Recognition Due
It never fails to amaze most ordinary mortals that there are those among us whose steely resolve to explore, discover, expose themselves to danger - and meet adversarial conditions in a manner we could never even imagine ourselves engaged with - continue to pursue their dreams. What's more, they're doing these things at an increasingly young age. A young woman barely into her teens insists she is experienced enough as a sailor to set out on her own high seas adventure, and is supported by her parents, but withheld by authorities.
And here is a young Australian woman, all of 16 years of age and experience, who has undertaken an amazing sea voyage that has kept her for seven months on a voyage none of us would care to experience. In her 200 days on the high seas, on her own, with the intention of setting a record as the youngest person yet to sail solo around the world, she has tackled the unimaginable in ferocious weather conditions and violent seas, and survived.
The previous record-holder is a young man who at the age of 18, in 1993, circumnavigated the globe, and he too is an Australian. There is that about Australians, living on an island in the middle of where many Europeans and North Americans might consider to be 'nowhere', that seems to prepare them to meet severe conditions in their adventures that so appeal to them, and surmount all difficulties in the process.
Which, it would most certainly appear, is what this 16 year-old young woman, Jessica Watson, has managed to do for herself. Doughtily determining that she would set out on a voyage of her own, unassisted, and without making port anywhere on her way to fulfilling her final accomplishment - to sail around the world. This is what she has done, this is her accomplishment.
And this is a remarkable feat of personal vision, courage and expert seamanship second to none. She sailed tens of thousands of nautical miles in her determined assault on a record set by another young Australian, to sail around the world. In her own time, her own way, by her own calculations and strength of character.
"Jessica has sailed the most challenging and treacherous oceans of the world, passing the four capes (Cape Horn, Cape Agulhas, Cape Leeuwin and the South East Cape of Tasmania) and crossed the Equator twice"...so reads the description of her endeavours on her website, www.jessicawatson.com.au.
This is an astonishing accomplishment no one can take from her. Yet, her critics claim her voyage does not quite qualify for official status. She has not, it was claimed by Rob Kothe, editor of Sail-World, sailed far enough, nor sailed the course approved by the World Speed Sailing Record Council.
On the other hand, as her manager Andrew Fraser claims, "She has sailed around the world, non-stop, solo, unassisted and when she completes the voyage, she will be the youngest to have done that."
Bravo, Jessica Watson!
And here is a young Australian woman, all of 16 years of age and experience, who has undertaken an amazing sea voyage that has kept her for seven months on a voyage none of us would care to experience. In her 200 days on the high seas, on her own, with the intention of setting a record as the youngest person yet to sail solo around the world, she has tackled the unimaginable in ferocious weather conditions and violent seas, and survived.
The previous record-holder is a young man who at the age of 18, in 1993, circumnavigated the globe, and he too is an Australian. There is that about Australians, living on an island in the middle of where many Europeans and North Americans might consider to be 'nowhere', that seems to prepare them to meet severe conditions in their adventures that so appeal to them, and surmount all difficulties in the process.
Which, it would most certainly appear, is what this 16 year-old young woman, Jessica Watson, has managed to do for herself. Doughtily determining that she would set out on a voyage of her own, unassisted, and without making port anywhere on her way to fulfilling her final accomplishment - to sail around the world. This is what she has done, this is her accomplishment.
And this is a remarkable feat of personal vision, courage and expert seamanship second to none. She sailed tens of thousands of nautical miles in her determined assault on a record set by another young Australian, to sail around the world. In her own time, her own way, by her own calculations and strength of character.
"Jessica has sailed the most challenging and treacherous oceans of the world, passing the four capes (Cape Horn, Cape Agulhas, Cape Leeuwin and the South East Cape of Tasmania) and crossed the Equator twice"...so reads the description of her endeavours on her website, www.jessicawatson.com.au.
This is an astonishing accomplishment no one can take from her. Yet, her critics claim her voyage does not quite qualify for official status. She has not, it was claimed by Rob Kothe, editor of Sail-World, sailed far enough, nor sailed the course approved by the World Speed Sailing Record Council.
On the other hand, as her manager Andrew Fraser claims, "She has sailed around the world, non-stop, solo, unassisted and when she completes the voyage, she will be the youngest to have done that."
Bravo, Jessica Watson!
Labels: Adventure, Peregrinations, Whoops
posted by Pieface @ 5:57 PM
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