Jessica Watson's Round-the-World Voyage

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by 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.

I think you've got it right - she can accept any type of information, and remain "unassisted".

[osirissail]

I would assume that such "assistance" is not considered "physical assistance" - after all she has weather routers and others constantly "assisting" her. But remember the two major record "judging" organizations no longer recognize "youngest RTW" so she is "unofficial" and can set her own rules and standards and make any claim she wants.

[Eleven]

I just watched the re-run of the young brit who did the youngest stopping rtw. His limit was his age at completion, which sort of makes sense.
My concern for this young Lady is the forties and fifties, and finding that hole in the weather, or putting up with mayhem, until past Assie NZ and then 5 weeks solitary across the Great Pacific. Tired, lonely, challenging and changeable weather and no company at all. No fishing boats, no cargo ships, no sailors. Just sea, weather and clouds and a boat that is past it's best by then.

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by osirissail

I would assume that such "assistance" is not considered "physical assistance" - after all she has weather routers and others constantly "assisting" her. But remember the two major record "judging" organizations no longer recognize "youngest RTW" so she is "unofficial" and can set her own rules and standards and make any claim she wants.

But there is still Guinness to play buy....

[kcmarcet]

Well all records aside, I think I noticed that one of her sponsors is a publishing company. I am sure that they have the right to the book she will wright after her attempt, whether she is successful or not. It might very well prove to be interesting reading about what the world by sea looks like from the eyes of a teenage girl.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Eleven

I just watched the re-run of the young brit who did the youngest stopping rtw. His limit was his age at completion, which sort of makes sense.
My concern for this young Lady is the forties and fifties, and finding that hole in the weather, or putting up with mayhem, until past Assie NZ and then 5 weeks solitary across the Great Pacific. Tired, lonely, challenging and changeable weather and no company at all. No fishing boats, no cargo ships, no sailors. Just sea, weather and clouds and a boat that is past it's best by then.

I am guessing you mean across the South Atlantic and Indian (Southern Ocean) which is where she will spend most of the time below 40S.

She has the east coast of Assie (sic) and NZ behind her now and will spend the greater part of the Pacific in the temperate and topic zones.

As previously posted, I am assuming this is an intentional strategy to bed her into the boat and solo aspects before hitting potentially tough weather of the Southern Ocean.

Perhaps the solitude is an attraction, it would be for me, but then again I am not a female teenager. Hey, I could be - this is the internet....

Opps... forgot to add, there is a considerable fishing fleet in the SO and cargo vessels still transit Cape Horn AFAIK.

[paradix]

Originally Posted by osirissail

I would assume that such "assistance" is not considered "physical assistance" - after all she has weather routers and others constantly "assisting" her. But remember the two major record "judging" organizations no longer recognize "youngest RTW" so she is "unofficial" and can set her own rules and standards and make any claim she wants.

Well, strictly speaking she can only honestly claim to have achieved something if she first goes out and does it... I don't think the physical, mental and technical challenges are made any easier by whether or not an official body is ticking boxes and signing forms. Climbing a mountain is still an achievement I can claim, even if there was nobody in a suit and tie at the top signing a certificate for me. The existence of a certificate would not have made it any more or less of a challenge.

[mt gay rum]

LOL what a world we live in 232 blogs about cupcakes!!!!! go figure

Man i wanna know who what where and when on whats going on.. LOL ..

[speakeasy]

Originally Posted by kcmarcet

Well all records aside, I think I noticed that one of her sponsors is a publishing company. I am sure that they have the right to the book she will wright after her attempt, whether she is successful or not. It might very well prove to be interesting reading about what the world by sea looks like from the eyes of a teenage girl.

Yes, I imagine it will, the gods willing, make interesting reading, especially in light of the months of speculation ongoing here about motivation and competence.

I just started reading DOVE by Robin Lee Graham, since seemingly every poster on the book thread had read it but me. He is being quite candid about the loneliness and disorientation he felt after leaving Hawaii, and that has given me a clearer understanding of the 16 yr-old attitudes, and a reconnect to my own memories of that age and those times, and more empathy with Jessica.

She had a much less lonely departure than Robin did, because of all the comm and nav equipment she utilizes to daily effect, that was unavailable to the Graham kid back in '65. And JW's parents have an easier time of it than the Graham's because they can know & help their kid while the Grahams could only wait for word. Robin Lee Graham's dad had partnered and helped his son every step of the way up until the day he left. His mother was fearful of his going. I found this letter from Mr. Graham to Mrs. Graham charming and illuminating.

excerpt: ... Dear Norma, ... As I drove home without him sitting beside me as we had done for so many days I had a great big empty feeling. We have been so close and so busy, and now there is nothing. I feel Lee has sailed out of my life. I have lost his boyhood companionship. When I see him again, he will be a man, looking for a life of his own...

Still, electronic comm and nav aside, even if they work flawlessly, she will still have to learn constantly and sail the big seas.

[Voice of Reason]

Hello! An amusing aside to all this about Jess Watson. --- The huge increase in the purchase and reading of books nautical, especially those relating to round the world voyages! Martin's & Cottee's books especially, will almost need to be reprinted!
Go Jess! ( a shameless plug for a brave young person) -- and thanks for keeping a large part of the world entertained!

[Wotname]

As for the not yet written book, another subject we can speculate on ; so much better to comment on things not yet achieved!

Seriously now, I have wondered about the difference of a book written after the event compared to reading almost daily blogs and video clips.

I am surprised to find myself interested in reading her blog and they give me a sense of sharing the emotional aspects of her voyage as it happens. In some ways, we get to read something like her daily log entries in real time which was not available with previous RTW record setters - back then we had to wait for the book!

I, for one, will be keen to see how her book will differ from her blogs.

[mt gay rum]

Looks like Nov 18th is the next milestone !!!!! One by one she's clicking off the waypoints.... Then approx 38 days to the Cape (then its gonna get interesting ) .. You go Girl..!!!!!

Map from Grand Rapids Sailing Examinier... THANKS

[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

[TaoJones]

Ms. Watson's website now has an excellent map / chart with locations that link directly to each of her blog entries. Check it out: Go to Jessica Watson - youngest ever to sail around the world and click on The Voyage. The page that opens will have a series of pink (what else?) markers that indicate her position, and hovering over each marker will show the name of each of her blog entries. Clicking on any given marker will take you to that entry in her blog. Zooming in to the chart will bring up the names of the features within the borders of the chart, as well as the blog titles attached to each marker. You can click anywhere on the chart and hold to drag it to any point you wish, then click on N (top right) to re-orient the chart to North Up.

Try it - it's excellent! (You can, of course, go directly to her blog, here: Jessicawatson.com.au.)

TaoJones

[MikeinLA]

Knowing absolutely nothing about offshore routes, why does it look like she's headed for Los Angeles? I assume there is a point where you turn south, correct?

Mike