Jessica Watson is an Australian sailor who was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for completing a southern hemisphere solo circumnavigation at the age of 16. Departing Sydney on 18 October 2009, Watson headed north-east, crossing the equator in the Pacific Ocean before crossing the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. She returned to Sydney on 15 May 2010, three days before her 17th birthday, though the voyage was ultimately shorter than the required 21,600 nautical miles to be considered a global circumnavigation. In recognition of her achievement Watson was named the 2011 Young Australian of the Year, and the following year was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia. She currently resides in Buderim, Queensland.
| Born: | May 18, 1993, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia |
| Nationality: | Australian, New Zealander |
| Occupation: | Sailor |
| Parent(s): | Julie Watson, Roger Watson |
| Website: | Jessica Watson's Official site |
About Jessica Watson
Explorer who became the youngest person to sail unassisted around the world without stopping in May 2010. The journey spanned 21,600 nautical miles and lasted from October 2009 to May 2010.
Before Fame
She lived with her family on a cabin cruiser for five years, and she spent time living in a double-decker bus.
Achievement
She has garnered some criticism due to her trip not meeting official World Sailing Speed Record Council criteria.
Family Life
Her parents are New Zealanders Roger and Julie Watson.
Associations
She successfully circumnavigated the globe like Ferdinand Magellan, who was the first person to do so.
Information related to Jessica Watson
- New Zealand autobiographers
- New Zealand bloggers
- Ambassadors of supra-national bodies
- Teenage single-handed circumnavigating sailors
- Writers from Queensland
- New Zealand sportswomen
- Australian autobiographers
- New Zealand sailors
- Australian bloggers
- Australian sailors
- Female explorers
- Australian explorers
- Sportspeople from the Gold Coast, Queensland
- New Zealand women writers
- Sportswomen from Queensland
- Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees
- Australian women writers
- Women autobiographers
