After sailing into a bulk carrier earlier this month on her first day at sea after apparently dozing off, sixteen year old Jessica Watson has set sail once again on her attempt to circumnavigate the globe singlehanded. While she has received the support of leading Australian sailors and sports champions, she is also sailing into a storm of criticism. A recent investigation by Maritime Safety Queensland of the collision earlier this month was highly critical of her lack of preparation, planning and sailing skills.
Jessica Watson’s safety checklist reveals she’s out of depth
The Sunday Mail yesterday obtained a copy of a letter sent from Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads to the Federal Government last week detailing the MSQ investigation into the incident, which occurred less than 24 hours into her journey.
It reveals that Jessica sailed dangerously close to another ship off Point Lookout, Stradbroke Island, just before her collision with the 63,000-tonne coal carrier Silver Yang on September 9.
“Ms Watson had passed within seven cables (about half a nautical mile) of another northbound ship about half an hour before the collision, which in the view of Maritime Safety Queensland amounted to a less-than-safe passing distance if the master of the vessel (Ms Watson) was not awake and on deck,” said Transport and Main Roads Director-General David Stewart.
MSQ concluded that Jessica:
• probably dozed off before her vessel hit and was dragged alongside the Silver Yang;
• did not turn on a warning device that would have alerted her of a potential collision;
• had not developed a fatigue management plan;
• could not produce a clear, plotted plan for her journey.
Her checklist made disturbing reading for the accident investigators, specifically the line: “Check rig once a week. Look up with binoculars”.
There were more childish doodles scribbled on the page than survival tips. Mr Stewart said MSQ officials wrote to and met Jessica’s parents, Roger and Julie, to express concerns about her setting off alone around the world.
“The letter indicated MSQ’s belief that the related issues of fatigue and maintenance of an effective lookout throughout the proposed voyage, had not been meaningfully addressed, and that failure to do so could be catastrophic,” he said.
Acting Premier Paul Lucas said yesterday he had “grave concerns” about the voyage.
“Clearly, this is a significant concern, though it occurred outside Queensland waters and MSQ do not have the power to stop Jessica and her international journey taking place,” he said.
“This is a very serious matter and I appeal to Jessica and her parents to have a very good think about whether she is ready to do this.
“She needs to be ready. I don’t believe, on the evidence I have read, that she is.”
See also: Jessica Watson warned after collision: Do not sail
Australia’s top skippers question teenager Jessica Waton’s ability
Jessica Watson fights rising tide of disapproval
Related post: An Inauspicious Start to a Teenagers’s Circumnavigation Attempt