Jessica Watson.

[_Ray A]

Thank you, Malcolm. I always appreciate your support and input. You are a good man.

[_kavintenison]

Hi Folks,

I'm not posting on the main forums anymore, but thought some of you might be interested in following Jessica Watson's round the world journey in the attempt to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe single-handed, non-stop, and unassisted.

You can follow her blog here: Official Jessica Watson Blog.

Jess has experienced six knockdowns so far on her journey, which included a 180 degree knockdown in the Southern Atlantic, which means her yacht was capsized; turned upside down. She is now nearing the end of her circumnavigation, but finding southern Australian weather and waters to be the toughest of her journey so far, battling 6-12 metre swells (over 30 feet) and gale force winds. Those swells are the size of four-storey buildings, sometimes breaking as white caps at the top, and Jess is in a 10 metre (34 foot) sailing boat, but built to endure such conditions.

America's Abby Sunderland is no less a brave soul, and plans to continue her journey in spite of being forced to retreat to Cape Town for autopilot repairs.

I have been absolutely captivated by the determination and bravery of these two young women, or as some would say, "girls".

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This is great blog nad I really like you posting. You have shared with us fantastic knowledge about her.

[_Ray A]

This is great blog nad I really like you posting. You have shared with us fantastic knowledge about her.

Thank you. I plan to keep updating it from time to time as long as the hits keep rising.

[_Ray A]

Jessica’s latest adventure was announced on her blog on March 10:

Jessica Announces “another Challenge”:

Young Australian of the Year Jessica Watson today confirmed she will race in the 2011 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and will skipper the youngest crew to ever compete in the iconic event.

It’s sort of ironic that Jess had sailed around the world, battling the most violent oceans of the world, and when she rounded the cape of Tasmania she posted on her blog:

Good news. Ella's Pink Lady and I have made it around the South East Cape of Tasmania and we're now headed north on the final leg to Sydney!

Yet at 16 years old, when she did this, she was ineligible to compete in the Sydney-Hobart yacht race (because she was not 18). Her “final leg” of her round the world sail, is considered the most challenging stretch of water for sailors, yet for her at the time it was almost a breather, with the finish line in sight, so to speak, and time to relax and head home after nearly 23,000 nautical miles around the world’s oceans. In 1998, 115 yachts set out on the Sydney-Hobart race, and only 44 made it to Hobart.

About.com:

Five boats sank, 66 boats retired from the race, six sailors died, and 55 sailors were taken off their yachts, most by helicopter.

The 98 Sydney Hobart

Yet on Jan.23, 2010, Jess recorded:

My quite sunny conditions ended with a bit of a bang, Ella's Pink Lady and I have been having a very interesting time out here. The wind had been expected to rise to a near gale, but none of the computers or forecasts picked that it would reach the 65knots that I recorded, before losing the wind instruments in a knockdown!

That much wind means some very big and nasty waves. To give you an idea of the conditions, they were similar to and possibly worse than those of the terrible 1998 Sydney to Hobart Race. We experienced a total of 4 knockdowns, the second was the most severe with the mast being pushed 180 degrees in to the water. Actually pushed isn't the right word, it would be more accurate to say that Ella's Pink Lady was picked up, thrown down a wave, then forced under a mountain of breaking water and violently turned upside down.

With everything battened down and conditions far too dangerous to be on deck, there wasn't anything I could do but belt myself in and hold on. Under just the tiny storm jib, the big electric autopilot did an amazing job of holding us on course downwind, possibly or possibly not helped by my yells of encouragement! It was only the big rogue waves that hit at us at an angle (side on) that proved dangerous and caused the knockdowns.

(Emphasis added)

Remember we are talking about a 16 year old girl, not the toughest, hardened and most experienced sailors in the world, yet she sailed Hobart-Sydney, her final leg, as though it was a piece of cake compared to what she endured.

The 2011 Sydney-Horbart should be interesting:

Her crew of six other young Australians and three Britons will all be aged 21 or under, making them the youngest ever to compete in the blue water classic, with an average age of 19.
First Watson must turn 18, the youngest age allowed by the rules, which she will do on May 18.
The Young Australian of the Year, who last year became the youngest person to sail solo and unassisted around the world, made the announcement on Thursday at Sydney's Cruising Yacht Club (CYC).

Jessica Watson to skipper youngest crew in Sydney-Hobart yacht race

It’s not the first time Jess has been a skipper:

As training for her voyage, Watson crewed on a number of vessels, including OceansWatch's Magic Roundabout on which she acted as skipper during a crossing of the Tasman Sea.

(Wiki)

What’s interesting in the following video is the comment of one crew member who commented that Jess is not like other skippers, because “she doesn’t yell at me”:

Jessica Watson to head Sydney to Hobart crew

And a bit of a technical error in the media report; Mike Perham (one of Jessica’s crew, and her boyfriend, at latest report anyway) didn’t sail around the world unassisted. Only two teenagers have circumnavigated solo, non-stop and unassisted: Jessica Watson and Jessie Martin. All of the others were assisted or had stops.

Another report from Seven News:

Jessica Watson Sydney to Hobart news announcement..

Still, the naysayers, the doomsayers, the pessimists, and the armchair critics are still like sharks circling with criticism of this remarkable and ambitious young Australian lady. From the comfort of their lounge chairs, they have nothing but biting words for one of Australia’s true young legends. Thankfully, Jess ignores it all, and her dream continues unabated and undaunted by the negative comments of less courageous souls.

[_Ray A]

This will be my last contribution to this thread, as I'm moving on from this board. It has been very enjoyable. My final message is one that Jess already knows, and has lived:

DREAM BIG, and don't let others, especially the "experts", tell you what's "impossible".

Jessica Watson Go Jesse!.

[_RayAgostini]

Updates:

Meeting German fans:

Dreaming big while being an ordinary girl: meeting Jessica Watson..

And finally I got to meet her at the signing desk. I told her with stumbled words that she had inspired me to become more involved in things I am afraid of. And she had.

World Food Program:

Round-World Sailor Jessica Watson Named WFP Youth Rep.

“We are delighted to have Jessica on board. Her desire to make a difference to children’s lives, coupled with her boundless energy, will be a real asset,” said WFP Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, Amir Abdulla, who is visiting Canberra this week. “Jessica Watson is already inspiring young people in Australia and beyond and her leadership will ensure the voices of hungry school children are heard.”

You Tube: Kevin Rudd and the World Food Programme's new youth representative Jessica Watson.

Solo sailor Jessica Watson named UN youth representative against hunger

25 May 2011 –
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) appointed Jessica Watson of Australia, the youngest person to sail alone non-stop around the world, as the agency’s Youth Representative in support of the global fight against hunger…WFP provides school meals to an average of 22 million children each year in around 60 countries. School meals play a vital role in breaking the hunger-poverty cycle.

Jessica Patron for Flood Relief Appeal

Save the Bilby Fund:

The bilby is a nocturnal marsupial that has large ears, a silky light grey and white coat and a long black and white tail. They have a long snout and well-developed sense of smell to aid in finding food. Their large, hairless ears are extremely useful for listening for predators. The bilby is a bandicoot and the only surviving representative of the sub-family Thylacomyinae. It is one of the few medium-sized native mammals remaining in arid Australia.

Sunrise video: Supporting the Bilby

Ella's Pink Lady finds a way home

“Jess is a national hero and the Pink Lady is a significant piece of memorabilia, so I am so pleased the Queensland people will be able to see it at their leisure,” he said.

ONE YEAR SINCE JESSICA’S EPIC HOMECOMING

So after seven months at sea, Jessica then swapped the solitude for a hectic schedule of public engagements and philanthropic work over the past 12 months, which has been equally as impressive as her solo circumnavigation.
The highlights include:
• Writing a best-selling book titled True Spirit
• Travelled to every state of Australia to promote the book, as well as releasing the book in 11 countries, including book Tours in USA, France and Germany
• Released a documentary that was narrated by Sir Richard Branson
• Getting her driver’s licence on first attempt!
• Awarded the prestigious honour of Young Australian Of the Year
• Finishing schooling this week after an intensive 3 month intense course (Maths/English)
• Promoting the sport of sailing as QLD’s Ambassador for Perth 2011 ISAF World Championships
• Promoting the sport of sailing as an Ambassador for QLD's Season of Sailing
• Promoting the sport of sailing in China as an Ambassador for the China Cup
• Launched a Youth Sydney to Hobart Team to compete in this year’s Rolex Sydney to Hobart
• Guest Speaker to 4,000 Year 6-7 students at the Brisbane Halogen Young Leader’s Day
• Guest Speaker to 10,000 students at the National Young Leader’s conference in Sydney
• Attended the Trans-Tasman Leadership Conference in Auckland with the Young New Zealander of the Year
• Launched Microsoft's Imagine Cup being hosted in Australia in 2012
• Supporting the Save the Bilby Foundation to raise awareness of the Bilbie’s plight
• Ambassador for Australian Youth Climate Change coalition to help give young people a voice on climate change
• Participated in Government TV advertising campaign called ‘Get Reading’ which will air during September, encouraging people to read more
• Actively raising an online debate on her Blog & Facebook on the issue of lowering the voting age from 18

How it all began. The end of a 210 day journey around the world:
Jessica's final night

See Jessica Watson edging closer to Sydney as she approaches the final day of her journey.