Jessica Watson on Being Knocked Down in Her Yacht in Massive Seas 6 Times

An extended clip from the ground-breaking series, The Thread, exploring what connects different Aussie icons who broke away from the pack. Full episode on Jessica Watson OAM here: goo.gl/EsiyDY
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►Transcript
Hugh: So, I want to go back to the storm where you likened the conditions to the '98 Sydney to Hobart. In moments like that when your boat was knocked down four times in the storm, the third being the worst, did you question your judgment?
Jessica: That was a really interesting storm because I wasn't expecting that particular storm to be as bad but I was expecting bad storms somewhere along the line, so I was expecting knock-downs. That doesn't make it a lot easier, I had my head around knock-downs before I left. I remember sitting just down here and joking with a mate, having bets on how many knock-downs I was going to have and I had less than I suspected.
Hugh: How many did you suspect?
Jessica: Um, quite a few, I was thinking more like 12 so you know, half is pretty good. But I do remember there were a few moments in the middle of that storm when even though you know the boat's set up to take this, even though you know there's no reason why everything shouldn't be right, you do start questioning it. Your head starts running through the sensible, practical things you need to be worrying about. Again, some checklists and what is the worst-case scenario? But there was definitely a moment there when you start going what does happen if the boat falls apart and how can it possibly stand out to what's going on. That's really interesting what goes through your head at moments like that and it's kind of scary because you think about it and you go well what will happen will happen and it wasn't until I started thinking gosh I'm putting my family through something right now and god I'm going to hang on, I don't know what I'm going to do but god I'm going to hang on to get back and to not make this any harder for them than it already is. It was a really interesting moment realising that, realising how much they meant to me and how much it was important for me to do everything I could to get through it.
Hugh: Do you think it was those moments that perhaps did change you, you mentioned in your book that you feel like the journey has changed you, but was it those moments?
Jessica: Yeh, definitely. I think realising that, getting to the point where you're so scared and you don't know what's going to happen and realising that's the thing you have to hold on for, not for yourself, not because I don't want to get hurt. I'd accepted those things and I wasn't worried about them, it was realising I didn't want to put my family through anymore. Not that I even wanted to see them, which of course I did, but that was really what triggered with me and that taught me how important it is to have good people around you, family and friends. It's such a simple thing and I suppose we all realise that but it is moments like that make you realise how important it is.
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►About Jessica Watson OAM
At just 16, Jessica Watson became the youngest person ever to sail solo around the world. She lived with her family on a boat between the ages of 9 and 14, during which time she was inspired by Jesse Martin, who sailed into the record books a decade earlier. Her voyage inspired a nation, with thousands of adoring fans lining the Sydney Harbour to welcome her home in May 2010. Watson was named Young Australian of the Year and went on to skipper the youngest crew to finish the perilous Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
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►About The Thread
Two mates sit down with 10 iconic Australians to figure out how they broke away from the pack. Hugh and Jack seek out leaders of wide-ranging fields: adventure, sport, business, philanthropy, medicine, law and literature to uncover the common thread that binds them.
The interview subjects are household names famed for remarkable and well-told stories, but rarely have they been asked how they did it, how they define success and whether anyone can do what they've done.
Armed with meticulous research and uncomfortably simple questions, we elicit intriguing, inspiring and often unexpected insights from an eclectic bunch of trailblazers.
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Check out all 10 full episodes here: goo.gl/uQDYfu

[@shakenama]

I remember tracking her voyage on her blog. She has bigger cojones than I ever will have. Very courageous girl!!

[@TheThreadTV]

Definitely agree Shakenama!

[@classikclips]

She has bigger cojones then most mate not just you

[@qxython]

where can i find the vlog?

[@JeffSans]

shes so brave, so crazy and i fuckin love her

[@srcastic8764]

I never even knew about her until a week ago. As a parent, and a parent of a daughter, I’d say parents were as brave as her. It’d be incredibly difficult to allow your daughter, your baby girl, to do anything even close to this! I have sons and and a daughter and, right or wrong, you tend to be a little more protective if the girls. Even handing over the keys to the car, letting her go on dates, those were nerve racking, high trust moments. I can’t imagine allowing her to sail around the planet, alone!!

[@srcastic8764]

What an incredibly strong and brave young lady! But as a parent, and a parent of a daughter, I’d say something that gets overlooked here is that in a way parents her were as strong and brave as her. It’d be incredibly difficult to allow your daughter, your baby girl, to do anything even close to this! I have sons and and a daughter and, right or wrong, you tend to be a little more protective if the girls. Even handing over the keys to the car, letting her go on dates, those were nerve racking, high trust moments. I can’t imagine allowing her to sail around the planet, alone!!

[@Vandweller66]

At last someone who makes me feel proud to be an Aussie

[@TheThreadTV]

Thanks for your comment and subscribing, Merv!

[@bh4560]

Just watched the movie! Wow! Just amazing!

[@tmkirfan]

amazing and courageous and lots of learning from her.

[@francisdrelling4060]

What an outstanding young sailor!

[@djbuenaventura4649]

Her courage man!!! Amazing!!!!

[@megsboyle2592]

Well done! I can’t believe you did that at the age of 16! Your amazing!

[@JeffSans]

This girl is crazy and I fuckin love her

[@robertmarlow7800]

Nothing crazy about chasing your dreams even if danger is in front of you. It’s the exact opposite of crazy. It’s called courage to not let anything get in your way of achieving your goal. Crazy is a human backing out of a dream because their scared.

[@tracyneal532]

One of the world's most senior round-the-world sailors, Jeanne Socrates was caught in the same storm system below Australia. She was close to Watson, but was instructed not to contact her. She told me this when I interviewed her on her arrival in New Zealand.

[@christinaurso-cale7601]

Why was she not allowed to contact her?

[@tracyneal532]

@@christinaurso-cale7601 It was possibly because it might have been considered a breach of the non-assist rule.

[@shakilkadir3557]

To me non assist is a human contact She should be allowed all types of assistance and intelligence possible Including food and water supplies

[@jameswitthaus5794]

what an awesome story

[@n.j2093]

I watched the movie im inspired by her amazing and shocking really she is so brave

[@tapankumarnagayan]

Feel proud to teach my students in India about you kind of hero

[@TheThreadTV]

Thank you, Tapan!

[@unnkroghen9183]

She is AMAZING ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@TheThreadTV]

We agree! :)

[@darrenbooth8092]

Champion person champion Lady . Wow-what an inspiration and role model. Ty so much

[@DrSebby]

The rules they make for these things kind of suck all the fun out of the journey.

[@axpublisherdigital]

Dangerous and lots of risks taken.

[@destiiny4904]

Women powerrr ! 🥰❤

[@grindsmygearsAU]

Yeah rich kid getting young Australian of the year worthy for sure, forget the others who actually did things for others and the communities. Lets focus on the rich kid on a boat.