Jessica Watson's Round-the-World Voyage

[04 Marine]

Hi Mike,

Even a trip around the world has to have rules. She is headed north to comply with one of the rules. To be a true circumnavigation she need to have sailed on both sides of the equator. Accordingly, she is headed north so as to cross the equator before going back to the south towards Cape Horn. There are a number of rules that must be adheared to, you should take a look at her web page as she has clearly spelled out what she must accomplish.

[MikeinLA]

Originally Posted by 04 Marine

Hi Mike,

Even a trip around the world has to have rules. She is headed north to comply with one of the rules. To be a true circumnavigation she need to have sailed on both sides of the equator. Accordingly, she is headed north so as to cross the equator before going back to the south towards Cape Horn. There are a number of rules that must be adheared to, you should take a look at her web page as she has clearly spelled out what she must accomplish.

Thanks, Marine, I never knew that. I'll read up on her site.

Mike

[surfingminniwinni]

Thanks paradix,

From her website.

"This map is designed to provide a visual indication only of Jessica’s journey. The locations shown are only a point of reference, the GPS is not exact and none of the information should be used for navigational purposes."

As it should be, I feel lucky that we have even this.

[speakeasy]

Good! The voyage is finally underway. It's a relief. I imagine she felt the same getting away from land and the hoopla. Going to the equator, eh? That's up along a line eastward from the top of Irian Jaya at the west end of New Guinea.

[GMac]

Opps, 1st look at that picture and I thought she had crashed into Australia

You go girl!!

[llyrisk]

I've just finished reading Jesse Martin's book, "Lionheart", about his 11 month solo RTW trip. I don't know whether I misunderstood the information I read in Jessica's blog and elsewhere about her planned sleeping. It seems to state that she will get by on a series of short catnaps of 20 to 40 minutes most of the time, which I think would be debilitating over eight months. Yet Jesse's book indicated that for a lot of the time he was sleeping for hours at a stretch, sometimes for most of the night (or day, which he seemed to favour) only getting up if the alarm on his radar went off, or he was woken by something untoward, like flapping sails or sudden movement of the boat. Can you please set me straight on this Paradix, or someone else who can recall exactly what reiable information has been published?
Also, I was interested to read that Jesse had a rendezvous on water with his mother, brother and Gran around the mid point of his trip, in the Azores. The boats, and occupants of course, were not allowed to touch, but they were able see each other and talk across the water. Also he was given a whole pile of letters from family and friends, which had to first be inspected by a legal representative to ensure that they contained nothing that could be considered "assistance". I would imagine that would be an big psychological boost, as it was planned beforehand and in a way divided the trip into two separate goals. Is there anywhere around the middle of Jessica's route where this might be possible, if her family were so inclined?

[paradix]

Originally Posted by llyrisk

I've just finished reading Jesse Martin's book, "Lionheart", about his 11 month solo RTW trip. I don't know whether I misunderstood the information I read in Jessica's blog and elsewhere about her planned sleeping. It seems to state that she will get by on a series of short catnaps of 20 to 40 minutes most of the time, which I think would be debilitating over eight months. Yet Jesse's book indicated that for a lot of the time he was sleeping for hours at a stretch, sometimes for most of the night (or day, which he seemed to favour) only getting up if the alarm on his radar went off, or he was woken by something untoward, like flapping sails or sudden movement of the boat. Can you please set me straight on this Paradix, or someone else who can recall exactly what reiable information has been published?
Also, I was interested to read that Jesse had a rendezvous on water with his mother, brother and Gran around the mid point of his trip, in the Azores. The boats, and occupants of course, were not allowed to touch, but they were able see each other and talk across the water. Also he was given a whole pile of letters from family and friends, which had to first be inspected by a legal representative to ensure that they contained nothing that could be considered "assistance". I would imagine that would be an big psychological boost, as it was planned beforehand and in a way divided the trip into two separate goals. Is there anywhere around the middle of Jessica's route where this might be possible, if her family were so inclined?

There has been a lot of research into polyphasic sleep (getting your sleep in smaller bursts rather than in one big sleep each 24hrs) which indicates that, once adjusted to, it can be a successful way of managing fatigue for solo rtw sailors. I believe Kay Cottee used a strategy of 20-40min power naps on her successful curcumnavigation. Google "polyphasic sleep" and you'll get a wealth of information.

I'm not sure about Jesse Martin, but from what I've read I think he would have used a similar strategy when in busy or dangerous waters, but more traditional sleep patterns at other times. I suspect though, that even when sleeping "through the night" (or day), he would have been awake several times during that period and checking the boat and instruments briefly before going back to sleep. Most sailors will be familiar with this - like the first night in a new anchorage, when (whether you choose to or not) you're often awake every hour or so and popping your head through the hatch to make sure you're not dragging anchor...

I imagine Jessica will be using similar sleep strategies to Kay Cottee and Jesse Martin.

Regarding the mid-journey rendezvouz, I don't know of any plans for that to happen, and in fact Jessica's route is not particularly well suited to such a meeting. I guess off the Falkland Islands might be an option. I'm not sure about the psychological aspect either: Jesse Martin has described the meeting as both the high point and the low point of his voyage, and it was difficult for him to adjust back to being alone after such a short meeting. Also, reading Jessica's blog today you'll be aware that she has much more daily phone contact with her family than he did, which might lessen the need for a physical meeting.

[Solitude]

Originally Posted by GMac

Opps, 1st look at that picture and I thought she had crashed into Australia

You go girl!!

LOL Ha Ha

Sorry......

[mt gay rum]

Ok Sailors,, When Jessica reaches that magical line and turns SE toward the Cape ,, Based on 100-140 nm daily ,,what is the time frame to reach the Cape.?? Then when she arrives closer and weather is not favorable where can she "wait so to speak" ...Then time frame from cape to cape.....

And yes i could figure it out but like to hear your opinions!!!!!!

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by mt gay rum

Ok Sailors,, When Jessica reaches that magical line and turns SE toward the Cape ,, Based on 100-140 nm daily ,,what is the time frame to reach the Cape.?? Then when she arrives closer and weather is not favorable where can she "wait so to speak" ...Then time frame from cape to cape.....

And yes i could figure it out but like to hear your opinions!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Voice of Reason

Congrats. on this thread. Good reading.
I don't personally believe Jessica is all that concerned about the record for "The youngest Round", I think the trip is the goal and the record "the means to the end".
Where she will wait if necessary for a weather break before rounding the cape??? The mind boggles! Would be interested in a few opinions.

I expect that she will head south pretty smartly after crossing the line to get out of the cyclone zone which begins around now. I am guessing that she will make easting and southing as dictated by the actual weather patterns. Once south of the cyclone area she will want to ride the westerly flow around 40S. This is NOT a constant flow, rather it is an average of the north to west to south winds surrounding the eastward moving depressions.

As to a weather window for the Horn, this will be determined as she moves south to the mid to high fiftes of S lat. on the inbound run to this cape. With good shore based weather routing, she will be able to move north or south and / or slow up so that she doesn't cop a strong front approaching or while in Drakes passage.

After that, according to her website, it north at bit, clear the Flaklands and then the long haul to Tasmania about 10,000 nm so say 100 days.

In my mind, this is going to be the tough bit, cold, grey, wet, windy and lonely. Going south is shorter but much tougher; I am thinking she will oscillate between 35S and 45S moving north or south as applicable being driven along by the depressions.

Anyway, this is what I would do, JW may be smarter than me and certainly her team collectivly should be smarter than me (I hope ).

[mt gay rum]

Wotname,,, Thanks for the reply...Good info...... Lol here is a cut out of jessica's blog today ...

Have passed 2000 miles today and my best guess is around 16 days to the equator, but it could be anything as it is all weather dependant over the next few weeks.

The Equator is 1650 nautical miles from her current position. It is still too early to predict an exact date that Jessica will cross the line, but based on her current progress, this could occur on the weekend of 21-22 November.

This Sunday will mark three weeks since Jessica’s departure from Sydney Harbour, when she is expected to pass 2,300 nautical miles, 10% of the way through her epic journey.

Like I have read :: one mile futher is one mile closer!!!!!

Jessica's blog: http://www.youngestround.blogspot.com/

[c-kow]

is the record based on the youngest to leave or the youngest to arrive back home?
because I imagine if she waited too long she could lose the record

[Voice of Reason]

Originally Posted by c-kow

is the record based on the youngest to leave or the youngest to arrive back home?
because I imagine if she waited too long she could lose the record

Congrats. on this thread. Good reading.
I don't personally believe Jessica is all that concerned about the record for "The youngest Round", I think the trip is the goal and the record "the means to the end".
Where she will wait if necessary for a weather break before rounding the cape??? The mind boggles! Would be interested in a few opinions.

[paradix]

Strictly speaking, and with apologies to The Matrix , "there is no record..."

See earlier posts and in particular Other Kinds of Sailing Records

As you'll see on that WSSRC website, when there was a record (for youngest non-stop singlehanded navigation) it was held by Jesse Martin, and related to the age on arriving back home.

Jessica is targetting the achievement of following the WSSRC definitions of "singlehanded", "non-stop" and "unassisted" and arriving back home younger than Jesse Martin was when he achieved the same feat.

However her first and central personal goal is to sail safely around the world as a teenager, and she wouldn't hesitate to forgo any one of the "conditions" if it would be reckless to carry on.

[kcmarcet]

I don't remember seeing this question answered and was curious about it. If JW has a mechanical issue, can she ask for advise via radio or sat phone? It would seem to me that would be allowed as no one is really assisting her physically.