Jessica sets sail to a world record breaking attempt

Jessica Watson

Teenage adventurer Jessica Watson has finally set sail on her quest to make history.

Well-wishers thronged The Spit in Sydney's Middle Harbour as the 16-year-old cast off around 9am in her yacht Ella's Pink Lady.

The Queensland teenager wants to become the youngest person to sail single-handedly around the world.

Well-wishers farewelled Jessica with cheers as she left the mooring aboard her yacht Ella's Pink Lady and a flotilla of kayakers and small boats accompanied her as she sailed into Middle Harbour.

NSW Maritime boats were due to escort Jessica out of the Heads.

The teenager from Queensland's Sunshine Coast and her team spent Saturday "fine-tuning" their preparations and planned to get a good night's sleep.

Her spokesman Andrew Fraser said she was relieved and upbeat to be finally beginning her voyage, after being delayed in Sydney by gusty winds last week.

"I said: 'How are you feeling?'," Andrew Fraser told reporters in Sydney on Saturday.

"She said: 'I wake up tomorrow and sail around the world'."

Jessica is setting off on her quest despite calls for her to abandon the voyage from the likes of the Queensland government and some of Australia's most experienced sailors.

Concerns were heightened when her yacht collided with a 63,000-tonne cargo vessel off North Stradbroke Island during an aborted journey to Sydney last month.

But Mr Fraser dismissed the doubters.

"Let's have this conversation in eight months," he said, referring to the time Jessica is expected to take to sail around the world.

"It (the collision) may have been a blessing in disguise, to be honest," Mr Fraser said.

"I think we've learnt a lot from that experience, (and) Jessica has learnt a lot."

After leaving Sydney the 16-year-old will head towards northern New Zealand, then to Fiji, Samoa, South America and South Africa, then sail the final leg of 4,000 nautical miles back to Australia.

Her route will be similar to that taken by Australian Kay Cottee, who became the first woman to sail solo, unassisted and non-stop around the world in 1988.

SOURCE: theage.com.au

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