Jessica Watson's Round-the-World Voyage

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by surfingminniwinni

To your credit Erica, you have been one of the few to admit it.
Now thank you for your suggestion! I will open a deep fried Crow take-away store at Sydney Harbour in May. I could make my fortune.

A person can wish an individual well even though they may feel the whole concept of supporting records encouraging “Youngest to…in a serious risk type of Endeavour” … is flawed!

That debate has been well aired and official conclusions have been made.

I am very happy that Jesse has accomplished her goal but that in no way changes my reservations about promoting youngest to (whatever)… in order to create media events.

BTW….My guess is May 2, 2010 at 10:12:30am local (Sydney) time.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

A person can wish an individual well even though they may feel the whole concept of supporting records encouraging “Youngest to…in a serious risk type of Endeavour” … is flawed!

That debate has been well aired and official conclusions have been made.

I am very happy that Jesse has accomplished her goal but that in no way changes my reservations about promoting youngest to (whatever)… in order to create media events.

BTW….My guess is May 2, 2010 at 10:12:30am local (Sydney) time.

I agree with everything you've written, Pelagic . . . but I have a major bone to pick with you: You've squeezed my window down to 23 minutes and 59 seconds! I suppose it could have been worse - you could have guessed 09:48:31 local (Sydney) time. I made my best guess almost three weeks ago, though, so . . .

TaoJones

[Pelagic]

Sorry Tao…. I haven’t studied the tides or even know if she will dock somewhere at Rushcutter’s Bay or a bigger Photo shoot at the Rocks with the opera house in the background.

Either way… if that is the right day it should be mid morning entry so as to catch the Lunch crowd and live noon coverage

[Coot's Away]

just posted -

"14-Apr-2010

"The tough conditions of the Southern Ocean over the past week have continued to confront Jessica today, as she battled six metre plus swells, cold stinging rain and wind gusts of 50 knots."

To read the rest of the item, go to:

http://jessicawatson.com.au/_webapp_...ue_for_Jessica

[Stillraining]

The Lass is going to be one fine little well rounded sailor by the time this is over...I'll never catch up to her abilitys in my time left .

[Wotname]

I am very happy to add my endorsement to all the positive comments about JW on this thread and especially

Originally Posted by Stillraining

The Lass is going to be one fine little well rounded sailor by the time this is over...I'll never catch up to her abilitys in my time left .

JW and her team has done an excellent job to date; let's hope that there are no nasty surprises in the final stages.

I for one will breathe a little easier once she rounds South East Cape (Tasmania) and leaves the Southern Ocean and I will relax once she closes on the Heads (Sydney) but l wont start celebrating until she steps ashore -'cause then the deed is done and can't be undone regardless of whatever fate throws up at her.

Sail safe Jessica and Godspeed.

[RichardInMd]

Jesse is dealing with a series of fronts as she heads to go south of Tasmania. She just took a knockdown as a wake up call from sleep in 10 meter swell. She more annoyed than anything, and made a joke about the Australian customs chopper comong out to remind her to check in!

From a technical perspective it looks like what might have happened is as Moitessier writes "After the low passes south of you in high southern latitudes, look out waves sent out toward your beam after the swell starts to calm down. The trailing end of the low sends waves from the south , as the low spins clockwise. What do you all think?

BTW What a little ripper!

Richard in Maryland

[neelie]

At last some recognition for the triumph of the human spirit! Which this whole thing was about. The freedom to pursue one's dream.

I have perused the Jessica- Fail thread recently and have noted the negative posters and the nastiness, cheap shots and bile that spewed forth.

This reminded me of a few lines from Omar Khayaham's poem; The Rubaiyat:

"The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it."

(clue: here's some sage advice to consider, from around 1150 A.D., before hitting the "submit reply" button next time)

As an Aussie I am so, so proud of the girl. The circumnavigation, in itself is a mighty achievement. Better yet is overcoming all the obstacles to get herself into a position to attempt the circumnavigation despite her numerous vocal detractors at home who are now suddenly quiet. If only we had 1000 more Jessicas in Australia we would be unbeatable. Sadly, we are a country, made up of the likes of the posters on the "Jessica - Fail" thread.

Equally, I am rooting for Abby Sunderland, what a gutsy effort; she is now having to race the weather window. She deserves accolades as well. I follow her with the same interest and support as I do Jessica.

I care not whether Jessica will be the youngest, this is irrelevant. She saw her Everest and she climbed it. At age 16. Not one of us on this forum can lay claim to having achieved this.

[slomotion]

Originally Posted by RichardInMd

From a technical perspective it looks like what might have happened is as Moitessier writes "After the low passes south of you in high southern latitudes, look out waves sent out toward your beam after the swell starts to calm down. The trailing end of the low sends waves from the south , as the low spins clockwise. What do you all think?

I'd forgotten that lows spin clockwise in the Southern Ocean, so this makes sense. The same thing happens when a low passes south of you in the Caribbean because it will normally be moving west. I've sailed in 20 foot swells, but 10 meter waves are a little out of my league. We also had a 34' boat, but neither the boat nor her skipper were in the same league with Ella's Pink Lady and Jessica.

[Ocean Girl]

Originally Posted by neelie

She saw her Everest and she climbed it.

very well said (the whole post) but this part, speaks to me and I am sure most of us... in a nut shell.

Erika

[RichardInMd]

Hello All,
Great comments. Jesse is climbing the final pitches of her Everest right now. This Everest is being climbed by a young women who as a seven year old was afraid of the water and sat on the beach watching the other kids go sailing! She once mentioned being terrified on a roller coaster.
I have been following her blog and posted a comment on every one of her blogs since October in support, when I saw how she came back from the Yang accident and criticism . There was also the hand delivered note from Andrew Short passed from an Aussie Volvo race navigator advising her not to do it because she lacked experience. Andrew Short and one of Austrialia's most experienced woman sailors died the next day on a warm up race for the Sydney Hobart on Short's race boat. She still went on and bravely sailed past the Heads, on a cloudy and forbidding day. I have made a blogspot at Jesse Watson Info with lots of links to the whole adventure. It looks like if she makes it,the record might last for a while. Here is a link to the the latest Abby news. Sad for her, but wise to get repairs. It always seemed her voyage was rushed . Abby's Blog: News

@Neelie I still don't understand the Top Poppy Syndrome in Australia. The Aussie's should celebrate their exceptional people! I ask an Aussie in Perth about this and she said that it, the TPS, made Aussies do more and more difficult things! It still is hard to read the comments I see from Aussies in the Australian newspapers about JW. Now they knock her for having sponsors! But the comments in her support are coming in too, which is good.

Richard

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by neelie

She saw her Everest and she climbed it. At age 16. Not one of us on this forum can lay claim to having achieved this.

I thought this too ironic to pass by. After scolding the forum generally for making negative posts, you make an ill-considered negative comment. There is no way for you to know what personal Everests have been scaled by the many people who participate in this forum.

How about you just congratulate Ms Watson without diminishing others.

[RichardInMd]

Lodesman,
You make a good point. I think Neelie was refering to attempting something on the scale of walking to the South Pole at such a young age, or some other heroic feat in the adventurer mode. But no one knows what personal struggles individuals on this forum have had, and what they have had to overcome. I know people that have to struggle with life threatening problems on a dailly basis. I don't know how they do it, and keep a positive attitude. And, for all we know, someone like Jamie is on this forum Jamie's Voyage I learned about Jamie's voyage from JWs blog. She posted his blog address and talked to him as they both sailed across the Australian bight in their S&S 34ers. Jamie is out crossing the Bass Strait right now, trying to beat the nasty low that is coming behind him. Speaking of climbing a Mt Everest!
The human spirit is an amazing thing!

Richard

PS After you read the blog entry above about Jamie, check out his website Jamie Dunross: Solo 1

[Wotname]

Am I the only one who is concerned that some seem to think that because Jessica has come so far (and in home waters) that she will "automatically" succeed in her quest.

I want her to succeed but I am cautious in predicating her success until she closes Sydney Heads. She is still in the Southern Ocean and from what I understand, the west coast of Tasmania can be difficult.

The forecast for the next couple of days is not great with winds between 30 and 50 kts. I know she has prevailed so far but nothing is certain at sea.

Keep her in your thoughts at least until she turns north up the east coast.

[Talbot]

Hi Geoff

The guy that coined the saying:

"It ain't over until it's over"

knew what he was talking about! I hope she succceeds.