted by Catherine Forsythe in Featured Articles on 10 24th, 2009 | no responses Jessica Watson is a sixteen year old Australian who is in the midst of a solo sailing voyage. She is trying to be the youngest to circumnavigate the world. [...]
[...] Articles on 10 30th, 2009 | no responses Jessica Watson, a sixteen year old Australian, is in the midst of a solo attempt to sail around the world. Fourteen year old Laura Dekker, from the Netherlands, wants to do a similar trip. At stake is the [...]