Jessica Watson Floats Her Boat
(with apologies to John Masefield)
I must go down to the sea again
To the lonely sea and the sky
And all I ask is a tall ship
And a tanker with which to collide
For though I’ve talked up this solo trip
I’m only sixteen, by christ
And all I want is to be a kid
So with a tanker I think I’ll collide
I must go down to the sea again
For the PR’s already begun
And smashing a pointless record
I’m told’s my idea of fun
I must go down to the sea again
Though it’s pure luck I didn’t die
Boldly I’ll start afresh–– and then
Find a tanker with which to collide
I must go down to the sea again
And spend a teenage year alone
But if I can really write-off the boat next time
Perhaps they will let me stay home
Guy, you’re right about the PR. It’s insane and I would have thought that her parents but more importantly the media (and in particular channel 10 and their digital “One” channel) would have had more sense than to put a teenager into a position where pulling out of the voyage becomes more and more difficult. Will she become Australia’s Donald Crowhurst? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Crowhurst) I hope her parents have watched the film Deep Water.
On a separate point I don’t actually have a problem with a 16 year old attempting this. It wasn’t that long ago that you could join the Australian Navy as a 14 year old Midshipman. We have as a society gone way to far in infantilising teenagers. I have no problem with children staying in education to enhance their job prospects but the government’s desire to require them to stay at school until they are 18 years old is symptomatic of a society that doesn’t want teenagers to grow up.
I don’t have a problem with 16 y-o’s doing daring and dangerous stuff either. what disturbs me about this fad is that its as much about a psychological torment as a physical challenge. a year alone is tough for anyone – at 16 it just strikes me as a dumb thing to do. really, isn’t 16 about doing stuff with people, experiencing the journey to adulthood together – not staring at a rock while your parents sing happy birthday over the radio? its not as if anyone hasnt sailed round the world solos before. being a coupla years younger than the last person to do it makes not much difference.
It’s sure as h_ll a novel way of avoiding being stuck in school, waiting for your 18th birthday.
What’s the bet that this girl never sees the inside of s school room again?
Guy, given the trashing this gutsy adventurous girl got in places like the Tele (http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/solo-sailor-teen-jessica-watson-in-dramatic-sea-crash/comments-e6freuy9-1225770844272), and also given the compassion and decency that normally underlies even your most satirical pieces, I think joining in the jeering is unworthy of you.
The Tele blog I link to above did not print my comment disagreeing with most of the views printed, so I wonder if they were selective and only printed the sneering posts.
What is everyone’s problem? She had all the safety gear sorted, including the engine that got her home without even any need for a public rescue.
I dunno, I was sort of hoping if you said anything at all on the subject it would be to counter all the armchair sneering.
And: “at 16 it just strikes me as a dumb thing to do”.
I guess if Jessica wanted your opinion on what is or isn’t a good way to spend her 17th year, she would have asked you.