Jessica Watson's Round-the-World Voyage

[Jim D]

The picture used in the article which RichardinMD pointed out is now the latest addition to JW's blog. You can see it a little better there.

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[Nauticatarcher]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

Interesting. While Jessica has been holding to the west of Tasmania it looks like Jeanne Socrates has sailed right through the Bass Strait. At least her latest position report shows her exiting the east side.

If thats the case she has changed her aim to sail around the five great capes as she has now missed one.
One of the reasons jessica wants to come south of Tasmania is a wish to have sailed south of the Five capes, but not necessarily onthis trip as she has been south of NZ previously

[sailorbyfate]

Congratulations to Jessica for rounding the South East Cape of Tasmania before dawn. That puts her about 600 nautical miles south of Sydney.

[sec906]

Wow. She's almost done!

[sabray]

Originally Posted by sec906

Wow. She's almost done!

No degration of this attempt. But would not it have been so much cooler if she stopped and saw some culture. Bag the non stop thing grahams dove journey was a travel and adventure. This reads a lit more like a stunt. You go Jessica not trying to defame your accomplishment. Just not understanding why. Only thing that seems significant is a record for the youngest. Doesn't exite me so much but it is a feet good to yaa. Congatultions from one who still thinks you missed an opportunity but the public relstions people know better.

[paradix]

Originally Posted by sabray

No degration of this attempt. But would not it have been so much cooler if she stopped and saw some culture. Bag the non stop thing grahams dove journey was a travel and adventure. This reads a lit more like a stunt. You go Jessica not trying to defame your accomplishment. Just not understanding why. Only thing that seems significant is a record for the youngest. Doesn't exite me so much but it is a feet good to yaa. Congatultions from one who still thinks you missed an opportunity but the public relstions people know better.

I would agree if this was a one-off exploit, but Jess is a devoted sailor who has a lifetime of sailing left in her. She has said many times this will only be her first circumnavigation, and she'll be back to stop and explore many many places in the future. I would see this first circumnavigation as a voyage of personal (internal) exploration and challenge, and of course it will provide a very sound base (of experience and financial means) to support her future journeys.

[sabray]

Originally Posted by paradix

I would agree if this was a one-off exploit, but Jess is a devoted sailor who has a lifetime of sailing left in her. She has said many times this will only be her first circumnavigation, and she'll be back to stop and explore many many places in the future. I would see this first circumnavigation as a voyage of personal (internal) exploration and challenge, and of course it will provide a very sound base (of experience and financial means) to support her future journeys.

Fair enough happy she's almost home. Do think though that another tact may have had more opportunity for growth. I've seen quite a few sailors get a bit cracked/jarred being Alone to long.

[John A]

Jessie is doing what she said she was going to do!

How many of us can say the same?

Her determination and up-beat sprit should be used as an inspiration for young and old alike.
It's been our pleasure to to sail vicariously with her since mid-October.
For that I thank her.

[RichardInMd]

Originally Posted by sabray

No degration of this attempt. But would not it have been so much cooler if she stopped and saw some culture. Bag the non stop thing grahams dove journey was a travel and adventure. This reads a lit more like a stunt. You go Jessica not trying to defame your accomplishment. Just not understanding why. Only thing that seems significant is a record for the youngest. Doesn't exite me so much but it is a feet good to yaa. Congatultions from one who still thinks you missed an opportunity but the public relstions people know better.

There are many reasons that Jesse, not her PR people! , chose the RTW record attempt. Stopping at ports would have been inappropriate, given that the upper Indian Ocean and other places are alive with pirates, and sadly, the world is not the same place it was in Robin Lee Grahams day.
However, the main reason Jesse chose the RTW challenge, as Paradix mentioned, is that as a hard core sailor, she wanted to show that she could compete with anyone when it came to the hard stuff. She was also trying to beat the record of Jesse Martin, who originally inpired her, as well as pushing her own personal limits. When we find out what the last weeks of the trip were like, I think we will be very impressed at the degree of seamanship and grit involved.

Richard

[Jim D]

I think what she is doing is Totally Cool, To The Max, Period!

So for this observer, the answer is: No, it would not have been "so much cooler if she stopped" to see some culture.

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[DeepFrz]

Gutsy young woman. She has my respect. I always wanted to do Cape Horn but never did and it looks like I never will. I send her all my best wishes for a safe finish and all the best for the future.

[sec906]

Here's an unsettling twist to the story: Sail-World.com : Jessica Watson: Keeping the Record Straight

[sailorbyfate]

If you want to nitpick, her course around Cape Agulhas did not meet the WSSRC definition of a rounding. (I am assuming that her posted positions are accurate. They may have been significantly fudged to thwart gawkers and ill-doers.) Some will say that the amount of support she got from her team should preclude her from claiming "unassisted".

But she achieved her dream. She was well-prepared, resourceful, and tough. She's a very good writer and her tale will be an inspiration to many, especially the young. I hope and expect that the trivial claims of disqualification will be completely drowned out by her well-deserved accolades.

[Stillraining]

This is sobering and disheartening news to me personally...And I can say I thought about this from day one...wondering how anyone can do a circumnavigation in such high latitudes to incur the needed mileage...but I leave it to others smarter or at least more interested in facts to sort out all that is required or needed....It was jokingly poses in some thread at onetime that all one had to do was circle Antarctica and it would count....I know that was tong in cheek but misinformation is out there..

I guess if she has the food and the gumption she could sail around Australia once and put it to bed for good.

[GordMay]

The whole concept of a "record" implies that there is an official body doing the recording. There is one internationally recognized official body when it comes to sailing records, and that's the World Speed Sailing Record Council (WSSRC). It is the only organization recognized by the International Sailing Federation (the international governing body for the sport of sailing) in this regard. Claims that Jessica Watson become the youngest person to sail solo around the world won't make this an official world sailing record in the eyes of the WSSRC, no matter how often it's repeated in cyberspace or the so-called "mainstream" media.

Why do we care? Why not give Jedssica her day in the sun?
If members of the media and Jessica’s sponsors allege or imply that this is a true world sailing record, they steal the glory from those who actually have achieved official and ratified sailing records themselves. It's a shame that in these days of 24-hour media, when Twitter is seen as news, and Wikipedia a reliable source of information, the whole idea of reporting has become more about parroting press releases than actually performing research.

Go Jessica! In spit of my doubts about the wisdom of challenging this dream at such a tender age, yours will (I hope) be a remarkable achievement, even if not a true “record”.