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

Am enjoying following your journey. Can you tell me how you sail at night, especially since you can't see the waves.

Keep up the good work, Jess!
Your posts are as addictive as they are informative - I'm thoroughly hooked and will be with you all the way.
Keep 'em coming, you're doing Aistralia proud!

Hey Jessica, after a few day offline, i´m very proud to hear you´re in good condicions while enjoying to realise your dream. I´ve to admit i would love to do the same in these days.
Very nice to read about the very seamanslike thoughts of your technican equipments and that you´re realising that all the stuff is only a remedy to make lifeconditions on sea more eysier.
From my experiences on sea i can report that every responsable navigator every second on sea realises that every technican equipment can refuse and there always has to be an other way to keep a safe way on course by using your own knowledge and experiences. I take on simple thing into my life a shore and i have transmitted it to a simple epigram on the mirrors in the social facilities in my company :
" Here you see the collegue who is responsible for your safety " I can tell, you it works!
Please Jess , do me a favour and always use your safetybelt whenever you move on deck. You will never reach your boat again swimming after fell overboard.
So far from the opposite of the globe, fair winds and good conditions, yours Marcus from Germany

For a 16yr old lass you have really crambed in a lot of learning to see you through this trip technically, great stuff, hope the wind stays with you as you approach the equator, don't run into any doldrums and become becalmed for lengthy periods, your sog is amazing keeping you well on track ahead of time. It is great to feel your enthusiasm in your words and the enjoyment you are experiencing. Safe passage, will talk later.
Brian.
Hervey Bay Qld.

Hello Jessica,
Here I am making my first comment. This does not mean that I have not been following your progress - I eagerly do it every day and in my Mum and Nan way I worry if you have missed a day or are late. You are a brave and talented young lady and I encourage you to stay encouraged as you press on with this mammoth adventure. It is an honour to be able to follow your progress each day and I will continue to pray for your safety. You seem to be doing so well with your sailing, housework and reporting which gives a wonderful impression of what you are contending with..fun times, spectacular times and testing times it seems. Blessings,
nanmim

HI,JESSE
I cant believe it im the first person who wrote on your new paragraph.Anyway how has it been out there I hope its been good.Can you please tell me a few facts.



U ROCK GIRL!
FROM BOOST!

Hi Jessica - enjoy the grey days whilst you can as it will probably be sunny and hot once you get up around the equator ... plus a few tropical storms to add to the adventure. But, at least there should be plenty of sun to recharge the batteries. Meantime here's wishing a few days of 15 knot winds to keep you moving towards your goal.
You are doing brilliantly!
FS in Tassie

Jess,
Glad to hear that things are progressing well. Thanks for the run-down on your power systems. The solar panel system sounds awesome. I've been thinking of adding an 80W system to my 26 ft sailboat. Have fun, and enjoy the ride!

Roger
San Francisco Bay Area, CA

Oh good! You're back again. I missed you there for a while. "Standing behind the dodger while the sun goes down" - could anything be more wonderful? I'm so pleased to hear that you're A-OK and that your team is keeping a close eye on you. Your very early blogs tell me that you are a more than competent sailor at sea but there is a lot out there that you can cope with while I, and many of your supporters, could not. I'll let the others talk to you about sleep patterns. Keep safe, precious girl, keep safe!

Ian from Brisbane

Hi Jessica
Just read your blog again & find it most interesting.
Thought I woul estimate your position but without knowing your true course i am probably well out.

Some where around 24 degrees south 176 Degrees East is where i think you might be, time 12 noon Brisbane time
Keep sailing well

Reg K

"So it's pretty cool to be completely self sufficient, just think how great it would be if everyone used and produced there own power?"

------

Indeed. Well said.

Hey Jessica,
great that you are making such good times, and hope as you near the equator that you encounter more sunshine.

Travel safely.

Hello Jessica, Great to hear from you again. Thanks for the great update. The weather in Portland, Victoria, Australia is much the same at the moment as you are having at the moment but very little wind. We are by the sea in with a lovely little deep sea port/harbour so today has been warm but a sea mist handing around all day. Look forward to reading your blog daily and always feel good to see that all is OK with you. take care and thanks for think of us all, Kevin Tobin

From: Nick at bigoceans.com

Does anyone know the position of Jessica Watson? If so pls SMS it to me... Maybe we will cross paths?

http://www.bigoceans.com/sms/

Hi Jess

As you move to a differant time zone , you seem to getting closer to our time ( In Pakistan).Todays blog came in at 12;00 Pm with Pink Lady time 3:28PM. Sounds Great.
Today I wanted to write your Daily Things To Do; So it goes like this.
1)Wake up - See outside , still in Ocean.Think something like "Oh God , i am tired of this scene". But since you can't do any thing any thing about this now. Love the scene , take tooth brush and come on deck to clean the teeth.
2)Brush your hair and after some make over come on the deck again to see if some boys are around but as usual Just WAVES. Ok love the waves again and go back to the cock pit for break fast to see if Mum has done some great job here.
3)Since Mum is back in Australia , no time to go back and yell for no break fast , prepare your own and praise the great taste because there is no one else to blame for the poor service.
4)Start reading some book and keep looking around if some other young man happen to be around until its lunch time. Where to lunch .. cock pit again.. no restaurant and same cook as in the morning. No choice again. So take the lunch and appreciate at least tere is a cook and something to cook ( thanks to Julie (Mum) any way.
5)After Lunch , take some nap and in the evening have some chat with land team so that they know that you are still sailing and have not stopped on an island to enjoy life differantly for some time.
6)Dinner is still in the cock pit and god damn cook is still in job so go and salute her for all the food she is cooking because at least she is cooking something. Very long this time.

Here is the rest of the commentary:

I was born in Tirol, Austria. At age 21 I left to emigrate to Australia, after 23 years I went to live in the U.S.( Washington State) for 13 years.

After my father's death in Austria, 7 years ago, I travelled to and from Australia every year, spending half a year in each country.

You are fortunate, because I believe, that to do a journey like yours gives you the greatest potential for self determination and self direction.

It is in the end raw survival, your attitude in the moment counts, when it is you and the sea!

And you have the right outlook on life and the right attitude, you are captain of your own life, Jessica Watson. And that is just the beginning!

I am learning from you!
At 62 I smile and shake my head. But then the learning NEVER ends, no matter what the number of years say, that one is here on this planet!

You are a blessing!

Thinking of you so often and sending you good thoughts,
keep happy and safe,

Trudy, Tirol, Austria

I am going to do a sailing course in Mackay in the next few months!
I want to experience the ocean!

another person cheeing for you all the way jess!

Hello Jessica,
so good to hear from you! You really are on the fast track, congratulations!

It is good to know, that with all the technology you have on board, batteries, chargers (sun and wind) etc., you could also make it, if some of this equipment fails.
That is comforting!
I have watched the latest video on your website a few times and it seems as if you are coming to us from a different world!
A world that most of humanity will never know!

I recognize your complete satisfaction with your life.
You are the master and you make sure, that you do everything in your power to see that all is functioning properly, looking after yourself and Ella.

You are not only the master of your ship, but you are also my teacher.

In your video, (it is said, pictures tell a thousand words) it shows you are self-sufficient and minding YOUR OWN BUSINESS, you rest within yourself.
It is as if you are coming to us from a different space and time, and you are .............Jessica's world.

Most people will never be able to experience this kind of freedom, self-direction, and self- responsibility. Too many societal expectations to behave and live in a certain way.
You have left that behind, when you sailed through Sydney heads.
I can understand, that you wanted to get away sooner than later from this deluge of people's uninformed opinions, who haven't got the guts to live and want to stop everyone else to do the same.

What does it matter now, what someone else says.

You have your wonderful support team, who are on a wavelength with you and a loyal support group, us commentators, who admire your zest for life and your focus to make it happen for yourself. We are lucky to have the oportunity to learn from your experience.

Thanks Jessica, for letting us come along on the adventure of a lifetime! Yours!

In my opinion, that is what we human beings are made for, that is when we are the happiest, when we are self determined.

You teach me to mind my own business, my own life in terms of my goals and dreams and head me in a direction that is more satisfying, than I have experienced in my life before!
I think even more actively about what would make me happy, bring me satisfaction and joy. Enhance my life!
Following your blog since August has broadened my mind and blown old worn out thinking patterns to pieces! They are gone, you have ignite a fire in me, awakened my spirit of adventure again, even more so than it was before.
I am a different person. Have people had difficulties following my reasons for doing things before! Well, will they be surprised!!!!!!

By being yourself, everyone else is free to be themselves as well.

Jessica you are motivated from within, not without!
And boy do I know that, because I did not grow up this way!

Your parents are very aware human beings, who have recognized your potential and are supporting you in your dreams, because they have and are experiencing their own.

I grew up,, that one behaved in a certain way as parents, society expected you to behave........... to what the neighbors thought, the church, the school, the state.
I tried so hard to be acceptable, to do what was expected of me, but it never worked, because I was and am, like a square peg in a round hole.

I had to 'fight' for my freedom and learn what it really meant.

My commentary was too long, I am sending a separate one for the rest!
Will keep my commentaires shorter next time, thought though you might be interested.
Trudy,Tirol, Austria

Thanks for the trip reports Jess, I love to hear of the day to day routines & going ons'. It enables us landlubbers to kinda be there as well. Enjoyed finding out about your electics - you are self sufficient in your own little world. Looking forward to being able to see your positions on a map. Regards Rodg (Christchurch, NZ)

Hello Jessica,

The sea is deep
the sky is blue
The waves are tough
and so are you

The wind is wild
the sun is hot
The sunset pink
just like your yacht

You've got the GET
and you got the UP
So Go, Go, girl
Sail on non stop


Regards, From Hyden, Western Australia