Jessica Watson has set sail from Sydney Harbour on her quest to complete a 21,000 mile solo circumnavigation. She is 16 and although the trip will take approximately 8 months, she hopes to get back (if all goes to plan) on May 18th, the day before she turns 17. This would make her the youngest person to complete a solo circumnavigation by some 164 days. Even if she doesn’t command ‘Ella’s Pink Lady’ back with military precision she still has the leeway of those 164 days to beat Mike Perham who in turn beat Zac Sunderland earlier in the year.
Zac did a great job. Mike did a great job. Let’s just pray that Jessica does too.
It is easy to call these brave kids heros once they are back from their adventures alive, but until the day they cross the finish line they run so many risks. Sailing in the Solent on a brisk afternoon can be dangerous, even with another 5 people to help out. Imagine being alone, in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night when something goes wrong………oh, of course, Jessica knows about that one already.
On September 09, her first night at sea on her yacht, she collided with a 63,000 tonne Chinese coal carrier, Silver Yang off the southern Queensland coastline at about 2.10am. Back on dry land (thankfully alive) and after reportedly making a few inappropriate comments about the crew of the Silver Yang, she refused explain much about the incident. The Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) concluded that Jessica:
- Most probably dozed off before her vessel hit and was dragged alongside the 63,000-tonne cargo ship
- Did not turn on a device that would have warned her of a potential collision
- Could not produce a clear, plotted plan for her journey
- Had not developed a fatigue management plan
- Kept a log with ‘irregular latitude and longitude entries’
The conclusion from MSQ was that Jessica should abandon her trip. Well just three weeks later and she set sail on that trip, with Jessica and her parents showing a complete disregard for the advice of the professionals (who have safetly at the heart of their agenda rather than a ‘prize’).
Does the ‘Chinese coal carrier crash’ demonstrate a massive lack of experience or was it a mistake that anyone, including and experienced sailor, could have made? Surely it demonstrates a gross lack of experience. Competitors in long ocean-gowing events work hard at sleep management before they set off. They generally remember to switch on the correct instruments to help them and if our Heros, Ellen MacArthur and Dee Caffarri are anything to go by, they are meticulous to the point of OCD about repair, safety, speed…
In truth a 35 year old could have made those same errors so it isn’t that Jessica is 16 that’s the issue. But, a 35 year old would have had more than twice the life and so could have the oportunity to gain the relevant experience. Mike Perham at least had done a solo transatlantic crossing in preparation.
So, given the fact that she demonstrated she is not yet competent enough to under take 21,000 miles, or more (Mike Perham sailed over 28,000), solo, that she was advised to abandon her trip by the professionals and her parents allowed her to go out there all by herself is staggering. I’m a parent and can’t fathom this decision.
Now it gets worse, Roger Watson, Jessica’s father is reported to have said
“It would be devastating if we lost her … but I still think it would be worse to say ‘no you can’t go’ because of that risk, because of what she’s put into it,” (The Courier Mail, 19 Oct)
This demonstrates the weakest parenting imaginable. Parenting is about bring up responsible human beings who contribute willingly to society. It is not about endulging the child’s desires to break records (would she really be doing this if it weren’t for the record?). If my child said they wanted to jump off a cliff with some ‘home-made’ wings they had spent such a lot of time and effort making in their school art class, would I say yes because I’m afraid of upsetting them? No. Because I have a duty to protect my children from themselves, their lack of experience and judgement, a duty to ensure they can actually complete their ambitions safely without endangering themselves or other people (like the rescue services should they, god forbid, be needed to rescue Jessica). And at 16 she is still a child. She can’t vote, can’t have a drink and in the UK would actually be too young to undertake a Coastal Skipper course with the RYA!!
It is abhorent that a parent should say that the risk of losing a 16 year old child is better than saying ‘NO’. Parents who can’t say no to their children end up with spoiled brats. Let’s hope in this case the fate is no worse than that. Earlier in the year a 13 year old girl was put into care in the Netherlands while her parents argued about her right to sail single-handed around the planet. In this instance I suspect it isn’t Jessica that needs taking into care, but someone ought to be ‘sectioned’.
Let’s also hope that the tragic accident, on Australia’s New South Wales Coast, on October 10th where the experienced skipper and one crew member died when the boat grounded on a reef in heavy waves during the night is not an omen.
I truly wish Jessica well, but question the parenting wholeheartedly.
Anyone feel differently?
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- Australian teenager sets off on round-the-world voyage (news.bbc.co.uk)
- Australian, 16, begins solo voyage (guardian.co.uk)
- Jessica Watson’s father says solo sailing dream is worth dying for (telegraph.co.uk)
- Dutch court stops girl 13 sailing round world (telegraph.co.uk)
- Court blocks girl’s solo sailing plans (guardian.co.uk)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=892f0a46-fe06-4342-a69a-81f29b6e0d86 "Risking life of Jessica Watson is easier than saying No says Dad")
