Jessica Watson's Round-the-World Voyage

[Ocean Girl]

That puts her around the cape around January. The pilot chart says...well its mostly out of the west, southwest with 30-40% vessels reporting force 7 winds. There will be ice, or at least she will be below the extreme limit for glacier ice. Anyone else read that the same? I need to brush up on my pilot charts. The Mid Atlantic chart I used in my crewing days read in knots for wind speed on the rose, this one reads in gales, and there are a lot of "flags a flyin" if ya know what I mean. She really seems to be eating up the miles.

My cat went missing a few nights ago and, along with being totally bummed out, it got me thinking about singlehanding offshore without my cat. Many singlehanders have/had an animal aboard, Jessica does not. Frankly, that impresses me most. I don't think I could do that, I have always sailed with a human (well that could be up for debate ) or I have singlhanded with a cat or dog aboard. Funny, maybe I could add this to the "What is the definition of Solo, unassisted RTW thread" .

Erika

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

That puts her around the cape around January. The pilot chart says...well its mostly out of the west, southwest with 30-40% vessels reporting force 7 winds. There will be ice, or at least she will be below the extreme limit for glacier ice. Anyone else read that the same? I need to brush up on my pilot charts. The Mid Atlantic chart I used in my crewing days read in knots for wind speed on the rose, this one reads in gales, and there are a lot of "flags a flyin" if ya know what I mean. She really seems to be eating up the miles.

My cat went missing a few nights ago and, along with being totally bummed out, it got me thinking about singlehanding offshore without my cat. Many singlehanders have/had an animal aboard, Jessica does not. Frankly, that impresses me most. I don't think I could do that, I have always sailed with a human (well that could be up for debate ) or I have singlhanded with a cat or dog aboard. Funny, maybe I could add this to the "What is the definition of Solo, unassisted RTW thread" .

Erika

Yes but think how demoralizing or depressing for her if that said animal was to get lost at sea...I think she is wise to not have another potential mind bender aboard.

Every week she is out there I get more excited....Kool Kid...very cool kid indeed.

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

That puts her around the cape around January. The pilot chart says...well its mostly out of the west, southwest with 30-40% vessels reporting force 7 winds. There will be ice, or at least she will be below the extreme limit for glacier ice.

The winds are alternately from the NW before a front, then switch suddenly to SW after the front, and then die away to nothing for about 6 hours until they start up again from the N before the next front. 30% force 7 and above is about right.

THere is typically no ice right around the horn, you usually have to go quite a ways south there to get ice. BUT around South Georgia, a bit further east at the ame latitude, there can be quite a bit of ice.

Another danger area, that is not as well known or discussed is further east around the kerguelen islands - typicaly bad weather and nasty seas there. We have known quite a few boats get dismasted there.

[Ocean Girl]

Thanks estarzinger, that is some great info. That does reflect the rose for that area. I was a bit unsure if I was reading the pilot correctly, it indicated SW winds just as likely as NW winds, with a westerly average. I need to look up where the Kerguelen Islands are.
Cheers,

Erika

[TaoJones]

Jessica Watson is now just a couple of hundred nm from the equator, so she should be crossing the line within the next couple of days. From her latest blog entry, she writes:

After crossing the line I'll be sailing north another 200nm up around Kiribati Island, my rounding point in the northern hemisphere, then south back across the line and on to Cape Horn.

I posted the quote as evidence, probably, that Ms. Watson is not doing her own navigating. Chances are very good that her "team" in Australia are not only weather-routing her, but handling the navigation, as well.

Why do I say that?

Well, there is no "Kiribati island." Kiribati, the shortened version of The Republic of Kiribati, is actually a country, and it is composed of several islands. It now appears that she is intending to round Kiritimati before heading for Cape Horn.

In the local dialect there, "ti" carries the English "s" sound - thus, Kiribati is pronounced KEER ih bahs, and is the local pronunciation for "Gilberts." Kiribati is actualy an amalgamation of islands that formerly were parts of the Gilbert, Phoenix and Line Islands, with the Line Island group representing the eastern extremity of the nation.

Kiritimati, the major island in the former Line Islands, is the apparent rounding point for Ms. Watson. It is pronounced KEER is mahs - say it out loud, slowly, and you will discover that it is the Gilbertese way of saying Christmas.

So it looks like she will be having a very early Christmas, this year.

Here are a couple of informative links:

Kiribati - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kiritimati - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

TaoJones

[paradix]

Originally Posted by TaoJones

Chances are very good that her "team" in Australia are not only weather-routing her, but handling the navigation, as well.

TaoJones

Can I ask why posters on this forum continually put quotation marks around the word team when referring to Jessica's support team? My interpretation is that there is a derogatory implication - that the quotation marks are somehow a put-down of those people. I'm a little insulted if that is the case, and more than a little perplexed. I don't know about elsewhere in the world, but down here Team is a positive word describing people working together for a common goal. I feel a certain positive pride, and certainly no shame, in being a (peripheral) member of Jessica's team. My apologies if I am misinterpreting your use of quotation marks.

Jessica's weather information is being provided by Bob McDavitt, who is based in New Zealand, not Australia.

I have no doubt that Jessica is an excellent navigator and knows exactly where she is going. As I understand it, her blogs are sent to her land-based support team who tidy and post them from shore, and since their navigation and sailing abilities are likely to be much poorer than Jessica's, it's likely that the translation from Kiritimati to Kiribati happened on shore and not on the boat.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by paradix

Can I ask why posters on this forum continually put quotation marks around the word team when referring to Jessica's support team? My interpretation is that there is a derogatory implication - that the quotation marks are somehow a put-down of those people. I'm a little insulted if that is the case, and more than a little perplexed. I don't know about elsewhere in the world, but down here Team is a positive word describing people working together for a common goal. I feel a certain positive pride, and certainly no shame, in being a (peripheral) member of Jessica's team. My apologies if I am misinterpreting your use of quotation marks.

Jessica's weather information is being provided by Bob McDavitt, who is based in New Zealand, not Australia.

I have no doubt that Jessica is an excellent navigator and knows exactly where she is going. As I understand it, her blogs are sent to her land-based support team who tidy and post them from shore, and since their navigation and sailing abilities are likely to be much poorer than Jessica's, it's likely that the translation from Kiritimati to Kiribati happened on shore and not on the boat.

A fair point Paradix and while I am in general a JW supporter, I can't help thinking that this is NOT a SOLO RTW voyage if she is getting serious assistance from a shore based team. While she is free to make the trip however she wants to and use her own definitions as to what SOLO constitutes, for me solo means by oneself without any other assistance.

I accept that she needed assistance before departing and that is in line with what most sailors do but after waving goodbye, well she should be on her own IM(not so humble)O.

[paradix]

Originally Posted by Wotname

A fair point Paradix and while I am in general a JW supporter, I can't help thinking that this is NOT a SOLO RTW voyage if she is getting serious assistance from a shore based team. While she is free to make the trip however she wants to and use her own definitions as to what SOLO constitutes, for me solo means by oneself without any other assistance.

I accept that she needed assistance before departing and that is in line with what most sailors do but after waving goodbye, well she should be on her own IM(not so humble)O.

A fair comment, and what one person defines as solo may always differ from another's. But has ANY solo RTW voyager in recent decades NOT used outside weather assistance? And done all their own forecasting by looking at the sea and skies around them only? Apart from getting guidance on the weather (which seems to me logical and sensible), I'm not sure what other "serious assistance" you're inferring that she's getting... Unless asking Mum where the cheese is stowed counts.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by paradix

Can I ask why posters on this forum continually put quotation marks around the word team when referring to Jessica's support team? My interpretation is that there is a derogatory implication - that the quotation marks are somehow a put-down of those people. I'm a little insulted if that is the case, and more than a little perplexed. I don't know about elsewhere in the world, but down here Team is a positive word describing people working together for a common goal. I feel a certain positive pride, and certainly no shame, in being a (peripheral) member of Jessica's team. My apologies if I am misinterpreting your use of quotation marks.

Jessica's weather information is being provided by Bob McDavitt, who is based in New Zealand, not Australia.

I have no doubt that Jessica is an excellent navigator and knows exactly where she is going. As I understand it, her blogs are sent to her land-based support team who tidy and post them from shore, and since their navigation and sailing abilities are likely to be much poorer than Jessica's, it's likely that the translation from Kiritimati to Kiribati happened on shore and not on the boat.

I take your point, paradix, but nothing derogatory was intended in my use of the quotation marks around the word "team." Rather, I did so because, while I have seen references to her "team" in print previously, I have no knowledge if it refers to one person on shore, or ten, or a hundred. I did come away with the impression, however, that there is some sort of organized effort supporting her voyage from within Australia, and I don't just mean those with a rooting interest in her endeavor.

In fact, it would be wonderful if you would inform the readers of this Forum as to your understanding of who the persons are who comprise Team Ella's Pink Lady. In addition to her parents and her weather router, there are undoubtedly others who deal with certain specific aspects of the myriad details in support of her effort. You would seem to be the right person, in the right place, to flesh that out, paradix.

Or if, in fact, there is no "team," as such - just a loose confederation of interested parties who are providing some form of support when, and as, they can - that would be interesting to know, as well.

I hope this explanation clears up any misunderstanding for you, paradix. No derogatory sub-text was either intended, or to be inferred, in my use of quotation marks around "team." Who knew that four little dashes carried such power?

TaoJones

[paradix]

Originally Posted by TaoJones

I take your point, paradix, but nothing derogatory was intended in my use of the quotation marks around the word "team." Rather, I did so because, while I have seen references to her "team" in print previously, I have no knowledge if it refers to one person on shore, or ten, or a hundred. I did come away with the impression, however, that there is some sort of organized effort supporting her voyage from within Australia, and I don't just mean those with a rooting interest in her endeavor.

In fact, it would be wonderful if you would inform the readers of this Forum as to your understanding of who the persons are who comprise Team Ella's Pink Lady. In addition to her parents and her weather router, there are undoubtedly others who deal with certain specific aspects of the myriad details in support of her effort. You would seem to be the right person, in the right place, to flesh that out, paradix.

Or if, in fact, there is no "team," as such - just a loose confederation of interested parties who are providing some form of support when, and as, they can - that would be interesting to know, as well.

I hope this explanation clears up any misunderstanding for you, paradix. No derogatory sub-text was either intended, or to be inferred, in my use of quotation marks around "team." Who knew that four little dashes carried such power?

TaoJones

Jessica has introduced members of her shore team at length in her blogs. For example:

Jessicawatson.com.au: One Week Down and the Shore Crew

I'm not sure you can put a specific boundary around where a team starts and ends - I would count everyone who has put some of their personal time and energy into assisting Jessica with her endeavours, and that stretches back several years and encompasses literally hundreds of people, many if not most of whom are still on hand if not actually regularly involved.

If people see that as diminishing her voyage because she's not doing it all alone, then so be it. Personally I think it is a testament to her skill, commitment, maturity and positive approach that she has been able to actively assemble such an enthusiastic and able group of people around her.

[SvenG]

Originally Posted by paradix

As I understand it, her blogs are sent to her land-based support team who tidy and post them from shore

That explains it ! Too bad it isn't made clear anywhere "official" as it would lend credibility to her accomplishments. "Officially" we are left to believe that she is writing what we see on her blog. Since her mother explained that Jessica's dyslexia is so severe that she couldn't spell her name or learn the alphabet when she started school, the natural conclusion was that her blog is actually completely ghost-written.

Once again, her handlers are doing her a disservice by not being forthright and honest. The last month has shown that Jessica is indeed up to the task of solo sailing under at least cruising conditions. That is more than I would have given her credit for after "the incident", mostly because the spin machine destroyed her credibility.

I hope she'll surprise us again and that the "team" will stay out of the way so she can shine on her own, real merits.


-Sven

[paradix]

Originally Posted by SvenG

That explains it ! Too bad it isn't made clear anywhere "official" as it would lend credibility to her accomplishments.
-Sven

Actually she states it plainly in her blog on the link above.

[Bark]

Originally Posted by SvenG

"Officially" we are left to believe that she is writing what we see on her blog. Since her mother explained that Jessica's dyslexia is so severe that she couldn't spell her name or learn the alphabet when she started school, the natural conclusion was that her blog is actually completely ghost-written.

That's very disappointing.

Pretty regularly I notice some pretty glaring spelling, usage or punctutation errors in her blogs. But it's a rare 16-year old whose writing skills are perfected, so I accepted it as part of reading a teen's journal.

Is it a definite fact that her parents are the ones actually writing the blog entries?

[GMac]

Originally Posted by TaoJones

Well, there is no "Kiribati island." Kiribati, the shortened version of The Republic of Kiribati, is actually a country, and it is composed of several islands. It now appears that she is intending to round Kiritimati before heading for Cape Horn.

In the local dialect there, "ti" carries the English "s" sound - thus, Kiribati is pronounced KEER ih bahs, and is the local pronunciation for "Gilberts." Kiribati is actualy an amalgamation of islands that formerly were parts of the Gilbert, Phoenix and Line Islands, with the Line Island group representing the eastern extremity of the nation.

Kiritimati, the major island in the former Line Islands, is the apparent rounding point for Ms. Watson. It is pronounced KEER is mahs - say it out loud, slowly, and you will discover that it is the Gilbertese way of saying Christmas.

I live there for a year and the people are a fantastic bunch. Mind you one step past Kiribati and you do fall off the edge of the world. She's not what you would call 21st Centruy, even 19th would be a struggle.

They only have 13 letters in their alphabet and own more of the Pacific Ocean than any other country. Main exports are coconuts and cheap labour to German shipping companies.

OK my take on this 'solo' thing. She is in the boat by herself so is sailing solo. If it all goes bad she will have to sort it all out by herself. As much as any non-quote marked Team is helping she is out there by herself.

Sure she is getting input from off the boat but how many cruisers here say "I'm just checking my weather" when in fact they are looking at info that was done by someone else and weather faxed/emails/whatever abroad.

Peter Blake won the Whitbread Race. Yes he did but along with a dozen or so others aboard and a shore team. Ellen McArther took the Around the World title but had assistance from off the boat. There are next to no boats plying the waters who are doing it 'solo' as in by themselves with no outside input. Yes there is a few but they are a tiny minority, very tiny. None of those seemed to have attracted so much 'discussion'.

In my books, if her boat sinks and I hope like hell it doesn't but if it did, it would be her arse and her arse only that goes down with it. That to me is 'solo'.

Bob McDavit, what a legend. Shortish, plumbish with a full on Santa almost white beard who is so passionate about weather it's scary. If you want a good laugh ask him about Global Warming and he's off like a rapid dog who just had a pile of Energiser batteries jambed up it's bum. Bloody funny. But a man who knows his stuff, that is for sure.

[hoppy]

The real truth is that her "support team" is actually based in the US in Area 51. They are using captured alien technology to beam a hard light hologram on to her boat to give her crew assistance, accept as the crew are still physically in Area 51 and not on her boat, the record attempt stands as no one ever thought to cover this possibility in the rules.

Some of you guys are never happy with anything she does. Are you afraid because she is just a "sweet 16" who is doing something that many of you wouldn't have the balls to do?