En-route to fulfil her lifelong dream of sailing solo around the world, the teenager says she's settling in well to her life at sea, RAY CHESTERTON writes.
Sailing out into the big blue, intrepid teenager Jessica Watson admits she had no idea what to expect – and that the world of beauty and joys of solitude she's since discovered surpass even her wildest expectations.
With the wind at her back, the 16-year-old adventurer sailed away from controversy and into the calmer blue waters of the mighty Pacific Ocean on October 18 on her quest to be the youngest person ever to circumnavigate the globe non-stop.
Pushing aside the storm of concern about the perils of her voyage, Jessica, from the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, has embraced the full enormity of her unforgettable journey. She's also relishing the newfound freedoms afforded by her adventure.
In a detailed diary, Jessica writes of her amazing encounters with marine animals, breathtaking sunsets and quiet nights sleeping on the deck under the stars.
The online journal gives Woman's Day readers the chance to share in the excitement of her trip as she reveals not only these experiences, but also her battles with the more mundane aspects of sailing – like daily cooking and cleaning routines. She recounts one such week aboard her yacht, Ella's Pink Lady.
Monday
For a while again this afternoon we were completely becalmed but I really enjoyed the chance to take it easy. No deadlines, nothing to rush off to, I can eat whatever I like whenever I like, no-one to send me to bed! It was pretty special this afternoon when the sea glassed right out, it was as if you could see right to the distant blue bottom apart from huge schools of jelly fish floating past. We even had a couple of dolphins drop in to say hi. The other unexpected visitor was a small plane which circled overhead, just when I thought I was finally by myself!
Tuesday
Today was for progress with 13 knots of wind from the north east pushing us along. It was so quiet and flat that I brought my pillow out into the cockpit and grabbed a few cat naps under the stars. It already feels like I'm settling into a routine of grabbing a bit of sleep through the night and into the morning when I can, logging and plotting my position, digging through food bags for meals, and calling in for phone skeds [scheduled communications, normally by radio] twice a day. I've been hard at work eating the sweets that were shoved aboard just before we left…
For more of Jessica's journal, grab Woman's Day (on sale November 2, 2009)
Your say: Do you think Jessica's Parents did the right thing by letting her go on her solo voyage?
