Janet CollinsShould 16 year old Jessica pursue her dream?
October 12th 2009 05:30
The debate about 16-year old Jessica Watson pursuing her dream and setting sail to circumnavigate the world on her own has heated up again. This weekend, Jessica lost her long time mentor to the seas on a 92k race and that is certainly something that will have a lot of people thinking about her controversial attempt to take to the seas alone.
Jessica’s pursuit and determination to fulfill her dream has been the subject of much controversy and debate about adventure and risk. Her ambition to sail the world has hit the headlines more than once. The community has been very divided over her attempts to claim the title as the world's youngest to sail solo around the world but authorities say they have no power to stop her.
This weekend the yachting community were in shock after two of the yachting elite died. Sixteen others had to be rescued after their yacht, Shockwave, hit rocks off Port Kembla. The boom hit skipper Andrew Short, his navigator, Sally Gordon, and a third crew member and swept them into the choppy seas. The 15 others aboard were forced into the water as the yacht sank but luckily survived.
Short and Gordon were yaching veterans, had competed in 15 Sydney to Hobart yacht races and were well known in the yachting community. The event was a 92-nautical mile lead up to the Sydney to Hobart race and even nearby competitors could not save them. Some even tried to revive them without success.
This has left a whole community in mourning and it raises the question about going it alone in the world’s seas. There was no suggestion that the skipper and his crew had taken great risks but conditions must have been bad because a rescue helicopter was called because rough conditions hampered the police boat attempting to rescue them.
It tells of how the seas can be so unpredictable. It also demonstrates how vast experience sailing the seas can be of no consequence.
Jessica’s fight to sail the world’s oceans solo has been a colourful one. The whole episode has divided a community on young people venturing on risky adventures. After all, Short and Gordon, had nearby yachts to come to their rescue. Even that didn’t help them this time.
A solo sailor would have little chance out in the world’s oceans. There would be no-one nearby to rescue them, even if a rescue was possible, and the weekend’s incident shows how quickly conditions can change and how difficult it is to get out of trouble.
Even after Jessica had the approval to go ahead with her ambition, her first warm-up run to Sydney suffered a blow when she collided with a tanker shortly after departure off the Queensland coast last month.
That has not proved a deterrent for the 16-year-old even though Maritime Safety investigators says she was ill-equipped for her journey. Opponents to the adventure were quick to voice their disapproval again after this incident.
Jessica has since had a more successful attempt, arriving in Sydney last Monday after a repair of her yacht, Ella’s Pink Lady, and a five-day trial trip from the Gold Coast.
In May, The Brisbane Times, ran a poll asking if Jessica should be allowed to go on her venture. The response was incredibly mixed with some saying they would take their hats off to her and others saying her parents should put a stop to it.
The Queensland government were put under a lot of pressure to stop the teen from venturing out alone to the seas earlier this year. After her first collision with a freighter, there was more pressure but officials declared there was little they could do if her parents allowed her to pursue her dream.
To go it alone on a boat at any time is open to risk. To sail the world solo is death-defying. The title may be a triumph but would a dead 16-year old be worth such an attempt?
Sourced: www.smh.com.au; www.dailytelegraph.com.au
Image Credit: www.heraldsun.com.au
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Comment by The wonderful Peter Yang
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Why not, go for it.
Cheers
Comment by Janet Collins
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Maybe if it was something that didn't leave Jessica so much alone and a long way from anyone for most of the time I would feel a little more comfortable about it.
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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but whether it is Jessica Watson or some fat cat millionaire, i think they should be liable for costs incurred in order to save them when they so inevitably send out the distress beacon
Comment by Journeywoman
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My father has been sailing for more than 50 years, and wouldn't consider doing this for one minute.
To me, this looks like a moneymaking exercise, a publicity stunt. Jessica is simply a pawn in the midst of it all. I doubt that she'll die (she'll have people watching her progress very, very closely) but I'm 99.9% positive she won't complete the circumnavigation.
Anyone remember 18-year-old Jesse Martin, who did this ten or so years ago? He just about lost the plot from boredom and loneliness. I think it's terrible that people think it's okay to just let her go ahead and do this.
My $0.02
Comment by Wilson Pon
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Comment by Emily occasional sailor-girl
My husband met her last year when completing his yacht masters where they were both studying on the Sunshine coast. I remember him comenting to me about the extraordinary young woman on the course who was mad for sailing before I had heard anything about her grander ambitions.
I since met her in Cairns last year when she was volunteering on a coast watch boat of some description before she was going to be heading down to NSW to sail shorthanded on a yacht to Tassie from memory. In other words she was accruing a load of experience.
Jessica Watson (from my reading) is much more prepared than Jessie Martin was - and he suceeded.
This is not to suggest that its not a huge undertaking fraught with danger, hardship and the inevitably unpredictable factor of good old fashioned luck.
As the recent double tragedy of the deaths of Andrew Short, his navigator, Sally Gordon demonstrates - sometimes neither experience nor proximity to help make any difference to the reality that the sea can be a dangerous place.
Yet - in a way - isnt that the point? If you are going to set yourself a challenge to slay a dragon there does actually have to BE a dragon.
As for the comment about the size of the boat - S&S 34's are tried and true sea going vessels - the sea worthiness is not about its size - its about its design. In any case to set off single handed requires a boat small enough to be sailed alone.
I think the question should not be about stopping her beacause of her age - I think the dicey aspect is the time pressure of "youngest" round. Obviously that is the whole point as its a title that she wants to challenge however its this TIME-LIMIT which I think is worrying. If she suceeds solo-circumnavigation it would be an incredible achievment - regardless of her age.
Scary but inspiring! GOOD LUCK JESSIE!
Comment by Janet Collins
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I know way back people did all sorts of things at a pretty young age but I have mixed feelings on this one. We only have to go back a few generations when some men went to war at some ridiculous age like 12. Would anyone send a 12-yr old off to war these days?
If it were just for adventure sake I would be more prepared to say go for it but I often get the impression that the fame that comes with it is far more attractive than the adventure itself.
Thank you for visiting.
Comment by Janet Collins
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I knew that is how you would think on this issue and that is fair enough but the laws of the sea compel the nearest jurisdiction to pick anyone lost at sea up.
The cost of that isn't really an issue with me. The danger is though.
Thanks for the comment and good to see you.
Comment by Janet Collins
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Thank you. You obviously have some pretty definite views on this one. I dare say that I think Jessica has a lot of sailing experience and has been mentored by some of the most experienced. Even so, the open seas are very dangerous and I don't know if anyone at 16 nowadays would be able to actually understand the real dangers out there.
I hope she does and I dearly hope she makes it around without any major incident.
Thank you.
Comment by Janet Collins
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In some ways teenagers have a lot more freedom. In other ways that have so much more dependance. So many of them wouldn't even know how to catch a bus.
I just don't like the idea that Jessica may be looking at the fame rather than the adventure and this can cloud anyone's judgement.
Thanks again.
Comment by Janet Collins
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I would wish her good luck too. I only hope that she is mature enough to understand the challenge she is taking on that's all.
Thank you for your well-thought out comment.
Comment by Anonymous
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I realize the sea is a hard place to be with storms popping up without notice, pirates and pissed off sea creatures. It is hands down one of the most dangerous and scarest place a person can be. This is a young lady who kind of knows what she wants, I take that back. She knows what she wants. She has experience and knowledge and the will!
I say go with God and follow that dream. Do not live a life of regret by allowing others guide you in your life.
Comment by K Johnson
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Just my opinion.
Comment by Janet Collins
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I am usually the first person to say go for it but this one seems just a bit too dangerous for someone that young who probably has more sights on the trophy than the dangers.
In Australia, she is too young to have a drivers licence but is able to sail the world. We stop people from doing things all the time with rules and regulations and then others don't seem to have any barriers at all.
One side of me says "go for it" the other somehow thinks that maybe the collision with the freighter and her friends' tragic accident on the weekend may have been a sign to think about it a bit more.
Thank you for dropping in.
Comment by Janet Collins
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Jessica has quite a few sponsors to pay her way. Not many people could sail around the world and finance it totally themselves. Her parents are putting their weight behind her and supporting her too. This is what has caused most of the controversy.
A lot of people don't think her parents should let her go. Has anyone ever tried to stop a 16 year old from doing something they really want to do.
I wish her the best and really hope no harm comes to her.
Thank you for dropping in.
Comment by Justicia
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Comment by Janet Collins
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It seems most people want her to go (On Orble anyway). I would only wish her the best and hope that she makes it back home.
Thank you for dropping in and commenting.
Take care.
Comment by Miggles
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I don't know the full details of the collision and along the coast is probably worse in some cases than being out to sea.
I have said before, I am really in two minds about this one. We don't even let people Jessica's age drive on the roads. It is interesting that we are able to let someone her age circumnavigate the globe.
Thank you for the comment.
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
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By all means go for your dreams - I can't help but think the dream is somewhat tainted given the number of PR and media people the family have also employed.
Perhaps I'm just in a mood today . . .
Comment by Janet Collins
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That is exactly what makes me think twice about saying "go for it".
Good to see you and thanks for the comment.
Comment by Mrs M
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For mine, being the youngest isn't the achievement she should be going for.
So wait a few years. It is such a risk to take.
But if she makes it....it will be a hell of a story to tell.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by Janet Collins
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I think the wwhole thing is about her being the youngest one to sail around the world. I cheer anyone who wants to challenge themselves.
It does seem strange though, that we don't even let people of this age drive a car. If all goes well, it will be really good for her but the dangers that a challenge like this confront are a little too much, I think.
Thanks for the visit.