Posted: Jan 18, 2010 01:29 pm EST
(TheOceans.net) “Against the grey sky and with albatrosses flying in the foreground, it was just as I'd imagined for so long. Mythical and striking pretty much sums it up!” reported Jessica Watson about her adrenaline filled rounding of Cape Horn.

Jessica Watson

“I'm going to apologize in advance for the over-use of exclamation marks (!), but it's certainly been an amazing few days!” started Jessica her blog about her rounding of Cape Horn.

She encountered 40-knot winds, mist, drizzle and a bumpy four metre sea.

The night she approached Cape Horn was a busy and sleepless one, Jessica reported. “To ensure that we didn't just go surfing by in the dark, I put a bit of effort into slowing us down and just as it was getting light, there it was - the distinctive outline of Cape Horn!”

“It was an extremely proud moment!” the elated single-handed 16-year teenager admitted.

Her proud mum and dad departured in a small airplane from Punta Arenas and flew over her while she rounded the Cape.

Approaching Cape Horn

Jessica’s action plan for Cape Horn was “really very simple” she said when nearing the rounding, “Stay calm and confident. If I can't manage that, then I will fake it and just pretend to be!”

With the approach, Jessica first experienced 40-knot winds blowing straight up from Antarctica, “so it is expected to be very cold,” she predicted. It was cold, she explained, “Handling wet lines on deck is just downright painful.”

Thereafter the Southern Ocean becalmed. Which was a bit frustrating because she wasn’t moving a fast as she thought she would.

At Cape Horn when the winds picked up to 40 knots again and “the waves standing up a little”, Jessica said,”[it] all made life pretty interesting.”

Her onshore team reported Jessica has sailed 9,800 nm on day 88 of her solo circumnavigation as she approaches the half way mark of her journey.

Abby Sunderland

Abby was ready to leave today, but the weather forecast didn’t look good.

Her shore team reported on her blog, “the forecast is for several cold fronts to blow in from the south (which would be directly on the nose). The high winds and building seas would make it pointless to head out and bash for 4-5 days.”

Jessica Watson was born on 18 May 1993 on the Gold Coast and currently lives in Buderim Australia. On 19 October 2009 16-year old Jessica Watson set sail on from Sydney Harbour passing the official start line of her around the world journey at Sydney Heads at 9.49 am. It is a estimated 23,000 mile, 230 day solo voyage.

Jessica’s goal is to sail solo around the world non-stop, unassisted. She says she has chosen a route that is a traditionally recognised path and distance for ‘around the world sailors’.

Part 1 – Departing Sydney and North to the Line Island; Part 2 – South to Chile and Cape Horn; Part 3 – Cape to Cape; Part 4 – The South Atlantic Ocean to the African continent; Part 5 – Rounding South Africa; Part 6 – Southern Ocean to Home.

Jessica stated on her website, “There are a few key targets I must achieve to qualify for around the world status. The approximate distance is 23,000 nautical miles (about 38,000 kilometres). I must depart and arrive from the same port, cross all lines of longitude, cross the equator entering into the Northern Hemisphere at least once and round the southern landmarks of South America and South Africa. This route is very similar to the one chosen by Kay Cottee, who returned in 1988.”

‘Ella’s Pink Lady’ specs according to Jessica’s website:
The S&S (Sparkman and Stephens) 34, a classic design from the famous Sparkman & Stephens, it is known firstly for its seaworthiness, toughness and track record. It is a boat capable of consistent speeds and one that Jessica can easily handle.

The S&S 34 became famous after Jon Sanders, David Dicks and Jesse Martin used them for their history making solo circumnavigations. There is now an S&S 34 association and hundreds of other S&S 34 have made and are making successful circumnavigations and offshore passages.

S&S 34’s are commonly entered in the notorious Sydney to Hobart and many participate in club racing all around Australia and the world.

Specifications:
Length Overall: 10.23m
Waterline Length: 7.37m
Beam: 3.08m
Draft: 1.83m

American Abby Sunderland who was born on 16 October 1993 and also aims to do a solo circumnavigation as the youngest to do so.

Abby’s boat ‘Wild Eyes’ is an Open 40 sailboat and a Scott Hollers Jutson design built in 2001 by ASA Yachts of Australia and went around the world as BTC Velocity in the 2002-'03 Around Alone, helmed by Bermuda sailor Alan Paris. The Open 40 was specifically designed for single-handed sailing in the Southern Ocean

Specifications:
LOA: 40’ / 12.19m
Beam: 11.21’ / 3.41m
Displacement: 7407 lbs. / 3360 Kg.
Ballast: 2094 lbs / 950 Kg.
Tonnage: 16 Gross, 15 Net
Engines: Yanmar – 18hp
See her website for more specs.

Both British Mike Perham and American Zac Sunderland sailed around the world assisted. They were 16 when they started their voyages. Zac turned 17 on November 29, 2008 and Mike turned 17 on March 16, 2009.

Mike stayed further out to sea, whereas Zac stayed closer to shore. Zac Sunderland departed on his yacht from Marina del Rey, California on 14 June 2008 and arrived back 13 months later on July 16, 2009. Mike Perham left from Portsmouth’s Gunwharf Quays on Saturday 15th November 2008 and crossed his finish line on 27 August 2009. He currently holds the record for the youngest sailor around the world, assisted.

A 14-year old Dutch girl, Laura Dekker’s dream is to become the youngest to sail around the world, but it her home country’s authorities haven’t given her permission to go.

17-year old Ryan Langley was born on July 4, 1992. He plans a non-stop circumnavigation with a Contessa 32'. According to the website the voyage will begin by heading westward from the Olympic Peninsula through the straights of Juan de Fuca to the open Pacific.

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