Written by: Associated Press
2 min readSydneyMay 15, 2010 02:22 AM IST
First published on: May 15, 2010 at 02:22 AM IST
A 16-year-old Australian who spent seven months at sea in her pink yacht sailed across the finish line of her round-the-world journey on Saturday,becoming the youngest sailor to circle the globe solo,non-stop and unassisted.
Thousands of spectators erupted into cheers as Jessica Watson sailed into Sydney Harbour,the finale to an epic adventure in which she battled 40-foot waves,homesickness and critics who said shed never make it home alive.
She said shed sail around the world,and she has, a tearful Julie Watson said as she watched her daughter cruise past the finish line. Shes home.
Watson docked at Sydneys iconic Opera House. The teenager burst into tears and gasped in relief as she stepped off the yacht and into the arms of her parents,whose decision to let their daughter attempt the feat was called an act of insanity by critics. She hung onto her father and brother as she walked slowly along a pink carpet rolled out in her honour her first steps on land in 210 days. Fans screamed and waved as she walked by,many wearing pink clothes and holding pink flags in a nod to her 34-foot yacht,Ellas Pink Lady.
People dont think youre capable of these things… They dont realise what young people,what 16-year-olds and girls are capable of, Watson told the crowd. Its amazing when you take away those expectations what you can do.
Watson,from Buderim,north of Brisbane,sailed out of Sydney on October 18 despite protests by critics that she was too immature and inexperienced for the treacherous journey.
I dont think any of us would ever doubt Jessica Watson again, said New South Wales state Premier Kristina Keneally.
Watsons journey took her northeast through the South Pacific and across the Equator,south to Cape Horn at the tip of South America,across the Atlantic Ocean to South Africa,through the Indian Ocean and around southern Australia.
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