13-year old girl wants to sail around the world...alone

[shootingstar]

Wonder if the child was undergoing counselling at the time.

She needs it...after all that media hoopla, etc. The whole mix plus father's own sailing, etc., just sounds like situation hard on a teen and not healthy.

[Tuckervill]

They found her in the Antilles. She took five grand out of her bank account and (I presume) flew down there on her own.

I'm sad that she didn't get to go, but someone else is going to beat her anyway. http://www.jessicawatson.com.au/

Karen

[BikeDutchess]

But Jessica is 16 already and Laura is only 14. I think for most kids there's a lot of maturing that happens in those 2 years.

Interesting to read Jessica's blog. I would go bonkers on a boat for that long, whether by myself or with someone. Now going around the world on a bike, that would be a different matter altogether!

[crazycanuck]

Tuckervill beat me to it..Jessica Watson's journey is being followed by the Australian media as closely as they can..Her practice time didn't go well & she apparently fell asleep & rain into a tanker...

About this 13yr old chick...I'm agree with Papaver that the young un just shown she's an immature little $%*$*$ & doesn't deserve the chance.

[papaver]

I'm sad that she didn't get to go

Karen

She is way too immature to go on her own... her leaving for the Antilles without telling someone is just one example. She is just a spoiled brat who wants everything her way.

[Tuckervill]

She is way too immature to go on her own... her leaving for the Antilles without telling someone is just one example. She is just a spoiled brat who wants everything her way.

When you set expectations for children, they meet them.

Karen

[Tuckervill]

I'm wondering if the naysayers would be so harsh if the child in question were a boy.

Karen

[shootingstar]

Some of us know responsible 16 & 13 yrs. old teens.

However as I said much earlier in this same thread, sailing solo in rough wide open seas is physically demanding even for experienced, physically stronger adults.

I personally knew a guy who sailed solo the Pacific from Vancouver to Asia for a full year. He left behind his wife & 2 sons at home. Yes, he said it was tough at times. He was your level headed type of guy..just a regular quiet engineer who wasn't as flamboyant as some of the other people I knew and worked with. He also is a highly experienced backcountry mountain cross-country skier in British Columbia. He also goes winter camping. Probably has a good sense of survival skills and common sense.

The 13-yr. old seems abit lost psychologically and that is now being manifested by running away. Responsible children (and many of us were, at that tender age ) do not run away from home base if they are loved for their intrinsic goodness.

[Ritamarie]

Following this with interest. By default, the solo sailor on a long passage (13 years old, or not) is breaking a cardinal rule of seamanship... that there should always be someone standing watch. We've had vessels on the ocean have close encounters with other vessels in which the crew were asleep. You might not think there are other vessels "out there" but there are plenty.

[papaver]

I'm wondering if the naysayers would be so harsh if the child in question were a boy.

Karen

Of course I would.

[Jolt]

I'm wondering if the naysayers would be so harsh if the child in question were a boy.

Karen

Well, considering that if anything a boy at that age would be LESS mature than a girl...

[Cataboo]

When you set expectations for children, they meet them.

Karen

So... the adults forced her to be immature & run away by thinking she was too immature to sail around the world on her own?