Official Jessica Watson Blog

Congratulations from the Netherlands!
Marjolein

Congratulations on your first
x…EQUATOR…x crossing Jessica!

I am so very proud for you.
Equator crossing and a shooting Star
and a fantastic picture of Silly.

It can't get much better than this.

I kept looking up into the sky near Mars for some Leonid Meteors but I had no luck at 2am - 4am on the 18th and 19th November. I kept on watching the sky with binoculars, had a good look at my favourite constellation Orion and planet Mars of course.

I posted this before,but for those who are interested in the Night-sky and the stars above Jessica here it is again:

Now that Ella's pink lady has officially crossed 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 on 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.

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

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

Intertropical Convergence Zone:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intertropical_Convergence_Zone


Well Jessica ,you have done a fantastic Job crossing the Equator.Thanks also for those great pictures,they always are a real joy to behold.

I bet Silly caught a ride with Ella's Pink Lady on his way home to one of the Islands.His or her family was probably waiting there for Silly's return.

Fair Winds Jesse ))))))))) …… … ∆˚


lots of love and best wishes,


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

Congrats fellow Shellback!

congratulations Jessica, u r the best inspiration, the world needs u to succeed.......

all the best from here on, take it one day at a time, don't take your eye off your dream, stay safe but above all keep enjoying the process....

Gary and Louise
Wollongong, NSW

wow was the chocolates good

macca


p,s jess is cute

very cool,
good pics, bet your really happy that you crossed the line
all for the best
Bryn,WA,Aus,Perth

Jesse
Once again congratulations. Thanks for the pictures, they tell the story. Keep safe.
Joy
Ballarat.

Congratulations! Awesome voyage! Great pictures, keep them coming!

New Jersey, USA

Fantastic achievement Jessica. I am loving your blog and look forward to following your progress as you head south. Keep safe. Sally

Yay you! Toasting your adventures with a mug of coffee and a big grin and some tongue flickers from the resident python. Between you Jess and the shuttle launch this week, it's a glorious time to be alive. I am always glad to see your posts.
Congrats from Raleigh North Carolina

Congratulations Jessica, awesome Photos, and great weather.

Thanks for sharing this moment with us.

Safe Passage, will talk later.

Jesse,

Congratulations! What an adventure!

John - From San Francisco

Know ye, that Jessica Watson,
on the 19th day of November,2009,
aboard Ella's Pink Lady,
appeared at the equator,
entering into Our Royal Domain,
and having been inspected and found worthy by My Royal Staff
and was initiated into
the Solemn Mysteries of the Ancient Order of the Deep.
I command my subjects to Honor and Respect her
as one of our Trusty Shellbacks.

(Signed)
Davey Jones — His Royal Scribe
Neptunus Rex — Ruler of the Raging Main

Big Congratulations Jessica!!

Molly
Maryland USA

Hey Jesse

Media coverage in AUS very good ..radio brilliant in NSW TV a bit light so we'll see what the papers do in the morning. TV showed your photos and gave very positive words as did radio...you are a star!!!!

Sea ya

Dusty from Dubbo

Congratulations!!

Woo Hoo. Way to go Jesse. Thank you for sharing the pictures with us. You're making it look all too easy.
We're all with you in spirit and will be there all the way with you.

Congratulations Jessie! Well done & excellent effort. Hope the crossing went well for you today.

Glenn
Adelaide

Ten thousand congratulations - to you, and your spirit! Great writing, great photos - thanks for sharing your adventure with us. Good luck for the next bit - hope the doldrums arent for too long - and then......... one day at a time. Hakuna Matata

Hey Jesse,

CONGRATULATIONS!!! You have reached your first major milestone! A great effort to also do it pretty much on schedule!

Did you say hello to King Neptune or were you just sailing along too fast and he missed you.

The pictures are great, but the chart plotter cannot be read, I will just have to take your word as gospel.

Have you noticed yet how the water swirls down a drainpipe, sink, toilet etc in the opposite direction to what it did a couple of days ago? That's the Northern Hemisphere for ya!

By the way, have you been using enough sunscreen? You look a bit flushed, is that sunburn or excitement!

Your traditional dunking across the equator line was as good as you could do in your situation.

When I first crossed the equator on HMAS Stalwart, me, along with about 20 other equatorial virgins, were dunked in a large pool of "yuck". Basically, a whole bunch of wine, other drinks, food, fish etc was left in a tub around 3 metres square and in the sun for 3 days before we reached the equator. You can imagine the smell when they took the lid off and then dunked us all in it. It was putrid, but tradition so you had to go with the flow.

I bet you're glad you are not at Caves Beach for the next couple of days, over 35 degrees here for 4 days in a row - and doesn't that make golf practice fun? NOT? TOO HOT! But it's all good, I could have been stuck in an office.

Anyway, have another celebratory meal tonight and enjoy the good times while they last.

Take care gorgeous girl and keep up the smooth sailing.

Cya
Andrew
Caves Beach, Newcastle
() () () - 3 congratulatory hugs for a job well done!

Congrats! What is your next milestone, rounding Cape Horn? What are you expecting in terms of timing and weather? Justin from Washington, DC.

Hey Jesse,

Congratulations for crossing the equator!!! You must be very happy. Have fun out there. :)

Atanas
Sofia - Bulgaria

Nice!!. Keep it moving Jessica!!.
That's a big step!!.
Good wind and a fair navigation!!
Joan (Barcelona - Spain)

Great Crossing Jessica!!

And Congratulations !!

I was wondering what you had planned to celebrate the Equator crossing.

I first crossed the equator by sea returning from Australia at age 13 on a trip back to the United States from Adelaide in 1964 via Naples Italy. I certainly never considered doing it under sail or on my own. We, as a family, had flown down-under in 1961 from Los Angeles via Hawaii, Fiji and New Zealand. The Italian passenger liner, Galileo, held an “equator crossing” ceremony for the passengers. One costumed crewmember acted as King Neptune, two others as his guards / men at arms and there were even costumed mermaids in his entourage.

The volunteer, "first crossing" passengers, my self included, had eggs cracked on them were dabbed or splattered with food such as spaghetti or pudding then tossed down a slide into the sea water filled swimming pool on the ship’s after deck. It was quite a funny event with most of the other passengers looking on.

I am sure through your blog you have many times the number of avid followers looking on.

You apear to have picked up some sun. Keep up with the 30 weight sun screen and sunglasses the region you are travelling through has the fiercest sun, longest daylight hours and the UV effect is made worse by reflection off the sea. I am sure I don't need to tell this to a Sunshine Coast girl. What you may not know is that your eyes can also be sunburned, similar to the effect of observing a welding arc. So take care.

I spent a week in Queensland during your summer visiting the Great Barrier Reef out of Cairns or a smaller town Proserpine.

I really enjoy your daily updates,
Best wishes and better wind,

Dan

Congratulations Jess! So very happy for you. Keep the pics comin'. Few questions if you don't mind, I'm just curious, firstly, what do you do with your rubbish? I'm sure you don't have a lot but wondered if you need to compact it or something. Secondly, do you ever feel any 'bumps', like something hitting the bottom of EPL? Especially at night? I'm still trying to comprehend what it must be like out in the middle of the ocean, alone, at night, especially if there's not much wind & your kinda just floating along quietly. Lastly, do you ever see any airplanes?
Kath X

Very Cool. Congratulations!