An Australian 15-year-old is set on sailing around the world, and in the process, establishing herself as the youngest woman to ever do so. From her website:
Jessica Watson is setting out to become the youngest person to sail solo non-stop and unassisted around the World...Inspired in her turn by Kay Cottee, the first woman to sail solo non-stop unassisted around the world and by Jesse Martin, the youngest person to do so, Jessica Watson has set her sights on shattering Jesse's record. In the process, Jessica hopes to inspire young sailors, adventurers and everyone with a dream in their heart.
From my lil' Brooklyn apartment, this sounds like crazy talk, but I sense that Jessica has the resources to do this safely and that her family and community are behind her. Also from the site:
In her quest, to reach what is considered the absolute pinnacle of sailing Jessica will pit herself against mother nature and all she can deliver including the notorious Southern Ocean as well as the physical and psychological demands of eight months alone at sea. In doing so, Jessica wants to show that even the most gentle among us can achieve great things and with determination and the support of those around us can live our dreams. Jessica hopes that her journey can inspire others to take that first step and be all they want to be.
I'm not sure exactly how Jessica's eight month journey in a yacht around the world is going to translate as inspiration to everyday folks, but I also don't want to hate on her because it sounds like a really difficult and courageous thing to be doing. Always a little too practical for my own good, I just keep thinking: "How much is this shit going to cost?" (That info--surprise, surprise--is not featured on the website.)
Apparently she'll be blogging along the way.
Thanks to Max for the heads up.
0 TrackBacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: 15-Year-Old Australian Woman Attempts to Sail Around the World.
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.feministing.com/cgi-bin/movabletype/mt-tb.fcgi/13710
"And hey I'm 15 I need to worry about what I am wearing!"
oooooook
My thoughts: How safe is this? Is a 15 year old really a woman (rather than a girl)? Is this worth missing a year of high school?
Yeah, I think we see a lot of the word "girl" where the word "woman" is needed, but this might be reversed here.
8 months? At sea, alone? All over the world? I'd think the parents of most fifteen year olds, boy or girl, would be concerned about them taking off for 8 months.
Is this worth missing a year of high school?
Yes. This sounds fricking awesome.
Well, its an honest question. What is she going to be doing? Maybe there are things about it that are worthwhile. For instance, is she stopping in foreign ports? What will she spend her days at sea doing? I think 8 months of fishing is probably not as valuable as 8 months of going to school, but maybe there is more to it that I'm missing.
The comment about the psychological trials of 8 months alone at sea makes it sound like she isn't going to be spending a lot of time seeing different countries-- just the wide open ocean.
seriously: what will she be doing, you ask? she'll be living her life and fulfilling a dream and pursuing her excitements and goals - challenging herself as a human, as a young woman... she'd NEVER get the lessons she'll learn on the ship while in some classroom reading texts... ugh i hate that i have to explain this.
She's also a CHILD. She's not an adult. This isn't a trip over summer vacation and she'll be alone. Honestly, it sounds more like she's trying to break a record for the sake of breaking a record.
And? Men do it all the time.
Why shouldn't women?
Is it worth missing a year of High School? Hell Yes!
This is the kind of experience that will look far more impressive and open far more doors, than just another straight A student.
Fifteen-year-old boys do not successfully attempt solo sails around the world "all the time." That one sixteen-year-old, ever, has managed such a thing does not mean that it's wise for any other mid-teenager to try.
So a 15yr old girl can't do it because a 15yr old boy hasn't? She's blazing new trails (or water so to speak) for women, making a new statement, record. She can do what she wants, especially if it's not in the shadow of a male.
She's not a "child".
She's a young woman.
A very resilient one, apparently.
Please don't infantalize her!
It's pretty presumptuous to assume that 8 months at sea means she has to miss a year of school, rather than put off a year of school. Not everyone has to turn 19 in grade 13 (I didn't).
Um... She is missing the year, even if she does it later. I'm not sure if she's going to keep up with the work on her own or if she's just taking a year off and doing it the next year, but either way she is missing that year of high school.
I meant, is this worth the time it will take out of everything else? I guess its pretty clear that its worth it to her, but I'm asking for more details about why the rest of us are supposed to be impressed by this, what she'll be doing, and why its not too dangerous.
When I eat lunch at one, I don't say "I missed lunch". I don't think that's a reasonable definition of "missed", and I don't think it's what anyone here is imagining by "missed".
Beyond that, I'm a little (read:very) uncomfortable setting priorities for a 15 year old girl whose parents approve of what she's doing, where it's at best very marginally harmful. The "Is it too dangerous?" question probably needs to be examined as a question, it reeks of "she needs to be protected and coddled", which is something I think is somewhat out of place here (maybe not, I'm not sure, but it ought to be examined.)
I think the question of "is it dangerous" is a good question for anyone doing something like this. For the record, I would be reacting exactly the same if this was a 30 year old man. I do not see the point of sailing for 8 months by yourself. I'm asking people to tell me what's so valuable about it, and so far I'm not seeing any specific answers.
Like I said, if she's stopping in various countries along the way, that sounds like a great experience. But the quotes make it sound like she won't be stopping anywhere, or as little as possible.
I'm impressed that she's chosen to do something that is clearly difficult, and I'm impressed that she has the initiative and confidence for it, and that she has the skills to do it as such a young age. But I'm just not very impressed by the goal itself. I'm hoping someone can explain to me what will be happening on a day to day basis that's worth that amount of time, but all I can picture is fishing and reading books.
That might've come off more directed at you specifically than I intended, but I don't believe that the aggregate reaction would be nearly so negative/safety concerned if she was a 30 year old man; I might be wrong, of course, but I don't see it.
Beyond that, different people value different things. Maybe she really enjoys sailing - maybe that's what she wants to do with her life; work on an historic sailing ship, or teach sailing, or who knows what? Maybe solitude, reading and fishing are more valuable to her than visiting foreign ports.
What's the point?!?! Why do people hike, or write poetry, or fall in love, or join dangerous aid missions to war-torn countries? Because they see value in the action that outweighs the risk. Personally, I have no problem seeing the value of visiting hundreds of foreign ports, waking up to see whales or flying fish next to your ship, testing yourself against your own fears and limitations, proving your detractors wrong, or simply getting a different perspective on the world. Right now, I'm questionning why I am sitting in a cubicle in an air-conditionned building when there is a big, wide world outside, waiting to be experienced.
As for her age... some 15-year-olds are more than ready to be adults, just as some 30-year-olds aren't. I would not presume to decide which category this teenager fits into, but it really is up to her and her parents.
As for the cost / class aspects of the journey: clearly, most people are not financially able to do something like this, much less at the age of 15. Most teenagers can't afford private school and a new sports car, either, and frankly, I'm more concerned about the kids who get a new Corvette when they turn 17 than I am about this brave human being.
As for risk - of course it's more dangerous than staying home, but so is biking to school. We all take risks - it's only risks that aren't justified by commensurate rewards that aren't worth taking. Speeding through an amber light to save 1 minute is a stupid risk; risking death on a potentially life-altering experience makes much more sense.
And, not that its important, but if you don't eat lunch until 6 PM, you missed lunch, even if you end up eating again at midnight t o make up for it. . If you put something off long enough that the next marker in the cycle comes around, we usually say you missed it, even if you continue longer to make up for it later.
She's missing no school:
"Sometimes I’ll be very busy sailing the boat and for when I’m not, there’s plenty of school work, I’m doing correspondence school."
worth missing a year of school?? did you really ask this question?
worth missing a year of school?? did you really ask this question?
ick.
Hell yeah it's worth missing a year of school!!!
Watson's classmates only get to study geography - she gets to see the damned world!
I'm sure she'll have learned a lot during that year at sea!
As far as 'safe' goes - look, most of the risks of abuse, rape and murder faced by 15 year olds come from their relatives and classmates.
She's all by herself at sea - unlike her shoreside peers, all Jessica Watson has got to worry about are storms and sharks.
Watson is actually a lot safer than her peers.
Also, would you be asking that if it was James Watson, instead of Jessica Watson, making this journey?
S
As I said a couple times before, YES I would be asking this regardless of her gender. Accuse me of having a narrow view of sailing if you want (although I think you'll find that all of my posts were asking questions to find out more about it), but there is really no reason from any of my posts to assume that I wouldn't be concerned about the same dangers to a boy.
People die trying to break records like this. I'd be just as concerned about an adult male trying something like this. Her gender is irrelevant. Her age might be an issue-- we don't usually let teenagers make big decisions like this because society has decided that they aren't mature enough to do so. I'm not sure if I'd actually want to stop her from doing it (I still haven't found out what sort of safety net she has in this plan), but it IS very dangerous, to a boy or a girl.
A 16-year-old guy did it in 1965. This story reignites the excitement I felt on reading his book in high school.
Good. Glad to see a smart, well-adjusted young woman doing something positive with her life, instead of becoming a model :-)
I'm a little confused about your comment. Are you saying that some smart, well-adjusted young women become models, but you believe this is as a more positive thing to do? Or are you saying that becoming a model is not something smart, well-adjusted young women do, but this is?
I think the gist is that this is an example of a woman/girl/*appropro term here* doing something outstanding and garnering attention without having to be 6 feet, very thin, and not wearing very much.
Good for her.
Pantheon, I would say this is unquestionably worth missing a year of highschool. Do you think she won't learn a thousand unteachable things during the experience?
(I am speaking as a homeschooler, though. So I don't really have the highest opinion of organized schooling.)
I do think -- and this is being jealous of a girl who is tougher than I will EVER be -- that it's probably not a good idea for her parents to let her do this. Parents are a little overprotective these days, but then there is the other extreme... If I had a kid, I would have to say, sorry, maybe when you're 18.Good luck to her, though. I hope she does it and stays safe.
I was just going to say the same thing about it being "worth it" to miss school. Not as a homeschooled person, but as a teacher who rejects the notion that formal schooling is the most important or successful way to develop your human capacities.
It does sound as if she might be a home/unschooler herself, as the website refers to "distance learning" while she got better at sailing stuff.
I was unable to determine whether or not she will be assisted/followed by another vessel?
Its an honest question-- what will she be doing? The mention of the psychological problems of 8 months alone at sea makes it sound like she won't be learning about other cultures around the world.
Off the top of my head, things you could be learning would be things like fishing, navigation, sailing... hopefully she already is competent in those things to even be considering this.
So what else am I missing that she's going to get out of this? I hope she'll have some books with her, but that could be done anywhere.
Is another ship going to follow her and keep an eye on her? Is she going to be in contact in some way? Do satellite phones work on the open ocean? How is she going to have internet access to blog? I hope she's not going near those pirates that have been in the news lately. What will she do if there's a big storm?
Do you think she won't learn a thousand unteachable things during the experience?
Like what? Now, if she was stopping in various countries around the world I'd be more inclined to say she'd get a lot out of this experience. But as described it sounds like she will be on a boat by herself for 8 months. Hopefully she already knows how to sail the boat, so she'll be learning... to be alone for 8 months? How to study textbooks by herself?
I guess I'm just not into the whole extreme lonely treks thing. I'm not impressed with people who try to climb mountains and end up having to be rescued and losing their fingers and noses to frostbite (saw that on national geographic channel) and I'm not very impressed with people who want to sail very far by themselves and risk injury and death. I think its common sense to have more than one person around for this kind of thing-- a thousand things could go wrong that would result in her painfully protracted death.
I'm not 100% against it-- maybe there are factors I'm not taking into account. Like maybe there is technology these days where she can stay in contact and have someone tracking her GPS location. That would make it safer. But I'm still not sure why 8 months alone at sea is necessary unless you're seeing places along the way. If its just about sailing, and not about the countries you see on the way, then I don't think there's anything inherently valuable about going so far.
Just a few unteachable things, for example:
Appreciation and respect for the forces of nature and how we, as humans, must protect the earth.
Common sense, strength of character, commitment, persistence, endurance, spiritual maturity, self-reliance, ambition, creative problem solving, discipline, alertness, rapid decision-making,organization, physical limits and potential....
i think you are tightly packed into a little mold box. break out, Pantheon.
Pantheon,
Obviously you wouldn't spend 8 months on a boat alone.
And that's fine.
I know I wouldn't ever skydive out of a plane, or ski down a mountain...or, for that matter, sail alone around the world.
But, there are lots of folks who would skydive, or ski, or sail alone around the world - cause that's their thing.
I don't hate on them or question their motives or their parents motives cause they do stuff like that - I just chalk it up to the fact that they are different than me and therefore have different interests.
Bottom line, while Pantheon doesn't want to sail around the world, Jessica Watson does.
Why do you have a hard time understanding that?
On the "safety" question.
1) If Jessica Watson was a guy, you probably wouldn't be asking that question, because society presumes males to be competent, but assumes females are stupid and helpless.
2) Yes, there's risks to sailing around the world in a sailboat - but there are also risks to sailing around Melbourne harbour in a sailboat - and there are risks to getting up in the morning and taking a shower - and boiling an egg - and taking the bus to school - and staying out in the sun too long.
Life is full of risks, and you cannot avoid them.
I'm sure Watson knows her stuff, seafaring-wise.
As for the Somali Volunteer Coast Guard (the so called "Somali pirates") they only mess with sludge tankers that dump nuclear and toxic waste in their waters, factory ship trawlers that take all of their fish catch, military vessels and large commercial cargo ships.
And even in those cases, they only mess with folks who sail into their territorial waters.
I'm sure Watson knows her way around a nautical chart and a compass (and has a GPS to confirm her plotting of her position) so I doubt she'll come anywhere near Somalian territorial waters.
But, again, I seriously doubt you'd be asking that if this were James Watson, 15 year old male adventurer - you'd assume he's competent and knows what he's doing.
Why not give Jessica Watson the same benefit of the doubt?
Assume she knows what she's doing!
As I said before, I would be asking about safety even if this was a 30 year old man. I think missions like this are dangerous no matter who's doing them. The example I mentioned was that of some men in their 30s and 40s climbing a freezing mountain and nearly dying and being maimed for life. That risk has nothing to do with her gender.
I never said she should be stopped or anything, so I'm not sure where all the hostility is coming from. I asked some questions about exactly what she'll be doing and how safe it is, and yes, clearly I'm not interested in sailing great distances. Based on that there is no reason for you to assume that I wouldn't ask the same questions about a boy.
But who are you to judge what risks she should or shouldn't take?
Why not just assume Watson knows what she's doing - instead of all this handwringing about "is it safe"!
I really don't understand all of your carping - nobody is making YOU go along for this boatride, so why do you have to hate on her?
Why not celebrate her achievement?
Look, I asked some questions about the risks and details, in a polite way. You are the one with the all caps and exclamation points and hostile writing. I've noticed that quite a bit actually-- this is off topic, but I personally would be a lot more receptive to your posts if you didn't constantly yell. Even your username is in all caps. Its pretty distracting.
As for why I didn't just "assume" that she knows what she's doing, I don't normally assume that 15 year olds have the experience to know all of the risks in a situation like this. I'm not assuming that she doesn't-- but I'm asking if she has any sort of safety net in place (like another boat following nearby, or a way to contact people that will work in the open ocean) and I still haven't seen an answer on that. If the plan is just to go out to sea alone and not check up with anyone until she gets to the next port, then I think that is incredibly dangerous, especially for a 15 year old. I'm not trying to stop her, but I don't have to approve. On the other hand, if there's a decently thought out safety net in place I'd feel better about the planning involved.
"Hostile writing"?
When I talk in real life, I use my hands, I'm very expressive verbally, I use a lot of sarcasm and tone of voice to get my point across.
My internet writing style reflects that.
Not a damned thing hostile about it.
But that's not the real point.
The real issue is here - why are you infantalizing Jessica Watson?
On the internet, all caps and bolds and exclamation marks mean yelling. If you're ok with yelling all the time that's fine, but you should be aware of how people might react to it.
As for hostile, I personally take offense to you accusing me of being sexist, with no basis. I said a journey like this is dangerous for anyone, you (vehemently, and with bolds and all caps), accused me of saying that only because she's a girl. Accuse me of not having enough of an adventerous spirit if you want, but there was absolutely nothing in any of my posts to indicate that my comments about this being dangerous have anything at all to do with her gender. It is a very risky thing to do, regardless of who does or should do it. I don't appreciate you accusing me of sexism, yes, in a hostile manner, with absolutely no reason.
This makes no sense. Because Pantheon is concerned for Jessica's safety, she's 'hating on her' and 'infantilizing' her? So as long Pantheon's not the one in danger, she shouldn't care about someone putting herself in a dangerous situation?
I had the same exact reaction as Pantheon. My baby sister is 14 and I would be damned if I supported her doing something this dangerous in a year's time. My baby brother is 25 and I feel the same way. I'm all for people doing daring, exciting things, but safety should still be a consideration. I for one won't cheer for a young woman doing something dangerous *JUST BECAUSE* she's a young woman and doing something dangerous.
Also, on the Somalia thing.
If you go to her website, she's sailing from Brisbane, Australia across the Pacific, sailing past the southern tip of South America, across the South Atlantic, past the southern tip of South Africa, and then across the Indian ocean back to Australia.
At the closest point, she'll be about 4,000 miles from Somalia.
Since there have been no reports of high seas piracy by Somalians, she'll be fine.
I personally support this young lady, but also have concerns about safety not for being young or female (or even solo), but the simple fact it's a small boat.
No, the Somali pirates won't be an issue, but what of the southeast Asian pirates, which used to be of serious concern before the Somali pirates made recent news? Unlike Somali pirates who are allegedly not violent, allegedly humanely putting up their hostages, because they are simply in it for the ransom or bounty, Asian pirates (types vary) actually do have a history of shooting up vessels and assaulting or killing crew.
That aside, I'm envious. There was a period about five years back I wanted to take up sailing, in a multihull. Decided it was impractical for myself, money vs. time on the water (also the monotony of open water). Also hurricanes are too likely where I live, and they trash the small boat harbors.
Something I still want to do is take slow driving tours of countries like the US, Canada and Australia, simply seeing what there is to see. For now, I have a motorcycle.
She's sailing around the southern hemisphere - from Australia, past the southern tip of South America, then past the southern tip of Africa and then back to Australia.
None of those places is anywhere near Southeast Asia.
Beyond that, those guys go after commercial vessels - because there is money, and lots of it, to be made in holding those ships and their cargo for ransom.
Why would they go after a sailboat?
Also, this is not a "small" boat - it's a 10 meter boat, which is big by recreational boat standards.
Look, the leading cause of death for 15 year old women is murder - mostly at the hands of relatives or domestic partners.
She has a 0% chance of that happening for the next 8 months.
So, in a very sad and very real way, Jessica Watson will be the safest 15 year old woman on the planet for the next 8 months.
"Why would they go after a sailboat?"
Hostage, perhaps, or murder. It's been done by the Asian pirates. That you cannot imagine, shows you haven't heard.
http://www.smh.com.au/world/bloodshed-on-mr-bean-lifetime-trip-turned-to-terror-20090325-99zh.html?page=-1
That's not even the first time they've done it.
Australian. Round the world in a sailboat. Hmmmm.
"Also, this is not a "small" boat - it's a 10 meter boat, which is big by recreational boat standards."
And small vs. the steel hull cargo ships which get hijacked with regularity by the pirates.
I'm curious: What was the idea behind using "woman" in the headline to refer to a fifteen-year-old?
You see girls are women here until they are not. It is one of my pet peeves with Feministing.
A 15-year-old is a woman when she does something great or wants to buy birth control but she is a girl when it comes to issues such as sex because if she a a 21-year-old boyfriend they would say she is too young to consent because her brain is not well equipped to make a informed decision.
I'm kind of surprised at most of the comments here. It seems to me that this is an awesome thing to do, and inspirational to young women everywhere. Though I do take the point about how sailing around the world in a yacht is not exactly something that many young women can relate to, at the same time it is a pretty amazing thing, and young women need to see more of their peers doing amazing things. Yes, it does seem a little crazy for her parents to allow it, but like others I'm going to assume that she's prepared, understands the risks involved, and is making the choice to do it. I've done things before that could have resulted in my death, and I made the choice because they were worth it. Obviously it will be awful if she doesn't make it, but that's her decision. Good on her parents for allowing her to do something that she's striving for. As far as the school issue, I agree with those who think that this is a huge teaching moment in itself. Yes, she'll be alone at sea for eight months, but you don't have to visit countries for a trip to be valuable. Learning simply to be alone actually *is* a valid and valuable experience. She'll learn a lot about herself, and how she deals with situations. She'll learn real survival skills, not just what you read in a textbook. And if she makes it, I assume the sense of accomplishment will be huge. For the rest of her life, few tasks will seem insurmountable. In my life, I've spent the past two years doing something that has little to do with my career and plans (law school), but just doing it has made me someone who rarely complains, and who will do a lot of things that I would have turned my nose up at before. There's something to be said for that.
I'm with you Judith, about her parents. Very good on them. Lovin' their stylee. I honestly don't understand these questions about missing school. huh?!?!?! what is the big deal about missing school? I cannot understand this in the least. Gives me the creeps, honestly.
I was shocked too - especially to see those kinds of comments on a feminist website!
Instead of praising Jessica Watson for her braveness, smarts, strength, skill and just all around awesomeness, there's all of this carping about "will she be safe" and "but she's missing school! How will she make up all those classes?"
I'd expect to hear that on SportsIllustrated.com or some sexist male-oriented website, not here!
I am really and truly astonished!
Look, my first comment was phrased as "my thoughts" because that's all it was-- my initial thoughts and questions. I'm not saying that anyone should try to stop her or anything, of course not. I hope there are some safety measures in place, but if her parents feel its safe then hopefully it is. I'm not trying to defend a position of "she's wrong and needs to protected" which is how some people seem to be taking it. I'm ASKING for some other perspectives-- what exactly makes you feel that this is a good thing, or that its not?
Given that she really wants to do it, I think letting her is probably a good thing (assuming she doens't die). If she makes it it will be an impressive story for the rest of her life. I'm more confused about why she really wants to do it, though, and why other people want her to do it badly enough to let/help her.
Some other things:
fundraising, public relations, poise, media relations...
I'm also surprised with a lot of these comments. Amelia Earhart is a feminist hero, but this girl's motives and abilities are being questioned, plus she is receiving all this judgment from strangers for even considering this trip.
And Amelia Earhart died from doing something like this. Its perfectly valid to discuss how dangerous this is without saying that she should be stopped.
Not true.
Amelia Earhart disappeared while flying across the Caroline Islands in 1938.
At the time, the Caroline Islands was a heavily militarized Japanese colony.
Since there was strong tension between the US and Japan - which would later lead to WW II - it has been theorized by some historians that the Japanese military must have captured Earhart and her male co-pilot assumed that they were US spies, and probably executed them.
So it wasn't a "safety" issue - it was a "caught up in geopolitical conflict" thing.
And of course there's no conflict (or modern pirates) around the world these days that she could be caught up in...
There's no pirates in the Arctic Ocean - and that's where she's going to be.
I think it's appropriate that they use women instead of girl. I work with young women and men in this age (14-17) I always make sure to refer to them as such. Not boys and girls.
I agree with Judith, I am very surprised and somewhat disappointment on the negative comments about this young woman's adventure.
It may be dangerous, she may be missing a year of high school and she may be alone for eight months but who says these are bad things. Being alone is seen as such a negative thing in our society, but she may learn about and reflect on herself and the world around her. As for dangerous, I feel that most things in life worth doing involve some risk, sure this is a large risk, but that's where the appeal is.
I think that she is a great role model and her adventure can relate to many young people. Not the sailing itself but the themes her trip embodies -- freedom, adventure, independence, the prospect of living your dreams and that anything is possible. She not worried about the young men that might like her, the latest fashions trends, or prom. She's thinking about sailing around the world, and living off of the sea for eight months.
She's going to learn so much more than she could ever learn in high school this year, and I'm speaking from someone who was unschooled/homeschooled her entire life, but now has spent the last six years working in public education (who woulda thought). I had a 17 year old friend who rode her bike (alone) from one end of South America to the other when we were in high school and it changed her life. I wish every young person could have an experience life these.
Errr, make that "an experience in life like this"...
I'm really surprised at the tone of the comments here (although I also question the use of the word "woman"). Could it be there are not a lot of sailors on this site?
Sailing is among the original old boys clubs. There are SO many men who don't accept women as sailors. The skills needed for a trip like this are amazing. Navigation? Dead reckoning? How about the physical strength to sail solo? She must be beyond tough. And I'm sure she had help, but she still managed to secure a whole lot of sponsorship.
This girl is going to cross the Drake Passage (i.e. the roughest water in the world) on her own. How is everyone not in awe? She is both an athlete and an intellectual and she's fifteen.
Could it be there are not a lot of sailors on this site?
That was my thought, as well. People keep saying, why would she do this? And I go, "Obviously you're not a sailor."
This girl is going to cross the Drake Passage (i.e. the roughest water in the world) on her own
She is going to try. I see no guarantee that she'll succeed, and no warrant for "[being] in awe" before she's managed it. Plenty of more experienced, more heavily crewed, stronger vessels have failed to cross the Drake Passage in one piece.
Why do you have to wish her ill?
Why not just assume that Jessica Watson has the right stuff to accomplish this task?
Folks who know here way better than you or I seem to think so - including her parents.
Why not just trust their judgment - instead of being a naysayer?
I'm not sure why you think stating that she hasn't done it yet and its dangerous is WISHING her ill. The comment above didn't say "I hope she doesn't make it" it says "she might not make it", which is true. It isn't guaranteed that she'll make it-- in fact if it was, there wouldn't be much point in doing it.
You are making just as many assumptions as anyone else-- I fail to see why you ASSUMING she will be fine doing this is any different than other people "assuming" (really just expressing doubt, not certainty) that she won't. You're the one expressing certainty (that she'll succeed and be happy) without knowing her-- no one has said that she WILL fail, or that she WILL be depressed and lonely, just that its dangerous.
I'm pretty sure if it were a 15 year old boy they wouldn't have used the word "gentle".
Yeah, that was strange.
After thinking about this a little more, here's the explanation of my reaction: I'm just not impressed by these types of quests in general. Its one thing to climb Mount Everest to see what's there because no one has ever been there and helicopters haven't been invented yet, or to go to the South Pole to study climate change. Its another when the reason is "because its there." I just personally can't get that worked up about people risking their lives for this kind of thing. I'd never want to do it, and I'd worry about anyone I know doing it. This reaction has nothing to do with her gender and very little to do with her age.
So, I guess I'm impressed that she's doing something that isn't traditionally seen as female (even though I guess other women have done it too), and that she's got so much initiative at a young age, but I'm just not that impressed by the task itself. I feel the same way when I hear about a 30 year old man who wants to climb a mountain or trek across a giant desert or whatever.
Its also similar to how I feel when I hear about women soldiers fighting in Iraq. On the one hand its cool to be doing something to prove women are as capable as men, but on the other hand I just can't get that excited about fighting an illegal and unpopular war.
I think what Jessica is doing is great. That wasn't my first reaction though. My first reaction was, What is she doing this for? I settled on "Nothing much," and I'm satisfied with that answer. She doesn't have to be promoting a particular cause to sail around the world. If a 15-year-old can sail around the world, then a 15-year-old can do just about anything. I think this is inspiring. It kind of reminds me of Forrest Gump running across the country just because he felt like running.
Although it sounds amazing, and will probably a life-changing experience, I wonder how prepared she is to be alone at sea for eight months. I wonder how any 15 year-old would be prepared for this...
Maybe she'll be happy to be alone for 8 months - no peer pressure, no constant bombardment of emails, texts, cellphone calls - just her, and the sea, and eternity!
Actually sounds pretty appealing to me!
Yes, that sounds appealing for a month. Now eight months alone, at sea, with nothing to do but care for yourself...it can become overwhelming.
Or not - depending on what kind of person you are.
Perhaps Watson has a higher tolerance for solitude than most - some folks thrive with lots of alone time.
Maybe, I don't know her, and you don't know her either. That's not my point. The fact that everyone is applauding this without any hesitation is my worry. If you think that's great, fine. I think any 15 year-old should wait for a great moment like this until they're older. If she is this adventure seeker that most sought her to be, she'll probably be pretty bored with life afterwards. Like another user said, what would be next? Going to the moon?
She's going to do it, and I'm not going to go to her house or e-mail her(people who do are waisting their time) telling her not to do this, but I don't think it's a good idea. Is it ok with you if I think that? Thanks.
Just to point out a little error in the post: if she succeeds, she will be the youngest person to sail around the world solo unassisted.
But yeah, I am a little surprised that people are worried about her lack of schooling. Ignoring the fact that she is a apparently a pretty good student, and that we don't know what sort of independent studying she will be doing, an experience like this will easily make up for any missed schooling.
She is doing correspondence school. She will miss no thing.
And even if she did who cares!
She'll learn more in a year at sea than she'd ever learn sitting in some air conditioned classroom!
For anyone wondering what she could possibly gain from this experience, this is a book you need to read. It's called "Maiden Voyage" and is by Tania Aebi, who in 1988 became the first American woman to sail solo around the world and, at the time, the youngest person to do so (she was 18). She did it without a GPS, without an autohelm (or rather with a purely mechanical autohelm instead of the sophisticated computer systems Watson will likely have access to on her boat), without cell phones or internet at sea.
Honestly, I'm utterly green with envy of this young woman - and yeah, I think "woman" is the correct term. Adulthood isn't defined by a number, and anyone setting out on this kind of journey is taking on a completely adult level of responsibility. I'd say she's earning the right to be called "woman" and not "girl". - and will be following her blog as she goes. It's a hell of a thing she's doing. Kudos to her for going for it.
is she going on a yacht or a sail boat? I think thats awesome. Seriously, think how many stereotypes this may dispel in some men
It's a 10 meter (25 foot) sail boat - which is about the largest vessel that one sailor can operate by herself.
I just rechecked my math - it's actually a 37 foot boat. Metric to english measurement conversion was never one of my strong points.
Actually, you can single-hand up to the mid-40' range just fine, if you've rigged the boat for it. My dad has a Hunter 41DS, 41', and he single-hands it all the time, including offshore.
But on boat size, I go back to Aebi's journey, which was made aboard a 26' sloop. Yes, size matters, but it certainly isn't everything.
Wow, the negative comments shock me.
She's doing something she loves (sailing) and trying to set a world record (something thousands of people do every year, anyway).
Shouldn't we all be celebrating that this young woman (yes, woman) is truly interested in something? So many girls (yes, girls) her age are apathetic and only try to fit in with everyone else.
Academics are not everything. As a public school student, I can assure you that I haven't learned anything useful since I was in fifth grade (until now, because I'm in community college instead of doing my junior/senior years of HS).
Besides, she is doing schoolwork, as others have said. Correspondence school (or long-distance learning) is just as challenging as in-school learning.
And, I think the use of the word 'gentle' is used more like a point of: hey, guess what? Us womenz can do shit too! Even those of us who ARE gentle. Which she might be. We don't know her.
If I were her, I'd wait until later in my life for my most climactic adventure....
How do you top sailing around the world at 15? She best start planning for the moon at 30!
A fifteen-year-old is a girl. She cannot legally drive, drink, smoke, vote, live alone, or consent to sex with an adult. "The physical and psychological demands of eight months alone at sea" are well beyond most adults' abilities to withstand - if adults want to try to withstand them, that's their choice, but not minors. I'm very bothered by the statement that "I sense that Jessica has the resources to do this safely and that her family and community are behind her." How do you "sense" that she'll manage this safely? Resources are not at all the only consideration that go into safety. The strongest and best-equipped solo-piloted craft on the ocean is no match for big storms in open water, and the smartest and best-equipped fifteen-year-old in history does not have the experience required for a high degree of confidence in her ability to navigate through all the risks and situations alone. She's from New York City; it's not like she grew up on a ship in the 18th century. And in how many other situations would we simply accept that "support" from "family and community" had nothing to do with pressure, fame-seeking, and poor judgment?
People have brought up a lot of famous solo circumnavigators: great. Let's not forget the list of people who have died trying - nearly all of whom were likely much more experienced (and experience counts tremendously in sailing) than this child. Does anyone remember Jessica Dubroff, who captured attention in the mid-1990s as a spunky girl aiming to become the youngest-ever pilot to fly a plane across the U.S.? If you've not heard an inspirational story about her, it's because she's dead. (She was younger than this Jessica - but she had help, and much less time for problems to accumulate during the voyage.) So is Vicki Van Meter, who at 12 was the youngest person to fly across the Atlantic and committed suicide at age 26 last year.
There also seems to be a lot of advance celebrating going on. It doesn't strike me as wise to assume that any eight-month solo trek of the world's waters will be successful until the last port is reached.
My bad: the Brooklyn apartment is Courtney's; I should have read more carefully. But she still isn't a ship-born child of the Age of Sail.
Why do so many posters insist on infantalizing this woman?
Obviously she has the smarts and the strength to do this - her parents and the members of the environmental group she belongs to obviously think so, otherwise they would not have let her do this.
So why can't we trust their judgment?
And, BTW 15 year olds aren't "children" - they're young adults, and they have a lot more capacity than a lot of older folks are willing to give them credit for.
she has sponsors to help pay. Her boat was even donated by a company.
I don't think Vicki van Meter is an appropriate comparison... she suffered from severe depression. She didn't fail in her endeavors to set records at a young age.
I couldn't agree more, Violet! All I can think is WHERE ARE HER PARENTS!! This is just insane. If her parents were planning on allowing her to live alone on land for 8 months would we think that was great? No, because children need to be supervised. No one would think it acceptable to leave a 15 year old alone in any other circumstance for such a long time period. But it is okay because she will be on the open ocean? WTH?
We can argue about whether or not this 15 year old can handle this type of responsibility. But as a society, we have decided that she cannot. We have decided that 15 year olds don't have the maturity to drive or vote. That pretty much means that we (as a society) have decided that they can't do this either.
I have no idea how dangerous this journey really is, but in many US states 15 year olds are not allowed to ride in cars without seatbelts. Because we as a society have decided that children are not mature enough to assume that risk, and we also don't allow their parents to assume that risk for them. I admire this kid, she is an amazing teenager, but she is STILL a teenager no matter how wonderful she is.
Analog,
Her parents approved of this journey - and apparently are the ones who are paying for it.
They know Wilson a lot better than we do - if they think she can do it, I would tend to take their word for it.
So, in light of that fact, why do you and so many other posters insist on infantalizing her?
How come nobody here is talking about "choice" - instead it's all about "she can't do it" or "she's too young" or "where are her parents" (which sounds like something you'd expect to hear on Maury Povich or Judge Judy rather than on Feministing!)
oops i meant for my comment to be here. she has sponsors for $$. her boat was donated.
age is relative. people were accomplishing a lot more at younger ages before medicine allowed us to live longer.
You seem to be forgetting that she is not an American. Most Australians live along the coastline, making it more likely that we get involved in activities that involve the sea, often at a very, very young age. I know in my coastal town most people know how to swim before they even begin going to school and learn at least the basics of a boat not long after. I would hazard a guess that her parents are actually that ones who started her on this stuff. She wouldn't be allowed to begin if she wasn't competent. She's probably been sailing longer than most 30 year old 'experts' have been working.
How much did it cost for Earhart to go on HER expeditions? Junko Tabei (1st woman to reach the summit of Everest)? Don't know? Didn't think so. Point is, it doesn't matter, because they still inspire the "explorer" in young women. As girls we're told to stay home, study home economics and marry well.
Yeah, I don't think it particularly matters that she's missing a year of school. I consider it alternative education.
All this hand wringing and gasping about her parents is noteworthy. She wants to go. Her parents obviously support her and think she can do it, else they wouldn't let her try. The sailing community in Brisbane seems behind her, and if they think she can pull it off there is a good chance she is an accomplished sailor. She won't be going anywhere near Somalia or Malaysia so pirates aren't really a concern . . .
I wonder if some of the negativity I seem to see in these comments is knee jerk reaction to a pretty rich white girl getting to do something expensive, dangerous and totally cool?
Her Yacht? A 34 foot single masted sailboat, probably tricked out pretty good but still, not much tonnage to take around the south seas. And she won't be stopping anywhere or getting any help from anyone. That is the whole point. This is the type of thing that speaks adventure and the expansion of spirit. No matter what happens she will have experienced things, drama and panic, fear and exhaustion and all the extremes that most never really come up against. And if it kills her or she fails? Too bad but . . . ok. Shit happens and every sailor respects that possibility. That is no reason not to try. Her age and gender are remarkable but not limiting factors in this endeavor. It's weird that I am compelled to point that out here . . .
LOVE this comment. thank you.
i personally don't much care about this young woman missing school (i always say "don't let your education get in the way of your education"), but i do think some concern is appropriate. after all, 99.9% of the 15-year-olds i have known (including myself, at that age) have not had what i would consider to be good enough mental discipline, judgment, risk assessment, and stamina to consider a trip like this. and it's not unheard of for parents to push their children into potentially unhealthy/unsafe situations in pursuit of fortune and fame. but this young woman may be an exception. however, even the most skilled adventurers routinely come up against troubles they can't surmount, and that's frightening no matter what her age. (i'm thinking most recently of marquis cooper and his friends, whose boat capsized and two of them have never been found.)
as for the "woman" vs. "girl" debate, i always use the term "young woman" for the 13-to-18 set. i don't believe the term "woman" is appropriate, because i think that term refers to those who have reached the legal age of majority, no matter how mature/responsible they may be. (i would personally like to see feministing implement this sort of policy for precision and clarity.)
i think concern is warranted, but if the people that know this young woman best believe she's capable, then i say she should go for it with our best wishes.
Actually, it's not our place to be concerned.
Her family, the people in the environmental group she volunteers with and other recreational sailors in her community think she can do it.
They know her.
You don't.
And neither do I.
So let's trust their judgment.
As far as the whole "99.9% of the 15-year-olds i have known (including myself, at that age) have not had what i would consider to be good enough mental discipline, judgment, risk assessment, and stamina to consider a trip like this" thing goes - you need to be around different 15 year olds.
Maybe I have a different perspective than you do - having known lots of refugees over the years.
I've known lots of folks who survived wars, starvation and refugee camps when they were Watson's age - or younger.
Like my mom's best friend - an immigrant from Vienna, Austria. When she was age 11, the American and British air forces bombed the living hell out of her town - and she spent the better part of a year scrounging for food between bombing raids (and dodging Nazi patrols that would shoot looters - even if they were little German kids).
Or this guy I used to work with who - at roughly the age Watson is - had to walk from Eritrea to a refugee camp in Sudan, and then had to avoid being forced to join the Eritrean guerrilla army and then had to navigate the UN and State Department bureaucracy to get a visa to come here - and then had to make a life for himself in a foreign country where he could barely speak the language.
Bottom line, I've personally known lots of people that managed to survive hard hard situations when they were at a young age - and managed to prevail.
We Americans have this weird sheltered idea that "childhood" extends well into the mid 20's.
In most of the world, it ain't like that, at all.
Just ask the young Mexican immigrants that you see working on construction sites or restaurants in your community - most of them walked 2,000 miles across their country, and endured 2,000 miles hidden in the back of a van traveling across ours, to get to your town.
And a lot of them weren't much older than Watson when they took that long journey.
The idea that a 15 year old woman (or man) is a "child" is a uniquely privileged Western idea - and it's simply not the case in most of the world.
In most of the world, if you're 15 your old enough to work, and old enough to serve in the Army - folks would laugh at you if you called a 15 year old a "child".
Even in our country, the US Department of Defense has 17 year olds driving tanks and firing cruise missiles - obviously, they don't think those servicepeople are helpless "children"!
That's why I am totally not surprised that Jessica Watson is taking this journey, and I totally think she's capable of making it.
I really don't understand where all of this handwringing and doubt is coming from!
the doubt comes from cushy American suburbia. Your stories also bring up the fact that younger people are a lot more elastic with the world and themselves, adaptable, and willing/ready to overcome challenges.
People on here are so American-centric its disgusting. She was brought up on the coast of Queensland. She would have been sailing for a lot longer than most other 'experts' have been in other fields.
you're right, i'm more familiar with urban american teenagers, as i was one and now work with them. and, yes, the lives of teenagers are much different in other parts of the world. it seems that this young woman is growing up in a similar culture to an urban american culture in many respects, and i would be willing to bet that most teenagers *in her society* aren't adequately prepared for a task like this one, either. most of the teenagers i know, and they're all great people, still make poor decisions with some regularity....getting into car wrecks, using drugs (and i don't mean smoking weed), getting into fights, spending all their money on expensive cellphones and toys. it's okay; this is the time in their lives the *should* be doing this stuff, because this is how they'll learn to do better next time.
most of the "western" world is socialized to enjoy the rights and responsibilities of adulthood around the age of 18, and i freely admit that that age is essentially arbitrary, chosen because it's the age at which most people finish high school. some people "mature" quite early, some people long past 18, and some never do (dubya, are you listening?). but that social structure provides the framework in which children learn and practice the tasks they need for adulthood, and our culture has recognized that, around the age of 18, most people can essentially care for themselves and participate in our society. (yes, in another society, i readily agree that that point can be reached earlier or later.) but whenever someone is a dramatic outlier to the norm, it's not unreasonable to have a bit of concern about someone's readiness.
as for saying that it isn't anyone's place to be concerned, i respectfully disagree. in fact, i think many social ills come from a *lack of concern* for the lives of others. i would agree that it's no one here's place to interfere with her plans.
however, justifying your point by bringing up examples like those children that have fled the sudan on foot is, in my view, missing the point. even if those children survive, and many don't, many of them are emotionally/physically damaged. just because *some* children prevail in rough situations doesn't mean that most of them do, and i absolutely wouldn't *want* a child to be forced into a situation like that.
this was meant to be a response to gregory, above.
Western countries, like the USA and Australia, send 17 year olds out to fight wars.
Ever watch CNN and see those American military convoys in Iraq or Afghanistan?
Most of the folks driving those vehicles and/or operating the heavy machine guns are 17 and 18 year olds.
Beyond that, there are lots of 17, 16 and even 15 year olds in our society who work, raise kids and take on adult responsibilities - and do as good or bad a job of it as older folks do.
In those same Western countries, we have 17 year olds working on union construction sites - and 15, 15, 14 and even 13 year olds on the scab jobs - and they do about as well as adults with a similar level of inexperience.
There is this curious custom amoung the upper classes in Western countries of prolonging the childhood of upper class children far into adulthood.
That whole "extended childhood" concept does NOT prevail among the children of the working classes in Western countries - or among children in general in other societies.
I think we have a lot to learn from them.
I think it's better to let young adults test their limits - and maybe fail, and maybe get hurt, and maybe even die - than to infantalize them and deny them the opportunity to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes.
Yes 15 year olds - even those from upper class families - are perfectly capable of sailing around the world.
If you don't believe me, get out your shortwave radio and ask Jessica Watson!
ehh.
I knew some 15 year-olds who were incredibly stupid when I was that age.
But I also knew a lot who were incredibly smart and capable.
Personally, I think any poor choices I made at that age were due more to having been given poor or infantalized information by the outside world than from any lack of ability within myself.
People mature at different rates, biologically/neurologically.
Just because you were a baby lacking in higher abstract thinking skills at 15, doesn't mean everyone was.
I have to agree.
Competence - and incompetence - know no age.
And not all 15 year olds are at the same level.
I say good on her for doing something she really wants to do and pitting herself against the odds.
I would suggest she has a 'shitload' of sponsors on this one, and her blogging probably is part of some of the requirements of those contracts. People like a good human interest story.
Women, even the youngest of them, doing what they want to do with their lives should be lauded. Loudly.
Yeah, a handful of folks here are complaining about "missing one year of school".
Really?
REALLY?
I missed two years or more and decided to drop out and get my GED. We should be proud of this young woman for just wanting to break a record, and especially moreso now that we know a lot of people are backing her up.
People on here seem to be missing a huge point: she is NOT American. She is Australian. Australia is not some offshoot of America. Our environment means that many people are well acquainted with the sea at a very young age. Her age does not make her any less of an expert, it just means she started young.
Our relationship with the sea also means we know how dangerous it is. I have no doubt to knows the dangers of the sea and the risks she is taking more than most Americans on here saying how risky it is (tourists get in trouble all of the time because they go swimming in Australia because they think they understand the risks - they don't).
She's obviously courageous and talented, two very empowering things. Good luck to her.
I am a 20-year old female Canadian sailor and think this is FANTASTIC! I am really disappointed to see all of these negative comments. It is VERY difficult to sail a 34 ft sailboat solo (having had experience doing so) - so it is phenomenal that a 15 yr old is capable of sailing by herself for 7-8 months. And it is 2009 now - I can't imagine that she would set out without ensuring she is equipped with various technological features that will ensure her safety. This is absolutely phenomenal and she deserves more credit for attempting to do this, she can't be anything but a very capable, skilled, and responsible young woman.
I can't even believe how much negativity is going on in this thread. It makes me furious as a young woman. How can you call yourself a feminist and not support a young woman's right to do something incredible with her life?? yeah, it may cost a lot of money, but if she has those resources and this is her dream, why stop her? Why bother questioning everything about her?
Why not just be supportive?
These comments=mind boggling. I'm really bummed out by your collective reaction. Young women should be encouraged to take risks they have measured and still want to take, and the feminist community should stand proudly behind their efforts.
As someone who has known Jessica all her life, can I just add some factual information to this interesting debate:
Today is Jessica's birthday, so she will be 16 when she leaves on her voyage. While it is only a difference in number and not ability, it does mean that a whole lot of things are different for her legally.
She is not a 15yr old girl any more, she is a 16yr old young woman. Does that make any difference? Maybe, maybe not.
What does make a difference is her maturity and experience. Every experienced sailor who has met her has been astounded by her maturity and attitude, and those who have doubted her ability to attempt this adventure have almost without exception changed their minds and become fully supportive after meeting and getting to know her.
As for experience, Jessica has already skippered a yacht across the Tasman Sea from Australia to New Zealand, one of the more difficult stretches of water in this part of the world. She has also crewed on yachts on open passages from Australia to the Pacific Islands, and from New Zealand into the southern ocean and the sub-antarctic islands. She is spending every possible moment building her single-handed experience in her new (34ft) yacht before she and her supporters feel she is ready to set off.
This isn't just a case of a young girl with a dream diving in at the deep end without thinking of the consequences: this is an exceptional, experienced adventurer setting off on a carefully planned and thought-through record attempt.
Are their risks? Hell yeah! Where would adventurers be without them? And anyway, are any 16yr old young woman's lives without risk? Even if their world is their home, their school and the local mall, we all know that risk is everywhere in the modern world.
Jessica is taking on the world, and choosing where the risks are that she is willing and daring to face. Good on her.
The queries about her education and schooling? Jessica is enrolled in distance education and will continue with that education (at which, as you might expect from such a focused individual, she is doing very well).