Today, Saturday 15th May 2010, Jessica Watson and Ella’s Pink Lady sailed into Sydney Harbour and across the finish line ending their epic voyage of adventure to claim the title of “Youngest, solo, non-stop and unassisted circumnavigation” of the world..... Welcome home ladies!
The final month of Jessica’s and Ella’s Pink Lady’s voyage proved to be their most challenging as they left the Indian Ocean in their wake and sailed back into Australian waters below Cape Leeuwin in Western Australia. Their original plans to endeavour to sail a straight course to the bottom of Tasmania to round their fourth cape, South East Cape on the south eastern most point of Tasmania were averted several times as Mother Nature dictated less than ideal weather conditions.
Through a series of low pressure systems across the Great Australian Bight Jessica and Ella’s Pink Lady found themselves having to head further north towards the mainland on several occasions in order to avoid the low pressure cells to their south.
Once across the expanse of the Great Australian Bight and very near the western end of Bass Straight, Jessica and Ella’s Pink Lady experienced another two (more) knockdowns, totalling six knockdowns for their entire voyage around the world. They experienced their first four in succession shortly after they rounded Cape Horn on the southernmost point of South America.
And now, as Jessica and Ella’s Pink Lady sail into the pages of our history books, having endured extreme weather conditions, they reflect on their journey together with immense pride and an incredible sense of accomplishment.
