Should a 16 Year Old Be Allowed to Set Sail on Such a Dangerous Voyage? The challenge:
Australian teenager, Jessica Watson has struck more than a sea-going freighter in her plans to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world. Her dream is being condemned by many as “reckless”, but she refuses to back down amid the publicity her plans have attracted.
As if nothing more could go wrong, Jessica is now mourning the loss of one of her mentors, Andrew Short (a veteran of 16 Sydney to Hobart races) and his friend Sally Gordon (a highly experienced ocean yacht racer) in a freak accident off the New South Wales south coast early on Saturday, 10 October. Mr Short and Ms Gordon were killed when their yacht was smashed into pieces on a rocky island south of Sydney.
Prior to this tragedy, Jessica had not confirmed a departure date, but she is still determined to set sail on her record-breaking attempt.
Inspired by Kay Cottee , the first woman to sail solo non-stop unassisted around the world, and Jesse Martin , the youngest person so far to achieve the feat, Jessica (a schoolgirl from the Sunshine Coast in Queensland) is taking on a huge challenge. She wants to break Jesse Martin’s record.
Jesse, who sailed from Port Phillip Bay, in Victoria, Australia to set the record in 1999, celebrated his 18th birthday during his journey. Jessica wants to return home before she turns 17 in May 2010 to take a year off Jesse’s record.
The sea voyage is more than 40,000km – a distance that is expected to take between seven and eight months.
The yacht:
Jessica’s yacht is a Sparkman and Stephens 34, which became famous after Jon Sanders, David Dicks and Jesse Martin used the brand of yacht for their history-making solo circumnavigations. Sparkman and Stephens yachts are popular vessels used in the Sydney to Hobart blue water classic.
Off to a bad start:
The 16-year-old adventurer arrived in Sydney on Monday, 6 October, after a five-day trial trip from the Gold Coast on her yacht Ella’s Pink Lady .
It was her second trial run to Sydney. On 9 September, her first voyage ended prematurely when her yacht collided with a 63,000-tonne cargo vessel off North Stradbroke Island, Queensland.
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Jessica Watson – Aussie Girl to Sail Solo Around the World
Written by Susan Jane I am a professional technical and creative writer/editor with 27 years’ experience in the IT industry and business sector. In addition, I write and publish fiction books and instructional bo… - Full profile
