Official Jessica Watson Blog

Today started off with a passing squall giving me a very wet wake-up while reefing down and trying to catch it on camera (see pic below). I'd have thought it was pretty clear that I was wide awake after the first wave but apparently not. To think that some people start their day with a quiet coffee! 

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Mostly just the usual out here today, still flying along really nicely, any tips on avoiding speed cameras?! A few squalls have kept me busy reefing in and out and I spent a lot of my down time today catching up on a little sleep after being kept awake last night with a passing boat and a few little squalls. 

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Heeled over, under full sail and throwing water everywhere Ella's Pink Lady has been flying along today. It can't just be me that's busting to get south! The wind has come round to the east a little more, meaning that we've been able to ease off the wind a little, making life a little more comfortable and reach along directly south. 

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It hasn't been the most amazing out here today, overcast, squally and the sea has been a bit of a mess, it must be a lot like the inside of a washing machine! Bob predicted that the swell would become a little uncomfortable with an east going current clashing with the south easterly wind and believe me, he was right! I have to admit my mood was reflecting the grey sky for a while this afternoon so I had to give myself a good talking to, it didn't take much and I'm right back to feeling 100% positive again. 

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We crossed back into the southern hemisphere this evening, its nice to be back home! I said a quick hi to Neptune and thanked him for the fish! Still no sign of the big red line though, I'm starting to think that all this water must have washed it away?! 

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Yes I'm more than a little pleased and very relieved to report that I finally got a fish! (see pic below). That was starting to get a bit silly. My best guess is that it's a yellow fin tuna, its not huge but I'm sure that there will be plenty for everyone! I can't say that there would be many fisherman who would be proud of the mess I made filleting it. I'm just glad there was no one here to witnesses the whole thing, but practice makes perfect right?! 

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Winds on the nose and a current against us for the last few days has made for pretty painful progress, we're only just getting close to Kiritimati (Christmas) Island now. All going to plan we should be around and clear by the morning, it'll be a relief to have a bit of sea room and to be making progress south again. 

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No change that I can see. The water is still blue, the waves are still rolling and the wind still blowing, but apparently now the water splashing across the deck and slipping away behind Ella's Pink Lady, is northern hemisphere water! 

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I'm not much of an Astronomer but with all this talk of meteor showers last night, I was keeping an extra good eye out and did see the most amazing shooting star. It was so bright and big that I was actually a bit spooked before realizing what it was. But I can't tell you what I wished for though! 

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