The name Jessica Watson has travelled the world in the past few weeks, and now the bearer of that name, a Queenslander 16 years of age, is set to follow suit.
Jessica Watson departed from Sydney on 18 October, 2009, in her S&S (Sparkman and Stephens) 34-footer Ellas Pink Lady, on a course that will take her past Northern New Zealand and then around the globe, solo, unassisted and non-stop. Watson, born in 1993, is the youngest person to ever attempt the feat.
The journey is expected to take eight months with an approximate distance of 23,000 nautical miles, Watson expected to return in June 2010.
Watsons planned route is as follows:
Australia
New Zealand
Fiji
Kiribati
Chile
Cape Horn
South Africa
Return to Australia
Jessica Watsons Progress
24 November 2009
Jessicas Milestone Week!
Its been a hugely busy and successful week for Jessica Watson, having achieved two great milestones.
Last Thursday, Jessica announced that at 7.17am she had officially crossed the equator into the northern hemisphere, as per the regulations for her to qualify for the around the world status.
Be sure to check out her blog, where shes posted pics of the moment and her following celebrations!
The second great milestone Jessica achieved was overnight, having reached the northern most part of her voyage to round Kiritimati (Christmas) Island, one of three of her major rounding points! Shes now heading back south, and is expected to cross back over the equator this evening.
Bruce Arms, one of Jessicas shore team members, has congratulated Jessica over her achievements this week and the skilful seamanship shes demonstrating.
"The wind conditions have not been favourable for her, with headwinds and strong currents, so it has been a very challenging few days,"Bruce said.
"But we have all been so impressed with the manner in which she has gone about this rounding. She kept well clear of the island and did not take any short cuts."
Congratulations Jessica! Keep it up!
12 November 2009
Jessica has passed the 2,500 nautical mile mark and is expected to reach the equator within the week, her meteorologist, Bob McDavitt, has predicted.
Whilst this estimate is still very much weather-dependant, if she does manage to reach the equator by this time next week, the achievement will be made all the more special for that day (Wednesday, 18 November) marking exactly one month since Jessica departed Sydney.
"I cant wait,"Jessica has said.
"It will be a very significant moment. If all goes according to plan over the next week, then that will be another box ticked and we can head back down south."
In a recent blog, Jessica referred to the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) which she is currently in. The ITCZ is an area of confused wind conditions on each side of the equator. It is characterised by periods of complete calm, with storms and rain squalls that can develop overnight. Catching the edges of squalls provides the best wind.
Once Jessica passes the equator, she will be able turn to a southeast heading on a course back to the South Pacific, bound for the infamous Cape Horn.
10 November 2009
Jessica reports shes making slow but steady progress and is now approximately 950nm from crossing the Equator.
Shes posted a great picture which does a great job of demonstrating the beautiful and menacing forces of nature shes battling through.
Jessica has officially passed the 2000 nautical mile mark today, marking nearly 1/11th of her journey. This Sunday will mark her 3rd week into her solo journey, and should bring her progress to a 10th of her overall voyage.
Now 19 days into her journey, Jessica is 100 nautical miles (nms) ahead of schedule, having planned for 100nms a day, and is currently heading NE, passing the Tongan Islands on her way to American Samoa. Her next big milestone is the crossing of the equator, approximately 1650nms from her current position, which should occur on or close to the 21st - 22nd November.
4 - 5 November 2009
Jessica has reported that everything at her end is fine, albeit perhaps slow going, with very little wind and any progress probably being due to drift.
She is making some headway in her schoolwork, howe'ver, which she is striving to keep up with during the quieter moments, of which weï¿*re sure there must be many. No problem in that regard, with her having just realised sheï¿*s been working on English assignments for next year accidentally. Good work!
Jessica also reports sheï¿*s trying to make the most of the quiet weather and still nights, sleeping on deck beneath a full moon and with gentle waves, which will probably soon change as she heads north and into some expected tropical squalls.
For everyone whos curious about the equipment Jessica is using to keep us abreast of the journey, she gives a great rundown on her blog (visit via the link below), and highlights the difference technology is making to her voyage compared to that taken by Jesse Martin who, in 1999, successfully completed a similar voyage around the world at age 17.
3 November 2009
Jessica passed close to Minerva reef (below Tonga and Fiji) yesterday morning, and has entered into her second week at sea.
So far the sailing has been trouble-free, encountering minimal rough weather, the first real test being 4m waves and winds gusting to 28 knots on 30th October.
"She has had a bit of rough weather,"mother Julie Watson said on Friday 30 October, 2009. "She had 4m waves and was surfing down them and was really pleased with the way the boat was handling it."
These fast downwind conditions have aided Jessica in gaining ground on her schedule, averaging between 100-140 nautical miles per day and passing 1500 nautical miles on the 31st October as she headed towards Tonga.
Having crossed The Tasman off her journey, Jessicas next milestone is The Equator, which must be crossed according to the rules of world circumnavigations, and onto Kiribati.
The name Jessica Watson has travelled the world in the past few weeks, and now the bearer of that name, a Queenslander 16 years of age, is set to follow suit.
Jessica Watson departed from Sydney on 18 October, 2009, in her S&S (Sparkman and Stephens) 34-footer Ellas Pink Lady, on a course that will take her past Northern New Zealand and then around the globe, solo, unassisted and non-stop. Watson, born in 1993, is the youngest person to ever attempt the feat.
The journey is expected to take eight months with an approximate distance of 23,000 nautical miles, Watson expected to return in June 2010.
Watsons planned route is as follows:
Australia
New Zealand
Fiji
Kiribati
Chile
Cape Horn
South Africa
Return to Australia
Jessica Watsons Progress
24 November 2009
Jessicas Milestone Week!
Its been a hugely busy and successful week for Jessica Watson, having achieved two great milestones.
Last Thursday, Jessica announced that at 7.17am she had officially crossed the equator into the northern hemisphere, as per the regulations for her to qualify for the around the world status.
Be sure to check out her blog, where shes posted pics of the moment and her following celebrations!
The second great milestone Jessica achieved was overnight, having reached the northern most part of her voyage to round Kiritimati (Christmas) Island, one of three of her major rounding points! Shes now heading back south, and is expected to cross back over the equator this evening.
Bruce Arms, one of Jessicas shore team members, has congratulated Jessica over her achievements this week and the skilful seamanship shes demonstrating.
"The wind conditions have not been favourable for her, with headwinds and strong currents, so it has been a very challenging few days,"Bruce said.
"But we have all been so impressed with the manner in which she has gone about this rounding. She kept well clear of the island and did not take any short cuts."
Congratulations Jessica! Keep it up!
12 November 2009
Jessica has passed the 2,500 nautical mile mark and is expected to reach the equator within the week, her meteorologist, Bob McDavitt, has predicted.
Whilst this estimate is still very much weather-dependant, if she does manage to reach the equator by this time next week, the achievement will be made all the more special for that day (Wednesday, 18 November) marking exactly one month since Jessica departed Sydney.
"I cant wait,"Jessica has said.
"It will be a very significant moment. If all goes according to plan over the next week, then that will be another box ticked and we can head back down south."
In a recent blog, Jessica referred to the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) which she is currently in. The ITCZ is an area of confused wind conditions on each side of the equator. It is characterised by periods of complete calm, with storms and rain squalls that can develop overnight. Catching the edges of squalls provides the best wind.
Once Jessica passes the equator, she will be able turn to a southeast heading on a course back to the South Pacific, bound for the infamous Cape Horn.
10 November 2009
Jessica reports shes making slow but steady progress and is now approximately 950nm from crossing the Equator.
Shes posted a great picture which does a great job of demonstrating the beautiful and menacing forces of nature shes battling through.
Jessica has officially passed the 2000 nautical mile mark today, marking nearly 1/11th of her journey. This Sunday will mark her 3rd week into her solo journey, and should bring her progress to a 10th of her overall voyage.
Now 19 days into her journey, Jessica is 100 nautical miles (nms) ahead of schedule, having planned for 100nms a day, and is currently heading NE, passing the Tongan Islands on her way to American Samoa. Her next big milestone is the crossing of the equator, approximately 1650nms from her current position, which should occur on or close to the 21st - 22nd November.
4 - 5 November 2009
Jessica has reported that everything at her end is fine, albeit perhaps slow going, with very little wind and any progress probably being due to drift.
She is making some headway in her schoolwork, howe'ver, which she is striving to keep up with during the quieter moments, of which weï¿*re sure there must be many. No problem in that regard, with her having just realised sheï¿*s been working on English assignments for next year accidentally. Good work!
Jessica also reports sheï¿*s trying to make the most of the quiet weather and still nights, sleeping on deck beneath a full moon and with gentle waves, which will probably soon change as she heads north and into some expected tropical squalls.
For everyone whos curious about the equipment Jessica is using to keep us abreast of the journey, she gives a great rundown on her blog (visit via the link below), and highlights the difference technology is making to her voyage compared to that taken by Jesse Martin who, in 1999, successfully completed a similar voyage around the world at age 17.
3 November 2009
Jessica passed close to Minerva reef (below Tonga and Fiji) yesterday morning, and has entered into her second week at sea.
So far the sailing has been trouble-free, encountering minimal rough weather, the first real test being 4m waves and winds gusting to 28 knots on 30th October.
"She has had a bit of rough weather,"mother Julie Watson said on Friday 30 October, 2009. "She had 4m waves and was surfing down them and was really pleased with the way the boat was handling it."
These fast downwind conditions have aided Jessica in gaining ground on her schedule, averaging between 100-140 nautical miles per day and passing 1500 nautical miles on the 31st October as she headed towards Tonga.
Having crossed The Tasman off her journey, Jessicas next milestone is The Equator, which must be crossed according to the rules of world circumnavigations, and onto Kiribati.
