Official Jessica Watson Blog

Visiting your Pink World through your blogs and videos is a great joy. Just a word, I am sure you have things rationed and have thought your consumptions through, however, I might caution you about using that fuel.
There are so many of us traveling with you that it is almost amazing to find a sole who doesn't follow your daily updates. My cousins came over tonight and although they new of your quest, they had not been following along daily. Fortunately you are not further along on your trip because we started from day one/blog one, and we took turns reading your blogs until they were up to date on your adventure. Actually it was a fun time for us all and they are now among your daily followers! We even watched all of the videos you have posted. Your latest video was, I think the most compelling. We were taken by the rolling sea one could watch through the porthole behind you. We are sure there will be plenty of sunshine ahead. Keep up the good work. You make us all proud.
Blessings,
See ya Sailor!

Oh yeah, one more thing... are you using RO for your water supply? :)

Keep flying girl, you are having an amazing adventure. Keep well and safe

Hi Jess,
Top reporting so far. Keep it up,you are a great inspiration.
Fairly perfect Power System on board, but would there have been any space for a set of bicycle pedals ? They would be good for producing some emergency electricity and exercising your leg muscles. Being in your swaying boat for 8 months could reduce resistance on gravity, which means stepping on the fixed pier on arrival in Sydney will let you feel like a block of concrete. I had this experience already after a 34 hour train ride across Europe back in 1978, so how would you feel after all those months...
Watch out for those "secret" islands that have been sighted and mapped by the early explorers, but since then been omitted from current maps due to use for secret purposes by certain governments. Is Ella's Pink Lady fitted with a Geiger Counter ?
And how will you cope with direct lightning strikes in a storm ?
All the best
Regards

Victor C. Pankouken

Hey Jessica,

Pretty cool that you're keeping us updated all over the world ;).

Do you take a year off in school or did you already finished?

Greetings from Germany
Jan

Hey Jessica,

Pretty cool that you're keeping us updated all over the world ;).

Do you take a year off in school or did you already finished?

Greetings from Germany
Jan

hi jess i havent really checked out ur website till now cause i didnt no that u were blogging : sorry. anyway i just wanted to say that u wrote this on my birthday so yeah. im currently watching "Jessica watson the homecoming" on channel ten and u inspire many people around Australia because u have accomplished so many things @ the age of only 16! any way i will try to add u on facebook. Amy
:)

Hi Jessica,
You go girl! your description of night times and little habits was interesting and your designer bathroom is breathe taking.
Enjoy your daily rituals and keep up the good work.
Buderim is warm and sunny with the Jacaranda carpets painting the ground in delicate shades of lilac.
Happy Days
Ruth

I have to ask. Why are you using cosmetics, when you're alone at sea? Tom in Tucson.

I would liek to second the position tracker suggestion. My kids demand it!

Fair Winds from California -

The Cavanahs

Jessica,
May you have a marvelous weekend!

Hi Jessica,
Just read the news from your Mum and I hit my conversion chart and saw that the 4m waves converted to 13 feet. Yow!!!!! Young lady I am definitely a firm believer that you know what you are doing, not that I ever doubted you. Even in a 34ft boat that’s a pretty good slide to me. I have never done any sailing. I have done a lot of waterskiing, but there’s a big difference in that kind of boating and sailing. And your having the time of your life. LOL, God bless ya. Glad to read that you were satisfied as to how Ella handled the waves. Your Mum also mentioned that you had a 28 knot tailwind and that was helping you make good time. It sound like it’s starting to get exciting,(to me)so batten down the hatches, stay alert and be careful. We’re all still with you, never forget that. I’m really anxious to read your next blog. I’ll bet it’ll be a good one. (Haven’t read a bad one yet LOL)
May God be with you and watch over you and may the angels keep your sails full. I will keep you in my prayers.
Michael (74) from Kingwood, WV

Great job, Jess. Being an Aussie like you, I'm proud of your record attempt journey. Please have a safe trip.

Hi Jessiaca
Another day has gone by and I hope you are still having fun.
It's good to hear you have all your safety gear on when sleeping, but I'm not sure about having the lifejacket on when inside the cabin.
I know you have gone through all your safety drills, but it may be better to have the life jackets close by and just outside the cabin? What do your team and other bloggers think.
Keep safe and keep the info and photos coming.
Cheers George Simmons and lots of love from Exmouth WA

As Ella's pink lady crosses the Equator, Jessica should be able to see Polaris the North Polar Star just above the horizon in the North.

The North Polar Star is only visible at the Equator and North of the Equator.

The Heavens-Above site is a favourite with Astronomers and those who want to learn more about celestial navigation.
http://www.heavens-above.com

The site is free, but to use it properly it is best to register in order to be able to save and configure observation sites for example:

Kiritimati , Kiribati,(Christmas Island)
2.0718°N, 157.7197°W,

put in the Time as UTC and you are ready to see what the sky above Kiribati looks like night and day or any year you choose and from any point on Earth.

Learn about the constellations planets and stars as they appear overhead in the night sky.

You will also be able to track the ISS International Space Station as it passes overhead the Ella's pink lady or any observation site you choose.

Heavens-Above celestial tracking:
http://www.heavens-above.com

Polaris and the Southern Cross:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestial_pole

Line Islands coordinates:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_Islands

celestial navigation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestial_navigation

have fun,

gustav haffner
(pilot-navigator)
www.redbaron.com.au

i wish i had as much courage as u do. you're an inspiration to women and girls everywhere.

Lauren Hagan from South Carolina,USA

Hi Jess we're a little late getting onto your voyage although we watched you arrive into syd.... we are just educating John who is an old buffer on the ways of the internet while we read your story to him and his lovely wife Betty (who isnt a 100%) so
this is his very first experience at blogging and watching you tube.... John just realised your already back lol..... anyway great story..... John Bev and Rose

Good on you Jess, keep upp the good work and you´l be around the globe in no time.
Tomas from Sweden

do you think you'll make it in 8 months or do u think it will take longer or quicker?

Hi Jess
My Camino de Santiago (750 kilometer walk across the top of Spain) earlier this year seems like a piece of cake to what you are doing.

I am sooo into your adventure and even though I can't sail I would love the experience of being out there by myself for that length of time if I could. Enjoy the experience as you are one lucky girl. Ros x

Hi Jess
You are doing a great job! Just a question on your route..why do you have to sail towards the equator then down around South America? Why not maintaining a straight line on the same latitude?
Cheers
Roberto

Hi Jesse,

Thank you for taking us along on your adventure. I love reading your comments, you made me laugh today! Also a Great photo! You remain in our prayers for a safe journey.

Best regards,

John - From San Francisco

Nothing better than fresh fish at sea. Fry'em up Jesse! Just smuther them in flour and salt and fry them in butter. Anyway, you're having a good time of it there. I guess on this heading you've mainly been on a run or broad reach ha? Poling out the gib in mid southern ocian - God I whish I were there too. Well enjoy the Trade winds while you can. It'll be more of a challenge coming down. My thoughts are with you Jesse. Robbie in Hamburg

Your blogs just keep getting better Jess!
Cant wait till the tracker is up and running on the site.
I went on google earth and was in awe at the route your taking. Its fantastic, challenging and awe inspiring.
Keep those blogs coming & im sure we'll keep posting comments.
Keep on keeping on Jess!

Ally (sth Oz)
ps: hiya Andrew :p

please excuse this message,thanks,,right yacht but we are current owners alan,,great boat,,your person is in darwin,
cheers 'different drum'

Yo Captain Jesse. Cloudy, damp but absolutely no wind in down town Berowra Heights (Sydney NSW). Hope you are getting a fare (or is it fair – see I cannot write like you)) breeze in your part of the ocean. Haven’t told you this yet, but I did a spot of sailing with my Dad many years past, hence no questions to you about most things nautical. I have been somewhat bemused at some of the comments about various safety aspects of what you are doing and how you are going about that very important aspect of your sojourn. Not being derogatory at all to those good persons, they are well meaning and concerned about your safety. Now ask me about sowing, knitting, cooking and I will be asking all of those same questions, if you get my drift. Now for another quote:

David Brinkley said – “A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him or her”.

There is no doubt that many will have said this young “kid” will never even get this adventure off the ground…..but you have. They will have said after you minor scrape with the floating fortress that you will now be so disillusioned you will not depart on your epic voyage……but you have. They now say but she is ill prepared……you are not, you are incredibly well prepared. I have read all the information readily available and am convinced that you could not be any better prepared or equipped. That in itself is an absolute credit to you, your Mum, Dad and all those other good persons and sponsors who have helped you. So Jesse the foundations you have built thus far will outlive any short sighted comments that may come your way. The foundations you will have built on your return will go down in history, quite literally.

By now some of the smarter journo’s and others have worked out the collateral benefits of your efforts, courage and determination are actually changing the lives of so many persons on shore. This is occurring in a subtle and very positive way. You are giving them hope. (had to think about making that comment – I do not want to put any sort of social or moral pressure on you. It is simply my view as seen through what I am reading). Understanding the huge amount of blogs and emails you are receiving, you will not have had the luxury of the time that I and others have had in being able to read these.
GO JESSE.

Kind regards, James and family (alias Greybeard).

Hi Jessica
I just knew you would have a great team behind you, as you know behind every person is great mum and dad. They must be so proud of you at what you have achieved so far.
The conditions still look fantastic for sailing at the moment and as you said if you are doing 740 nm weeks with little wind, when it's good constant winds you may be looking 1000nm weeks, that would great.
I bet your mum has hidden some of your things, so you will need to give her a call.
So keep up the good work and look after yourself and keep safe.
Cheers George Simmons
Exmouth WA

Proverbs 11:24-25
24 One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. 25 A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Hi, Jessica! I am glad to read your good and positive post. I see from the comments that many were anxiously awaiting it. So gracious of you to mention and describe your support team. It rounds out the picture for us. I am certain that for all of them it is a labor of love and they are gaining as much from doing this for you as you are from them. I am praying daily for you, your safety and strength, and for your equipment to serve you well. I very much look forward to reports of your progress.

Hi,Jess. So lad to hear from you again. We were worrid my little Ailison looks at your post evey day and if you miss she is sad.We are so happy you going all the way to the end This story your doing is so so big she has talked me into sailing so we will in 2 years sail to your country i have a lot of learning thou, you have so many post so i dought you will get to read mine but if you do i hope one day you will be able to e-mail or computer chat you are our HERO thats for sharining this with us all,we started with you from your start point and 8 months is a long time but your starting fo be like family with my girls i have a 13 and an 17 and the 13 was born on May 18 too she was so happy.
Hope to be able to talk to you one day take care lil Jess and be safe you on our minds and in our prayers and Harts
From the Lalondes Alison,Autumn,Ellen,and me Robert
lalonderob2004@yahoo.com

Goodluck!! i am also 16 and i can't even fathom the amount of courage that it would have taken to do this. i really hope that you make it, you prove to us all that if we really want something then we should go for it!!

Hey Jesse,
This latest post was so interesting to read, you've helped to answer a few questions being asked, its fairly clear that most if not all your communications is via Satellite....it's also pretty cool to have the Meteorologist in New Zealand keeping you informed of the weather and trying to keep you in calm waters...I looking forward to seeing your Tracker finally working...I've been looking at Google Earth to work out where you are but it's a little tricky....

I love the self portrait of a sailor at sea, its a nice picture Jess....

Take Care

Clint..

Dear Jessica

My name is Daniel Watson I am 13 and I go to Armadale Senior High School in Western Australia. How are you going? There has been a lot of talk about you not having enough experience and you being too young to sail around the world. At least your parents let you go on such a long trip on your own. My parent’s won’t even let me go three suburbs away. I know about your trip through my teacher Mrs Jury but I first learnt about your trip over the channel Ten News.

On your vessel (Ella’s Pink Lady) what is there to do? How do you keep yourself entertained? I mean I wouldn’t last six weeks with nothing to do but jobs, cooking and sleeping. I would go insane.

Mrs Jury is asking us to write a letter to you so we get interested and follow your journey. If you are doing what you want to do and not what somebody tells you to do then who cares what other people think. I mean if you do what somebody is telling you to do all your life then what is the point of living

Any way I hope you have a good trip, have fun and enjoy yourself and I hope you make it!!!

Good Luck

From Daniel Watson

Dear Jess,

Hi my name is Caitlin McGrath and i live in Mundijong and i go to Armadale Senior High School and i am in yr 9.

Well where should i start.. well i do fire cadets i love doing fire cadets because i know that i am doing something for the community.

I also love animals and nature. I have a dog named shep he is German Shepard and i also have 2 horses. I love riding i go riding with my friend all the time the horses name is honey.

Well how are you i have heard so much about you and think that you are a great role model you make me think that if your gonna live your life you might as well have an adventure and do something courages and brave because you only live once thats why i think you are AWSOME!!! lol.

So do you see much sea cretures on your journey? If you do are they scary? i woul love to be in a little boat sailing round the world but i would be scared lol (ur brave).

Well i betta go i hopr u are having fun and enjoying the views i hope that you right back (that would be awsome)

Sincerly yours
Caitlin McGrath

Hay Jessica Watson :P

My name is Shanni-Maree Millen I love riding motorbikes and I am in yr 9 and I attend Armadale senior high school.
My dream is to be in the fashion industry like dressing models.
Ha-ha! But my dad would like me to be in the house decorating business that would be cool but that’s not in the fashion industry.

When I first saw you I was gobbed smacked I thought if someone else could follow there dreams so could I. anyone can do anything!

I have a few Questions to ask you:
How did you get the Idea to sail around the world?

How did your family react when you told them?


I would like to hear from you after your journey to see how you fulfilled you dream.

I would like to thank you for giving the inspiration to pursuit my dreams


Yours truly
Shanni :)

Dear Jessica

Hi my name is Jacc Simpson. I go to Armadale Senior High School in WA. I am 15. I heard about your dream on the News when you crashed Ella's Pink lady into a bull carrier just off the cost off the coast of Brosbane. I am only writting this letter becouse of my English class. We are following your trip. We have read your blogs that you have written and I think you are very courageous.

At Scholl we have talked about what you are attempting to do and I dissagree with every one else in my class. They think you should stayed at home, all safe and sound. But I think you should live your dream and travel the world solo, with out stopping.

I have read a fair few other blogs about why you should have stayed at home and a couple say that you are not experienced enough to travel the world becouse you have not saild before with or with out a crew on long distance.

As for me your dreams are totally different to mine. I would love to travel the world but it would be with the one i love and it wouldnt be on a 34 foot yacht. It would rather be either on a cruise or by plane.

I believe you can do it but how are you going to survive without any long distance experience? What made you think about doin your dream at a young age. I would hope you live but you need to remember to turn your fatigue on and to turn your radar on so you can watch out for other boats.

On your journey around the world we hope that you will make it home safe and sound without a scratch on you. Thank you for reading this and i hope you will write back and i will write back.
Thanks

Jacc Simpson

p.s

me and my best mate kyle think you are hot

Hi Jessica, enjoying reading your logs. Would like to read the latitude and longitude each day. Please post that with your log so we can follow your progress.
Good luck.

Good Luck Jesse Babe Love ya Mads

Your my inspiration jess, i have read your book twice and watched your documentary too, im so proud of you and you are an inspiration to girls all around the world!!

JESSICA!

Love stalking your amazing adventure!

Your crazy girl! Everyone is so proud back in Aussie!!

Love Sammy
From the sunny coast baby yewww!
Buderim!
xx

Yes we are with you and praying for you Jesse.

Hey, very good luck in this fantastic trip! I'm glad for you, Jéssica:)may you add me ? abraço!!!anderson_andreotti@hotmail.com

I am a US and Mexican citizen. Born in California. When I was 16 I took off during summer break on my motorcycle on a trip from Calif to Nebraska. Many people thought THAT was crazy. You are truly amazingly crazy.
I live in Mexico and have your web page as my internet start-up home page. I will follow your whole trip.

you are the great aussie girl, good luck and pray for your success

Yes Jessica housework is a chore, anyone who finds it ejoyable must be nuts. I love your blog..it's almost like being there.

Thanks for taking the time to let us know how you are! We are with you way over here in the US! Safe travels and Happy Sailing!

Hi Jess,

Does Parker respond to your commands with a "Yes, M'Lady" by any chance?

Stay safe
All at SailSIm

Jess, Hi I have been fascinated with your progress, all the best...A favour, if you would.... I work in a Girls' school on the North Shore in Sydney and some of the girls I look after each afternoon at after school care have been quite worried about your trip. Could you say something to them to allay their fears as they are almost your age...and maybe something about following your dreams, please?
I'm a grandmother, now, but I wish my Sydney Harbour and Pittwater sailing days on our little 25' yacht had been a little more adventurous! But... maybe not as adventurous as around the world sailing!
Everyday I visit your website to look at your progress.
Love Janette

Thanks for sharing your pictures and blog, very exciting, good luck!

Hi Jessica
Not that many of your bloggers have given you the blessing of the Lord, but you are and will certainly be close to Him as you progress on your great journey; so God Bless and God speed as they say!

Just a couple of thoughts:
lghthearted - a young cousin of mine set sail from UK 2 years ago for Cape Town for Xmas - after many weeks he and his crew ended up making land fall in Brazil instead and flew home to CT!! - apparently the winds sought were never there that year!. So dont turn too far NE after rounding the horn will you.

We have a thought too for your Mum & Dad - tremendous courage and love to help you make your decision to go and to support you in your endeavour, whilst overcoming the huge struggle within themselves to let you fly free. Being parents of two girls we know the courage and anguish your folks must have had to find and deal with - truly a demonstration of their love for you.

God bless and keep us all posted; we look every day.
Adrian, an old salt, and family, Currumbin.Qld

Thanks for sharing your experience-
Love the pictures, really cool

Hi Jess

Go girl, we're both behind you. You're so inspiring, wish I could do what you're doing, I know I couldn't but perhaps now I'll try something that I thought I never would.

Stay safe and have fun, thinking of you often.

Angela and Zane