Ozzie Teen completes round the world trip
Discussion
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After seven months at sea, an Australian teen crossed the finish line of a round-the-world journey Saturday in her pink yacht, becoming the youngest sailor to circle the globe solo, nonstop and unassisted.
Thousands of spectators erupted into cheers as 16-year-old Jessica Watson sailed into Sydney Harbour, the finale to an epic adventure in which she battled 12-metre waves, homesickness and critics who said she'd never make it home alive.
"She said she'd sail around the world, and she has," a tearful Julie Watson said as she watched her grinning daughter cruise past the finish line from a nearby boat. "She's home."
Sixteen-year-old Jessica Watson waves as she sails past the finish line at the entrance to Sydney Harbour in Sydney, Australia, capping off a voyage of nearly 23,000 nautical mile. (Rob Griffith/Associated Press)
Watson gasped, laughed and waved her arms frantically as she caught sight of her parents when they pulled alongside her 10-metre yacht, Ella's Pink Lady.
The teen was set to touch land for the first time in 210 days by docking at the city's iconic Opera House, where she was to be greeted by throngs of fans, the Prime Minister and her family.
"I'm completely overwhelmed," Watson said, her voice trembling, in an interview broadcast live on a screen outside the Opera House. "I just don't know what to think and what to say at the moment. It's all a bit much but absolutely amazing."
Watson, from Buderim, north of Brisbane in Queensland state, sailed out of Sydney on Oct. 18, despite fierce criticism of her parents, whose decision to let their daughter attempt such a feat was seen by some as an act of insanity. Through it all, they stood by their opinion that she was well-prepared, and noted that she has been sailing since she was eight.
"I don't think any of us would ever doubt Jessica Watson again," said New South Wales state Premier Kristina Keneally, who was waiting at the Opera House to welcome the teen.
Watson travelled northeast through the South Pacific and across the equator, south to Cape Horn at the tip of South America, across the Atlantic Ocean to South Africa, through the Indian Ocean and around southern Australia.
Australian Jesse Martin currently holds the record for the youngest person to sail around the world solo, nonstop and unassisted, after he completed the journey in 1999 at the age of 18.
Watson's feat will not be considered an official world record, because the World Speed Sailing Record Council discontinued its "youngest" category.
And though she sailed nearly 23,000 nautical miles, some sailing enthusiasts have also argued that Watson didn't travel far enough north of the equator for her journey to count as a true round-the-world sail as defined by the record council's rules.
Watson's managers have dismissed those claims and argued she doesn't need to adhere to the council's rules anyway, since they won't be recognizing her voyage.
The route took Watson through some of the world's most treacherous waters, and the teen battled through monstrous storms and suffered seven knockdowns.
But her journey was also peppered with moments of beauty. On her blog, she described stunning sunrises over glassy seas, the excitement of spotting a blue whale and the dazzling, eerie sight of a shooting star racing across the night sky above her boat.
She also had fun, chatting about boys and fashion with "Silly," a little brown seabird that landed on her yacht and hung around for awhile.
She sang at the top of her lungs with no audience to critique her and indulged her sweet tooth with chocolate cupcakes she baked in her tiny kitchen. A video she shot shows her giggling while dumping a ceremonial bucket of saltwater over her head after crossing the equator.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/05/15/teen-sail...
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Well done to her :-)
Sadly there is not a lot in the British media about this, I think that the WAGS, z-list celebrities and other assorted crap pushed this genuine achievement (as opposed to getting her baps out for the cameras or getting pregnant by some random scraggy footballer) out of the media limelight :-)
After seven months at sea, an Australian teen crossed the finish line of a round-the-world journey Saturday in her pink yacht, becoming the youngest sailor to circle the globe solo, nonstop and unassisted.
Thousands of spectators erupted into cheers as 16-year-old Jessica Watson sailed into Sydney Harbour, the finale to an epic adventure in which she battled 12-metre waves, homesickness and critics who said she'd never make it home alive.
"She said she'd sail around the world, and she has," a tearful Julie Watson said as she watched her grinning daughter cruise past the finish line from a nearby boat. "She's home."
Sixteen-year-old Jessica Watson waves as she sails past the finish line at the entrance to Sydney Harbour in Sydney, Australia, capping off a voyage of nearly 23,000 nautical mile. (Rob Griffith/Associated Press)
Watson gasped, laughed and waved her arms frantically as she caught sight of her parents when they pulled alongside her 10-metre yacht, Ella's Pink Lady.
The teen was set to touch land for the first time in 210 days by docking at the city's iconic Opera House, where she was to be greeted by throngs of fans, the Prime Minister and her family.
"I'm completely overwhelmed," Watson said, her voice trembling, in an interview broadcast live on a screen outside the Opera House. "I just don't know what to think and what to say at the moment. It's all a bit much but absolutely amazing."
Watson, from Buderim, north of Brisbane in Queensland state, sailed out of Sydney on Oct. 18, despite fierce criticism of her parents, whose decision to let their daughter attempt such a feat was seen by some as an act of insanity. Through it all, they stood by their opinion that she was well-prepared, and noted that she has been sailing since she was eight.
"I don't think any of us would ever doubt Jessica Watson again," said New South Wales state Premier Kristina Keneally, who was waiting at the Opera House to welcome the teen.
Watson travelled northeast through the South Pacific and across the equator, south to Cape Horn at the tip of South America, across the Atlantic Ocean to South Africa, through the Indian Ocean and around southern Australia.
Australian Jesse Martin currently holds the record for the youngest person to sail around the world solo, nonstop and unassisted, after he completed the journey in 1999 at the age of 18.
Watson's feat will not be considered an official world record, because the World Speed Sailing Record Council discontinued its "youngest" category.
And though she sailed nearly 23,000 nautical miles, some sailing enthusiasts have also argued that Watson didn't travel far enough north of the equator for her journey to count as a true round-the-world sail as defined by the record council's rules.
Watson's managers have dismissed those claims and argued she doesn't need to adhere to the council's rules anyway, since they won't be recognizing her voyage.
The route took Watson through some of the world's most treacherous waters, and the teen battled through monstrous storms and suffered seven knockdowns.
But her journey was also peppered with moments of beauty. On her blog, she described stunning sunrises over glassy seas, the excitement of spotting a blue whale and the dazzling, eerie sight of a shooting star racing across the night sky above her boat.
She also had fun, chatting about boys and fashion with "Silly," a little brown seabird that landed on her yacht and hung around for awhile.
She sang at the top of her lungs with no audience to critique her and indulged her sweet tooth with chocolate cupcakes she baked in her tiny kitchen. A video she shot shows her giggling while dumping a ceremonial bucket of saltwater over her head after crossing the equator.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/05/15/teen-sail...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well done to her :-)
Sadly there is not a lot in the British media about this, I think that the WAGS, z-list celebrities and other assorted crap pushed this genuine achievement (as opposed to getting her baps out for the cameras or getting pregnant by some random scraggy footballer) out of the media limelight :-)
Tsippy said:
Well done to her :-)
Sadly there is not a lot in the British media about this, I think that the WAGS, z-list celebrities and other assorted crap pushed this genuine achievement (as opposed to getting her baps out for the cameras or getting pregnant by some random scraggy footballer) out of the media limelight :-)
Why is it 'genuine achievement'?Sadly there is not a lot in the British media about this, I think that the WAGS, z-list celebrities and other assorted crap pushed this genuine achievement (as opposed to getting her baps out for the cameras or getting pregnant by some random scraggy footballer) out of the media limelight :-)
She's the youngest, so what? It's never been easier to sail around the world with modern technology.
Youngest, tallest, fattest...whatever...are we so desperate to find to categories of 'achievement'.
Somewhere behind this girl is a dysfunctional family/parents....who are DESPERATE.
SmoothRB said:
Tsippy said:
Well done to her :-)
Sadly there is not a lot in the British media about this, I think that the WAGS, z-list celebrities and other assorted crap pushed this genuine achievement (as opposed to getting her baps out for the cameras or getting pregnant by some random scraggy footballer) out of the media limelight :-)
Why is it 'genuine achievement'?Sadly there is not a lot in the British media about this, I think that the WAGS, z-list celebrities and other assorted crap pushed this genuine achievement (as opposed to getting her baps out for the cameras or getting pregnant by some random scraggy footballer) out of the media limelight :-)
She's the youngest, so what? It's never been easier to sail around the world with modern technology.
Youngest, tallest, fattest...whatever...are we so desperate to find to categories of 'achievement'.
I've been round the world on a fecking HUGE containership and i have nothing but praise and admiration for anyone who sails round the world single handed
thinfourth2 said:
SmoothRB said:
Tsippy said:
Well done to her :-)
Sadly there is not a lot in the British media about this, I think that the WAGS, z-list celebrities and other assorted crap pushed this genuine achievement (as opposed to getting her baps out for the cameras or getting pregnant by some random scraggy footballer) out of the media limelight :-)
Why is it 'genuine achievement'?Sadly there is not a lot in the British media about this, I think that the WAGS, z-list celebrities and other assorted crap pushed this genuine achievement (as opposed to getting her baps out for the cameras or getting pregnant by some random scraggy footballer) out of the media limelight :-)
She's the youngest, so what? It's never been easier to sail around the world with modern technology.
Youngest, tallest, fattest...whatever...are we so desperate to find to categories of 'achievement'.
I've been round the world on a fecking HUGE containership and i have nothing but praise and admiration for anyone who sails round the world single handed
I don't see why this is a story even. If it is a story it is one of desperation and dysfunction, irresponsible parents.
SmoothRB said:
thinfourth2 said:
SmoothRB said:
Tsippy said:
Well done to her :-)
Sadly there is not a lot in the British media about this, I think that the WAGS, z-list celebrities and other assorted crap pushed this genuine achievement (as opposed to getting her baps out for the cameras or getting pregnant by some random scraggy footballer) out of the media limelight :-)
Why is it 'genuine achievement'?Sadly there is not a lot in the British media about this, I think that the WAGS, z-list celebrities and other assorted crap pushed this genuine achievement (as opposed to getting her baps out for the cameras or getting pregnant by some random scraggy footballer) out of the media limelight :-)
She's the youngest, so what? It's never been easier to sail around the world with modern technology.
Youngest, tallest, fattest...whatever...are we so desperate to find to categories of 'achievement'.
I've been round the world on a fecking HUGE containership and i have nothing but praise and admiration for anyone who sails round the world single handed
I don't see why this is a story even. If it is a story it is one of desperation and dysfunction, irresponsible parents.
'Yeah luv, and I want a lottery win and a new Ferrari. It ain't gonna happen'.'Oh shucks, I'll stay on at school then, dad if you can't afford an ultra modern, fully-equipped, ocean-going, 10-metre yacht, like the Aussie girl's Ella's Pink Lady
'.The aussie 16 year old is in the elite group of those with 'massive' dosh.
Next up?
Our little girl has just published her autobiography at 17 - in all good bookshops for 2 months at 20 quid or the equiv in dollars, euros etc, then afterwards in every bargain bookshop in the world for peanuts.
Pah. Non story.
Edited by dandarez on Sunday 16th May 14:54
thinfourth2 said:
I've been round the world on a fecking HUGE containership and i have nothing but praise and admiration for anyone who sails round the world single handed
In what capacity did you sail thinforth2? I'm just surprised that in my experience most professional seafarers (particularly when I was commercial, before I became a professional WAFI) see this kind of thing for what it actually is. Dangerous, unnecessary and irresponsible. How can any single-handed yachtswoman (or man) manage to keep a proper lookout? especially one so young and inexperienced? Even the World Speed Sailing Record Council discontinued its "youngest" category to discourage this kind of thing. I'm not saying it is an easy thing to do, and I'm glad she made it in one piece but the outcome could've so easily been very different.
Liam
(currently sliding around my cabin trying to hang on to my laptop while sailing to Tahiti on a properly manned and safely operated 90m sailing yacht)
ShadownINja said:
LD1Racing said:
(currently sliding around my cabin trying to hang on to my laptop while sailing to Tahiti on a properly manned and safely operated 90m sailing yacht)
(Thread derailment...) Awesome. Post a pic of what you can see outside right now. 
Dupont666 said:
ShadownINja said:
LD1Racing said:
(currently sliding around my cabin trying to hang on to my laptop while sailing to Tahiti on a properly manned and safely operated 90m sailing yacht)
(Thread derailment...) Awesome. Post a pic of what you can see outside right now. ShadownINja said:
Dupont666 said:
ShadownINja said:
LD1Racing said:
(currently sliding around my cabin trying to hang on to my laptop while sailing to Tahiti on a properly manned and safely operated 90m sailing yacht)
(Thread derailment...) Awesome. Post a pic of what you can see outside right now. ShadownINja said:
Dupont666 said:
ShadownINja said:
LD1Racing said:
(currently sliding around my cabin trying to hang on to my laptop while sailing to Tahiti on a properly manned and safely operated 90m sailing yacht)
(Thread derailment...) Awesome. Post a pic of what you can see outside right now. ShadownINja said:
Dupont666 said:
ShadownINja said:
LD1Racing said:
(currently sliding around my cabin trying to hang on to my laptop while sailing to Tahiti on a properly manned and safely operated 90m sailing yacht)
(Thread derailment...) Awesome. Post a pic of what you can see outside right now. Dupont666 said:
ShadownINja said:
Dupont666 said:
ShadownINja said:
LD1Racing said:
(currently sliding around my cabin trying to hang on to my laptop while sailing to Tahiti on a properly manned and safely operated 90m sailing yacht)
(Thread derailment...) Awesome. Post a pic of what you can see outside right now. 
ShadownINja said:
LD1Racing said:
(currently sliding around my cabin trying to hang on to my laptop while sailing to Tahiti on a properly manned and safely operated 90m sailing yacht)
(Thread derailment...) Awesome. Post a pic of what you can see outside right now. 
13°35.3'N 077°31.3W 14.7kts
LD1Racing said:
ShadownINja said:
LD1Racing said:
(currently sliding around my cabin trying to hang on to my laptop while sailing to Tahiti on a properly manned and safely operated 90m sailing yacht)
(Thread derailment...) Awesome. Post a pic of what you can see outside right now. 13°35.3'N 077°31.3W 14.7kts
Google says you're south of Jamaica? Isn't technology amazing - you're in the middle of the sea with net access.
ShadownINja said:
Wow. That looks like a nice yacht. Any interior shots?
Google says you're south of Jamaica? Isn't technology amazing - you're in the middle of the sea with net access.
Posting interior shots online probably wouldn't be appreciated by the Boss. Yep, we're currently heading down to the Panama Canal. Having internet is even more amazing when you know that we're currently rolling 20° either way every 10 seconds, and the signal is passing through a geostationary satellite then back down to New Jersey, and the connection is just about fast enough for two VOIP lines, and 20 crew constantly facebooking (but it does cost $8000/month!) Should have coverage until the equator, then outside the footprint for a couple of weeks.Google says you're south of Jamaica? Isn't technology amazing - you're in the middle of the sea with net access.
LD1Racing said:
ShadownINja said:
Wow. That looks like a nice yacht. Any interior shots?
Google says you're south of Jamaica? Isn't technology amazing - you're in the middle of the sea with net access.
Posting interior shots online probably wouldn't be appreciated by the Boss. Yep, we're currently heading down to the Panama Canal. Having internet is even more amazing when you know that we're currently rolling 20° either way every 10 seconds, and the signal is passing through a geostationary satellite then back down to New Jersey, and the connection is just about fast enough for two VOIP lines, and 20 crew constantly facebooking (but it does cost $8000/month!) Should have coverage until the equator, then outside the footprint for a couple of weeks.Google says you're south of Jamaica? Isn't technology amazing - you're in the middle of the sea with net access.
Any reason?
cazzer said:
LD1Racing said:
ShadownINja said:
Wow. That looks like a nice yacht. Any interior shots?
Google says you're south of Jamaica? Isn't technology amazing - you're in the middle of the sea with net access.
Posting interior shots online probably wouldn't be appreciated by the Boss. Yep, we're currently heading down to the Panama Canal. Having internet is even more amazing when you know that we're currently rolling 20° either way every 10 seconds, and the signal is passing through a geostationary satellite then back down to New Jersey, and the connection is just about fast enough for two VOIP lines, and 20 crew constantly facebooking (but it does cost $8000/month!) Should have coverage until the equator, then outside the footprint for a couple of weeks.Google says you're south of Jamaica? Isn't technology amazing - you're in the middle of the sea with net access.
Any reason?
LD1Racing said:
cazzer said:
LD1Racing said:
ShadownINja said:
Wow. That looks like a nice yacht. Any interior shots?
Google says you're south of Jamaica? Isn't technology amazing - you're in the middle of the sea with net access.
Posting interior shots online probably wouldn't be appreciated by the Boss. Yep, we're currently heading down to the Panama Canal. Having internet is even more amazing when you know that we're currently rolling 20° either way every 10 seconds, and the signal is passing through a geostationary satellite then back down to New Jersey, and the connection is just about fast enough for two VOIP lines, and 20 crew constantly facebooking (but it does cost $8000/month!) Should have coverage until the equator, then outside the footprint for a couple of weeks.Google says you're south of Jamaica? Isn't technology amazing - you're in the middle of the sea with net access.
Any reason?
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