Jessica Watson Biography, Age, Family, Husband, Books, Vlog, Movie, Net Worth, and Career

Jessica Watson is an Australian sailor, author, and blogger best recognized for setting the world record of being the youngest individual to sail solo across the globe. At the age of 16, Jessica finished a solo worldwide circumnavigation.

According to reports, she made the record of journeying around 23,000 nautical miles in about 210 days. During that time, she faced risky storms, harsh weather, and unpredictable waves. On top of that, she was alone on this journey.

She won numerous awards and fame throughout her successful career. Not to mention, she was named “2011 Young Australian of the Year” and received the Medal of the Order of Australia awards the following year. She is living a luxurious life with her family in Melbourne.

Jessica Watson Biography

Name	Jessica Watson
Profession	Australian sailor
Husband Name	Not Available
Children	None
Age	30 years old
Date of Birth	18 May 1993
Birth Place	Gold Coast, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Qualifications	Graduated
Father Name	Roger Watson
Mother Name	Julie Watson
Sibling’s Name	Hannah Watson, Tom Watson, Emily Watson
Profession	Australian Sailor
Net Worth	$5 Million

Early Life

Jessica Watson Oam was (born on May 18, 1993), in a New Zealander family in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Her father, Roger, worked as a retailer, and her mother, Julie Watson, was a therapist.

She grew up with three siblings, being the second child of her parents. Jessica has an older sister, Emily, a younger brother, Tom, and a sister, Hannah. In 1987, the family relocated from New Zealand to Australia, and as a result, Watson has both nationalities.

As a child, Jessica took sailing lessons with her siblings when the family sold their house and went to live on a 16-meter cabin cruiser. The family lived there for about 5 years, and Jessica was homeschooled. She developed an interest in sailing around the world at the age of 12 after listening to Jesse Martin’s book Lionheart: A Journey of the Human Spirit from her mother.

Education

After homeschooling, Watson enrolled at Deakin University, where she obtained a degree Bachelor of Arts in Media and Communication. She also started business studies at the Australian Institute of Management, earning a Diploma in Project Management.

In 2017, she got her degree in Master of Business Administration. Two years later, she began working as a management consultant at the Melbourne accounting company.

She became the founding member of “Deckee.com” a marine start-up. Later, Deloitte’s Human Capital team hired her as a management consultant for the firm.

Career

In May 2009, Watson decided to begin her trip, which was hoped to take 8 months with an evaluated sailing distance of 23,000 nautical miles. It was confirmed that she would not be able to take anything from anyone during the journey of sailing non-stop and unassisted.

However, she was allowed to take advice over radio communication but would not move to any port or other boat. Watson began her route from Sydney and passed several countries and places, including New Zealand, Kiribati, Fiji, Cape Horn, Cape of Good Hope, and South East Cape, among others.

The biggest breakthrough moment of Watson’s career came on May 15, 2010, when she completed her journey at 16 in Sydney Harbour. Her sailing trip was reportedly 210 days, unofficially breaking the record for the youngest person to sail nonstop and unassisted globally.

According to the report of the Australian Museum, Watson finished 6000 ocean and 6000 coastal miles in a trial for her solo voyage. In addition, she crewed on a handful of vessels, including working as a captain on a squad sailing between New Zealand and Australia across the Tasman Sea.

After completing her sailing journey, she received numerous awards and accolades, as well as recognition worldwide. Watson became the youngest person recognized by the “World Speed Sailing Record Council.”

Her fan following instantly increased all over social media. She was heavily involved in the preparation of her favorite boat named “Ella’s Pink Lady.” In 2011, the boat was sold to the Australian government for a whopping $300,000. This boat is on a permanent exhibition at the Brisban’s Queensland Maritime Museum. Jessica Watson has a net worth of $5 Million.

Other Businesses

Jessica is also an author and published her first book entitled “True Spirit” in 2010, in which she wrote her autobiography. She has also published a young fiction novel, “Indigo Blue.”

Upon her journey, she made a documentary about her solo trip, which premiered on ONEHD in August 2010. Sir Richard Branson narrated this documentary. On February 3, 2023, it was announced that the film adaptation of the story of Jessica Watson was released on Netflix January 2023.

Personal Life

Jessica Watson began her relationship with Cameron Dale. The two first met in 2011 during the Australian sailing race in the Sydney to Hobart Campaign. Shortly after that, the two began dating. Unfortunately, Dale passed away in 2021.

Jessica Watson Net Worth

Jessica Watson is a highly successful Australian sailor, author, and blogger with a net worth of $5 million. In addition to her sailing career, Watson also works at Deloitte UK Corporation where she reportedly earns $98,000 annually. Her two books have also contributed significantly to her wealth. With her impressive accomplishments and diverse skill set, Jessica Watson is a true inspiration to many.

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