Jessica Rose Watson is an Australian sailor who attempted a solo circumnavigation at the age of 16 from 18 October 2009 to 15 May 2010. Although she circled the planet, she did it in a narrow range of latitudes relatively far from the equator that resulted in her voyage falling short of the distance criterion of 21,600 nautical miles (40,000 km) for a circumnavigation – the equivalent of the circumference of the Earth at the equator – by nearly 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km); Watson was nevertheless named 2011 Young Australian of the Year and awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2012 for "...service to sailing and to youth through the achievement of sailing solo and unassisted around the world, and as a role model for young Australians". As of November 2022, she resides in Melbourne. Netflix produced a film, True Spirit (2023), about Watson's voyage.
Jessica Watson, Australian sailor
On May 18, in the year 1993, Jessica Watson, Australian sailor. This event is recorded as a Notable Births event in the history of May 18, one of 419 recorded events on this date across all of history.
1 notable person is associated with this event, including Jessica Watson. Learn more below.
Key Facts
- This event took place on May 18, 1993 (AD era).
- It is categorised as a Notable Births event in recorded history.
- Referenced in 1 Wikipedia article.
- 1 notable person is recorded as involved in or associated with this event.
- Wikipedia source last updated on 15 May 2026.
On This Date in History 419
This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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