While most 16-year-olds are at home watching the Simpsons and Facebooking, Jessica Watson is about to complete 23,000 nautical miles (38,000 kms) and seven months sailing solo around the world.Jessica is expected to arrive around midday this Saturday, via the Sydney heads. Her return will be just two days before her 17th birthday.
Along with her family, Jesse Martin (youngest person to circumnavigate the globe solo) and Mike Perham (youngest person to sail across the Atlantic), will be at the Sydney Opera House to welcome her home.
Jessica's return will be broadcast live this Saturday at 11am on Ten and One HD.
"I wanted to challenge myself and achieve something to be proud of. And yes, I wanted to inspire people. I hated being judged by my appearance and other people's expectations of what a 'little girl' was capable of. It's no longer just my dream or voyage," Jessacia Watson says.
"Every milestone out here isn't just my achievement, but an achievement for everyone who has put so much time and effort into helping getting me here," Jessica says.
She's an inspiration.
And once again, Australian's are keen to celebrate as a "hero" someone who did nothing heroic, and in fact failed to meet the "around the world" benchmark by over 2,000 km.
ReplyDeleteI guess this "close enough" record is the boating equivalent of Storm's cheating in Melbourne.
Ed, you are a wanker. What's your claim to fame? I'd like to to see you even try to make a fraction of the trip she did by yourself. I reckon it's pretty bloody heroic, record or not.
ReplyDeleteIt's brave but not heroic. I prefer my heroes to contribute something explicitly positive to the world?
ReplyDeleteBy that I mean that they advance understanding or something of inportance? Records such as who sailed around the world a few days shorter or a few days younger contribute what?
I wish her well .....
Ed in Edge Hill you really are a wanker. There are rules concerning sailing around the world, everyone goes by the same rules, as has Jessica, she has done exactly what was expected, and travelled the distance she was meant to travel.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't think it's heroic then you haven't been reading her blog, I'd like to see how you'd cope woken in the middle of the night with the boat on it's side after being smashed by a freak wave in a storm .... and at 16!
Well done Jessica, and I'll be watching live Saturday cheering you on whilst the Edge Hill tosser is mowing his lawn.
A role model for adolescents - that would be Jessica not the Melboourne Storm.
ReplyDeleteHey, Overdone. .
ReplyDeleteEVERYONE goes by the same rules, not some bastardized version that allows 16 year old children to claim something they haven't earned.
http://www.sail-world.com/CruisingAus/Jessica-Watson:--Keeping-the-Record-Straight/69108
She's clearly not set any record, or even qualified for a "circumnavigation".
Sadly blockheads like you will be heaping adulation on this child who would be better off finishing high school instead of becoming the next Bindi Irwin of the week.
Oh, and those of us in Edge Hill have staff that mow our lawns. Too much work!
Ed in Edge Hill gets the Arsehole-of-the-Year Award for his negative, sneering belittling of a great achievement - whether or not it's recognized by some "authority".
ReplyDeleteWhat have you ever done, Ed?
I'll be glad when Jessica arrives home - as a father of girls I've been worrying about her since she set out.