Jessica Watson is an Australian sailor who has been recognised for her daring attempt to sail around the world alone at the age of 16.
Despite failing to meet the distance criteria to circumnavigate the globe, Watson was named 2011 Young Australian of the Year and awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his achievements.
She continues to inspire young Australians and serve as a role model for aspiring sailors.
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- Full name: Jessica Watson
- Date of birth: May 18, 1993
- Age: 30 years old
- Gender: Female
- Place of birth: Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
- Nationality: Australian
- Occupation: Sailor
- Height: 5’4″
- Parents: Julie Watson, Roger Watson
- Siblings: 3
- Relationship status: None
- Spouse: None
- Children: None
- Net worth: $5 million
Early life and education
Jessica Watson, now 30 years old, was born on May 18, 1993 in Gold Coast, Queensland.
She is the second of four children, including Hannah, Emily and Tom, born to Roger and Julie Watson, who moved from New Zealand to Australia in 1987.
Jessica and her siblings were exposed to sailing from a young age and were homeschooled while living on a yacht for five years.
They are educated through distance learning programs.
At age 11, Jessica’s mother read a book to her children about a solo sailing trip, sparking her ambition to sail around the world.
She started learning to row at the age of 14.
Personal life
There are no details about Jessica Watson’s love life and personal life.
Career
Jessica Watson embarked on a solo round-the-world voyage in October 2009 at the age of 16. Her trip was expected to take eight months and cover about 23,000 nautical miles.
Despite facing many challenges such as collisions with cargo ships and severe weather conditions, Watson completed her journey on 15 May 2010 and returned to Sydney Harbour.
She recorded her experiences in a book titled “True Soul” and also released a documentary about her journey.
Argumentative
Jessica Watson has faced a lot of criticism and controversy throughout her journey, especially surrounding her age and experience.
Some questioned the decision to perform such a feat at such a young age and expressed concerns about the girl’s safety.
However, Watson persevered and completed his solo circumnavigation of the world.
Net worth
Jessica Watson’s net worth is estimated to be around $5 million.
Social media
- Instagram Name: @jessicawatsonsailing
- Twitter Username: @jess_watson
Book
