Please select your home edition
Edition

Jessica Watson at Cape Agulhas, Abby Sunderland over the equator

by Nancy Knudsen on 24 Feb 2010
Jessica’s happily hand steering as she enters the Indian Ocean SW
Latest Photos from the ocean: Teen solo sailors Jessica Watson and Abby Sunderland have each reached a milestone in their voyages this week. Jessica has reached the most southerly point of Africa, Cape Agulhas, and is crossing into the Indian Ocean. Abby has crossed into the Southern Hemisphere..

Jessica was happy to have marked off another Cape and to have arrived into her last ocean, and the ocean that laps the western shores of her own country. In the meantime, far behind, Abby delightedly reported her own crossing of the equator.

Jessica has been blessed with good conditions so far as she heads into the Indian Ocean, but this ocean is known for its ugly gales, so Jessica is again expected to veer north for a while before she is obliged to turn south to clear the southern coast of Australia.

While Abby is having trouble with light winds or no wind at all because she is in the general region of 'no wind' around the equator, Jessica has been moving nicely with a high pressure system passing over her at the moment.

Both girls are doing well, with good conditions and no major problems. Abby's wind is expected to pick up as she moves gradually south, and her Open 40 Wild Eyes will start to show its better speed potential.

About the Voyages:

Australian 16-year-old Jessica Watson set out to be the youngest sailor to circle the world solo, non-stop and unassisted. She comes from a sailing family and, as a child, lived cruising on a motor yacht for some years. She is sailing a Sparksman & Stephens 34, painted lolly pink and called Ella's Pink Lady, which was donated by solo circumnavigator Don McIntyre. It is also the same model of boat which successfully carried fellow Australian teenagers David Dicks and Jesse Martin (who still holds the non-stop record for the youngest circumnavigator) in their own world circumnavigations.

Jessica made world headlines when she collided with a cargo ship on her first night at sea sailing her hew boat, and was forced to delay her start while the boat was repaired.

Californian 16-year-old Abigail (Abby) Sunderland has also set out to be the youngest sailor to circle the world solo, non-stop and unassisted. She is the younger sister of Zac Sunderland, who himself completed a cruising journey a couple of years ago to become the youngest circumnavigator, only to be eclipsed by British teenager Mike Perham a some months later.

Abby comes from a sailing family, and her father is a boat builder. She is sailing an Open 40, a stylishly fast racing boat, which her family bought and readied quickly for her much delayed start from Marina del Ray in Los Angeles. Only a week into her voyage she was obliged to abort the trip and head for Cabo San Lucas on the Mexican coast for repairs and upgrade of her charging system. She then restarted her attempt from that port.

While the two girls claim they are colleagues and not competitors and are buoyed by the other's journey, the watching sailing world will see it, at the very least, as an inadvertent competition.

Abby is 154 days younger than Jessica, but started 111 days later, still giving her a 43 day advantage. While Jessica, in an boat considerably smaller and slower, must complete her journey in 212 days to reach home before her 17th birthday on 18th May, which she has stated as an intention, it gives Abby, in a faster more slippery boat, a full 255 days to complete her journey to become the youngest solo non-stop circumnavigator.

Both girls have attracted their share of controversy. Those who applaud their journeys generally point to inspiration, freedom, and the honouring of the abilities of the young. Those who are against their journeys have generally wondered whether they were encouraged too sharply by over-ambitious parents, and whether they should be in school at this age.

RS Sailing 2021 - FOOTERZhik - New Gear Has ArrivedArmstrong 728x90 - Performance Mast Range - BOTTOM

Related Articles

DF95 US National Championship preview
Small boats driven by big talent 59 top sailors will race in this weekend's DF95 National Championship at the Sail Newport public sailing center. Racing starts tomorrow and continues through Sunday. It's the premier national event for the radio-controlled sailboat class.
Posted today at 9:23 am
The Crazy Week of the Globe40
After two weeks at sea since the start from Cape Verde This has been a week we won't soon forget in the story of this second edition of the GLOBE40. After two weeks at sea since the start from Cape Verde in this high-coefficient (3) leg 2, the competitors continued their descent of the South Atlantic.
Posted today at 7:13 am
America's Cup: Big day for 38th Cup
Friday October 17, was a big day for the America's Cup in NZ. Friday October 17, was a big day for the America's Cup - when the Defender went sailing for the first time in the new Cup cycle; the Kiwis announced four new team members; Grant Dalton and Ben Ainslie explained more on the new America's Cup Partnership.
Posted today at 3:55 am
Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race Day 7
Two more finish as Lucky declared overall winner Frantic and Antipodes have finished the Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race (S2A), as RPAYC declared Bryon Ehrhart's Lucky the overall winner of the 1250 nautical mile race, adding to her line honours and race record victories - a triple crown for the US entry.
Posted today at 1:22 am
Emirates Team NZ rounds out sailing team
Emirates Team NZ team are back out sailing with their AC40 from their home base in Auckland. Almost a year to the day since Emirates Team New Zealand won the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup the team are back out sailing with their AC40 from their home base in Auckland.
Posted today at 1:02 am
Transat Café L'or fleet has mustered in Le Havre
148 skippers, 74 boats, 4 classes At nine days before the start of the 17th edition of the TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR Le Havre Normandie, all the skippers have now arrived in Le Havre, marking the start of the festivities.
Posted on 16 Oct
IFCA Fin & Foil Slalom Europeans day 1
Two perfect opening days Johan Søe leads the Men's Foil ranking, while Justine Lemeteyer dominates among the women, topping both the Foil and Fin divisions. In the Men's Fin fleet, Jordy Vonk is in the lead, followed by Nicolas Prien and Malte Reuscher.
Posted on 16 Oct
Cape 31 European Championship in Palma day 1
Shotgunn opens strong on light-air first day The opening day of the Cape 31 European Championship saw the fleet head out full of anticipation, eager to get the event under way and make the most of the breeze forecast to arrive around midday.
Posted on 16 Oct
Allocation of entries for the 29er Worlds in Kiel
All countries will be allocated a minimum of three entries The 29er Class has not restricted entries for the World or European Championships in the past but due to the expected popularity of the Worlds in 2026 in Kiel we feel it is necessary to do an Entry Allocation. This is very difficult to do fairly.
Posted on 16 Oct
American crews join the 2025 Rolex Middle Sea Race
Sailors will weave around Sicily's dramatic coastline, through the Strait of Messina The 46th annual Rolex Middle Sea Race, a 606-nautical mile journey beginning and ending in the breathtaking Grand Harbour of Valletta, Malta, will set sail October 18, 2025 in an event hosted by Royal Malta Yacht Club.
Posted on 16 Oct