Well, perfect is about the only word for it out here today, we're doing 6.5 knots on a broad reach heading for a waypoint below Norfolk Island. The wind was just getting up above 15 knots so I pulled the first reef into the main this morning to keep the motion comfortable and to make the steering easier on Parker (the windvane).
It's such a nice day that I've just spent the morning sitting up on deck enjoying it all, watching Ella's Pink Lady sail along and listening to music. Today there's little speckles of white streaked across the water, as if they're there just to break up all that blue! Just think how great it would be if it were like this every day. On second thoughts maybe it would get a little boring!
It's taken awhile but I think the enormity of the voyage and everything that's happened over the last few months finally caught up with me today, surprisingly it didn't make me feel at all daunted, just proud of all the people who got us here and a little overwhelmed, wow this is it! And it's so much better than I ever dreamed! Still there's a lot to get through yet but I know we can do it, one leg at a time. I'm about half way between Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands now.
So rightyo, foods another big thing that I get a lot of questions about, here goes;
It was definitely a bit of a mission and Mum has done an amazing job of putting together a tasty menu that will last 8 months, plus extra just in case. Ella's Pink Lady doesn't have refrigeration (because it draws too much power) and after a lot of forced sampling, I concluded that fancy
sports foods and most freeze dried food, just wasn't going to work for me.
With a lot of help and advice from other sailors and from Gray Slater a dietitian from the University of the Sunshine Coast, I ended up with a pretty good diet that's amazingly close to normal food. My main meals are range of about 10 different meals called Easyfood which is pretty amazing, tasty stuff that only needs to be heated and lasts on the shelf for 18 months. Breakfasts are normal stuff like cereal and porridge and I'm able to bake my own bread (I think I'm going to have to try my first loaf soon because the stuff I took, is getting very stale!) and things like scones in the pressure cooker. Other than that there's tined fruit and veggies,
plenty of treats, hot drinks and etc.
I'll see if I can remember to tell you more about what I'm eating as we go, tonight, I'm planning to have Easyfood lamb chops (they are so nice!)with deb (mashed potato) and asparagus.
Ok, that was too long in front of a computer screen so I'm off to enjoy the rest of the day and maybe have a bucket bath in the cockpit.
Cya,
Jesse
Saturday, October 24, 2009
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443 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 401 – 443 of 443Hi Jessica, my 2 children (8yr old boy & 6yr old girl) are fascinated by your adventure. We love checking your blog and watching your progress. They have lots of questions which is great (I'll answer them for you - its the least i can do). Its even more exciting for them because we live in your hometown! Take care. Enjoy the peace.
Jesse
The weather on Sunday was cold wet and windy on much of the east coast. Hope you were having balmy weather out there.
By now little mate you must realise how inspiring this great adventure of yours is. Almost everyone talks positively of your journey and all wish you best of luck for a safe journey. I send this verse hoping you find it as inspiring as others like me find you.
"THINK"
If you THINK you are beaten, you are.
If you THINK you dare not, you don’t.
If you like to win, but THINK you can’t,
It’s almost certain you won’t.
If you THINK you’ll lose, you’ve lost.
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow’s will;
It’s all in the STATE OF MIND.
If you think you’re outclassed, you are.
You’ve got to THINK high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before,
You can ever win a prize.
Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man or woman;
But sooner or later the woman or
man who wins
Is the man or woman who THINKS they can.
Have a great day Enjoy the moments this adventure brings your young life
Ruddy
Ulladulla Harbor NSW
kodiebear3luv your photos what a gutsy girl you are. mt thought are with you.be safe Lorraine Coffs Harbour
Hi Jess what you are doing is truly amazing. Its great to be updated by your great blogs, which we look forward to reading.
"If you find a path with
No obstacles it
Probably doesn't lead
Anywhere"
Juli
Has been great to watch the news on everything that you are doing - Kepp up the great work!!
Hi Jessica,
I wrote you yesterday, but I must tell you now about somethink.
Have you ever had a trouble, which makes you scared (panic)? I think that nothink could be worse than that in your situation (alone on the sea).
It happend to me twice and believe me, that was really bad.
I was really close to die once, and second time close to be hard injured. But when I was close to fall to panic, I stopped thinking for a moment and told myself:
No time to be scared now!! (Exactly translated: Not now!!)
Trust me, it is good to know what to do, if somethink bad happens, but neccesarry is, to do it.
If it'll happen to you, CONCENTRATE YOURSELF to do your best, to do what's neccesary to save your life.
It sounds like a stupid and known think, but trust me, you can fall in panic in the moment. Try to never think about thinks that could happen and think about thinks you have to do at the moment!!
I hope that you'll be fine :)
Ps: Sorry for some mistakes in translation Jessica :)
Radek
Hey Jessica
Good to hear that all is going well for you, sounds like you are really well prepared for the journey but always remember that your greatest enemy on this trip will be complacency.
Enjoy the good sailing weather, take care.
John & Marie
Well done Jessica, I wish you all the best on your amazing journey, keep it safe and see you on your return.
What a fantastic adventure! Relax but be ready to step up when the circumstances call for it. The experience is worth many years of schooling that's for sure. I must admit your motivation itself has inspired me and realised there are many things I've been putting off that really aren't as difficult as I might think.
Now, document document document! Photos notes etc I am sure you are doing that but just making sure!
Also what are the night skies like out there?
Following you all the way!
Paul. Brisbane
We don't think it would be very fun having a bucket bath. We are jealous of you getting to sit out on deck, but we are lucky getting normal food and warm showers ;).
Still thinking of you.
5/6W
Hi Jessica,there is not an hour that goes by that I don't think of you and your quest- ( have blue water experience myself) so I know what you are up to- and am openly envious- you are a total inspiration! I now have 2 small girls and look forward to telling them of your great adventure-
Fair winds!
Anthony
Go Jesse!
Jesse,
Smooth sailing. Just a quick request, could you put your current Lat & Long on your posts? I would like to track your progress on Google Earth.
Love,
Bob & Mary Ollis
Lowell, MI USA
ps: watch out for dem coal boats
Go..go..go girl...and good luck. You are making all us Ozzies proud. May your voyage be safe.
Urals from Blue Mountains. NSW Australia
hey Jess,
really looking forward to following your journey, well done on everything mate!
a proud fellow sailor, Timma x
Broulee
Hey Jessica. Just wondering can you track weather patterns out there - do you know if your heading for storms or if there are storms near you ?? Keep blogging .I'm enjoying reading.
Melanie from Sydney.
Hi Jess, Congratulations on living your dream. I hope nature keeps up the beautiful show for you. Your blogs are very interesting. Can you please include more photos. All the best. Jen.
Hey Jess
Your blogs are so inspiring, you have certainly made me look at my life and think about getting out there and doing something "amazing". Its so great to see you living the dream. WELL DONE!
Please keep the posts coming!
Dan
Sydney
Hey Jess,
You go girl - love your blogs - its insane but we are hooked on your adventures. I am scared for you but go for it and break that record.
Fantastic photo's and great text.
Kerry
Gold Coast
Hi Jessica
I'm sailing the big seas through you.
Gail and I have a 10meter Catalina here on Lake Ontario, Canada. It's great to read your Blog and you can be as technical as you want when discribing your boat as I'm a big techi kind of guy. Here is an Idea I have to log your GPS location on Google earth . So when you blog can you include your GPS co-ordinates?
You go girl - Jess we are all proud of you and think you are an amazing girl. Stay safe and enjoy the experience.
Kerry
Gold Coast
wow girl!!! you are amazing,im in awe of you and what you are doing. good luck and enjoy.
ps. my 4yr old boy seth just asked if you have saltana bran on your boat so you can fight the fuzzies?....
Danielle & Seth
Anna Bay..
iam intersting in your solor surfing , but iam scared about you. i wihs you will come back to Australia soon and safly..
this my phone number contact me if you WANT. 0420580707
and this is my Blog.
Theone-king.blogspot.com.au
take care darly
Dear Jessica,
I wish you a smooth and trouble free voyage.
If you have faith in god in any time of trouble,he will save you.
You are an inspiration to others.
May the allmighty god be with you forever,and all the way back to Australia, and to your loved ones in Sydney Australia.
Keep thinking positive all the way.
I say a prayer for you every night before i go to sleep.
God bless you,and have a safe voyage.
Love,
Anthony,
Kogarah NSW Australia.
Hey Jessica
We love reading your updates and following you everyday on your voyage. We are all so proud of you and think your a guttsy girl!..Looking fwd to your next blog.
Deborah
Sunshine Coast
Jess how about displaying a map that shows where you currently are at??
Have a great day
The wind must be keeping you too busy to talk to the cyber-sailors. Having been hit by two freak waves, once fallen off a boat in the Galapagos, and a few other unforeseen dunks, PLEASE keep your safety line on as much as possible.
Keep safe - and please send us Lat and Long from time to time.
David, Newport NSW.
I am following you with a some homeschool kids...they are so excited about your journey.
Keep on Sailing........
Hey Jess,
I think you gave us a huge insight into how you preapred for the trip...having a nutritionist academic give you advice shows how well you planned.
Ash
Perth
xtY here again :]
Loving the updates, hope you and big ted are alright :P.
- seeya at the finishline.
xtY
Weather (0000UTC 26/oct/2009)
(11amEDT 26/oct/2009)
There is a Low pressure system forming
along the west-coast of New Zealand pushing a Low pressure trough further north east and in behind Ella's pink lady.The High pressure system that was with Jessica for most of last week is now surrounded by an increasing number of Lows in the Tasman and also further North in the Tropic of capricorn.
These are excellent conditions for Ella's pink lady with winds at various speed,ranging from 10 knots to 25 knots, being strongest in between High and Low pressure systems. Waves are about 2-3m.
The skipper of Ella's pink lady can now basically choose from various strategies to make the best use of these various developing High and Low pressure systems
In the southern hemisphere,winds around a Low pressure system turn clockwise
and winds around a High pressure system turn anti-clockwise.
learn more about the weather:
http://www.bom.gov.au/lam/Students_Teachers/pressure.shtml
when High and Low pressure systems are next to each other,powerful winds are created in between those systems,as can be seen by the narrowing of isogonal lines or isobars on the synoptic chart.
the latest synoptic chart:
http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/national/charts/synoptic.shtml
Dear Jessica, wishing you a great day of sailing and may Ella's pink lady find the best winds to fill her sails.
gustav (pilot-navigator)
http://www.redbaron.com.au
You go girl! We're a family of Canadians living here in Aus for a year and are amazed at your bravery. We'll be watching and reading, even when we go back to the northern hemisphere!
Brigitte
Hi Jess, Thanks for the photos, please send more!
Hi Jesse!
I love sailing and whish I could be out there with you. It’s such a brilliant experience. Please keep blogging, so we can all sail along vicariously.
I was intrigued by your mentioning bread making. Can you elaborate? I mean, I can’t imagine you actually kneading doe in between navigating, trimming, blogging and what have you. At first I thought of a bread maker, but surely that would use too much power. ???
BTW: Does your main have lazyjacks? I think they’re a great help if you’re sailing alone and need to act quickly.
Keep going Jesse! May the Trade Winds fill your sails.
Hey Jess!
You look so pretty in that photo! =D
Ur going so well and ur so brave!
What do you do about ur dirty clothes?Sureley u would hav to wash them?
Keep up the good work!
Hi Jessica, enjoying reading your logs. Would like to read the latitude and longitude each day. Please post that with your log so we can follow your progress.
Good luck.
I wish you goodluck, stay safe greetings from sweden
- Lukas
Dear Jessica
My name is Daniel Watson I am 13 and I go to Armadale Senior High School in Western Australia. How are you going? There has been a lot of talk about you not having enough experience and you being too young to sail around the world. At least your parents let you go on such a long trip on your own. My parent’s won’t even let me go three suburbs away. I know about your trip through my teacher Mrs Jury but I first learnt about your trip over the channel Ten News.
On your vessel (Ella’s Pink Lady) what is there to do? How do you keep yourself entertained? I mean I wouldn’t last six weeks with nothing to do but jobs, cooking and sleeping. I would go insane.
Mrs Jury is asking us to write a letter to you so we get interested and follow your journey. If you are doing what you want to do and not what somebody tells you to do then who cares what other people think. I mean if you do what somebody is telling you to do all your life then what is the point of living
Any way I hope you have a good trip, have fun and enjoy yourself and I hope you make it!!!
Good Luck
From Daniel Watson
Dear Jess,
Hi my name is Caitlin McGrath and i live in Mundijong and i go to Armadale Senior High School and i am in yr 9.
Well where should i start.. well i do fire cadets i love doing fire cadets because i know that i am doing something for the community.
I also love animals and nature. I have a dog named shep he is German Shepard and i also have 2 horses. I love riding i go riding with my friend all the time the horses name is honey.
Well how are you i have heard so much about you and think that you are a great role model you make me think that if your gonna live your life you might as well have an adventure and do something courages and brave because you only live once thats why i think you are AWSOME!!! lol.
So do you see much sea cretures on your journey? If you do are they scary? i woul love to be in a little boat sailing round the world but i would be scared lol (ur brave).
Well i betta go i hopr u are having fun and enjoying the views i hope that you right back (that would be awsome)
Sincerly yours
Caitlin McGrath
Hay Jessica Watson :P
My name is Shanni-Maree Millen I love riding motorbikes and I am in yr 9 and I attend Armadale senior high school.
My dream is to be in the fashion industry like dressing models.
Ha-ha! But my dad would like me to be in the house decorating business that would be cool but that’s not in the fashion industry.
When I first saw you I was gobbed smacked I thought if someone else could follow there dreams so could I. anyone can do anything!
I have a few Questions to ask you:
How did you get the Idea to sail around the world?
How did your family react when you told them?
I would like to hear from you after your journey to see how you fulfilled you dream.
I would like to thank you for giving the inspiration to pursuit my dreams
Yours truly
Shanni :)
Dear Jessica
Hi my name is Jacc Simpson. I go to Armadale Senior High School in WA. I am 15. I heard about your dream on the News when you crashed Ella's Pink lady into a bull carrier just off the cost off the coast of Brosbane. I am only writting this letter becouse of my English class. We are following your trip. We have read your blogs that you have written and I think you are very courageous.
At Scholl we have talked about what you are attempting to do and I dissagree with every one else in my class. They think you should stayed at home, all safe and sound. But I think you should live your dream and travel the world solo, with out stopping.
I have read a fair few other blogs about why you should have stayed at home and a couple say that you are not experienced enough to travel the world becouse you have not saild before with or with out a crew on long distance.
As for me your dreams are totally different to mine. I would love to travel the world but it would be with the one i love and it wouldnt be on a 34 foot yacht. It would rather be either on a cruise or by plane.
I believe you can do it but how are you going to survive without any long distance experience? What made you think about doin your dream at a young age. I would hope you live but you need to remember to turn your fatigue on and to turn your radar on so you can watch out for other boats.
On your journey around the world we hope that you will make it home safe and sound without a scratch on you. Thank you for reading this and i hope you will write back and i will write back.
Thanks
Jacc Simpson
p.s
me and my best mate kyle think you are hot
You're an inspiration...of course your exploits have to be ridiculously dangerous to be that...is it worth it? Me thinks not...
When the stars come out at night,
and it's so dark on the water that
you see stars that men on land
have not seen for far too long,
find a good one somewhere you like,
and name it for yourself.
You have earned it.
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