Today's Report
May 16/10 0800 JST / 1700 local
Position:
00°02'S, 96°33'W (Just below and parallel to Equator)
Another good day under improved winds as Saito-san made 118 nm westward. He's decided to continue due west and wait until he moves out from under a large high pressure cell before turning north to cross the Doldrums.
***
Meanwhile, 15,000 nm away in Australia, 16-year-old solo sailor extraordinaire Jessica Watson finished her own circumnavigation after 7 months. It was her amazing first, likely not her last, feat of single-handed sailing as she goes into the "unofficial" record books not just as the youngest girl, but the youngest person, to ever complete a non-stop, unassisted, single-handed voyage around the world.
Official record or not, thousands of understandably proud Australians greeted her arrival in Sydney yesterday.
Told this morning of her success, Saito-san offered his congratulations to her and to Jessica's team, which includes Don McIntyre, a long-time friend and former fellow BOC Challenge competitor. An incredible 55 years separate the world's two "Youngest" (16) and "Oldest" (71) solo, nonstop, unassisted record-holders.
And in the UK, where the records of short-handed sailors are generally, if painstakingly, approved by the World Sailing Speed Record Council, officials were saying Jessica didn't really qualify because 1) they no longer acknowledge "Youngest" as a category and 2) the distance covered in her route was a few thousand miles short of a full circumnavigation due to the Sydney start and stop point.
In fact, that second "disqualification" is what the UK-centric WSSRC also said about Minoru Saito after he circumnavigated the globe in 2004-5 at age 71, starting and stopping in Misaki, Japan. Nevertheless, Guinness Book of World Records accepted his "oldest nonstop" accomplishment, which included successful passages of the three great capes of Australia, Africa, and South America and two crossings of the Equator. Just like Jessica.
Here he is on page 80 of the 2007 Guinness Book.
Perhaps someone should start an email campaign to have the same done for young Jessica.
Heading: 255
Reported boat speed: 6.0 kts
Average boat speed: 4.9 kts
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 25.0° C
Barometer: 1003 hPa (steady)
Wind (from): 10-12 kts, SE expected to be 9-11 kts SE for next 19 hours
Waves: 1.0 -1.5 meters
Current (from): E at 1.0 - 1.3 kt, turning to from SE (favorable)
Engine: 1.8 hrs, 1800 rpm; 0.2 hrs, 2300 rpm (valve burn)
Generator: 7.0 hrs
Sails: Genoa 90%, staysail 0%, mainsail 1-pt reef
In fact, that second "disqualification" is what the UK-centric WSSRC also said about Minoru Saito after he circumnavigated the globe in 2004-5 at age 71, starting and stopping in Misaki, Japan. Nevertheless, Guinness Book of World Records accepted his "oldest nonstop" accomplishment, which included successful passages of the three great capes of Australia, Africa, and South America and two crossings of the Equator. Just like Jessica.
Perhaps someone should start an email campaign to have the same done for young Jessica.
***
Distance in last 24 hours: 118 nmHeading: 255
Reported boat speed: 6.0 kts
Average boat speed: 4.9 kts
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 25.0° C
Barometer: 1003 hPa (steady)
Wind (from): 10-12 kts, SE expected to be 9-11 kts SE for next 19 hours
Waves: 1.0 -1.5 meters
Current (from): E at 1.0 - 1.3 kt, turning to from SE (favorable)
Engine: 1.8 hrs, 1800 rpm; 0.2 hrs, 2300 rpm (valve burn)
Generator: 7.0 hrs
Sails: Genoa 90%, staysail 0%, mainsail 1-pt reef
Position Map
***
Distance in last 24 hours: 118 nm
Heading: 255
Reported boat speed: 6.0 kts
Average boat speed: 4.8 kts
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 25.0° C
Barometer: 1003 hPa
Wind (from): 9-11 kts, SE expected to be 9-11 kts SE for next 19 hours
Waves: 1.0 meters
Current (from): E at 1.0 - 1.3 kt (favorable)
Engine: 1.75 hrs, 1800 rpm, .25 hrs, 2300 rpm
Generator: 7.0 hrs
Sails: Genoa 90%, staysail 0%, mainsail 1-pt reef
Position Map
