Sydney, October 18: An Australian schoolgirl bidding to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world began her journey today, despite urgings from officials to abandon the perilous endurance test.
Sixteen-year-old Jessica Watson set sail on her bright pink yacht from Sydney Harbour at about 9:00 am (0330IST), amid cheers from well-wishers and accompanied by a collection of kayakers and small boats.
The teenager badly damaged her boat when she crashed into a 63,000-tonne cargo ship shortly after beginning a test run last month, prompting Queensland state officials to urge her to reconsider her quest.
But Watson, who will sleep in 20-minute naps during the eight-month non-stop sail, was determined to embark on the voyage which she said she had been dreaming about since she was about 11.
–PTI