Wednesday 9 September 2009

"I Didn't See it, I Was Texting"

Can you be a sailor if you can't sail???
I had to laugh. In fact when I heard the story I did laugh. And it was a four or five lard laugh. Pretty good laughing.
It was all over the news yesterday and after a year of preparation the nation wished her well as she set off. Jessica Watson, at age 16, was off attempting to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the world. Her first leg was from the Sunshine Coast in Queensland down the coast to Sydney where she would just make sure everything on the boat was OK. But it wasn't OK. Oh no-ni-no.
She hit another boat--A CONTAINER SHIP--last night--OFF STRADBROKE ISLAND--not far from her departure site and less than 24 hours into the voyage.
A spokesman for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, who should know better, said her yacht collided with a bulk carrier shortly before 2.30am.
"The bulk carrier is believed to be heading north up the east coast and has allegedly failed to stop," said the spokesman, who should know that the that stopping a bulk carrier is not a matter of simply pulling on the handbrake.
But she is still keen to go and vows to try again after fixing her boat. From her website "Jessica’s positive attitude and quiet determination leave no doubt that the challenge of sailing alone around the world will be readily achieved." Positive attitudes and quiet determination will only get you so far if you can't avoid ships the size of buildings on the open waters. Let's hope the whales keep out of her way...