The recently released film “True Spirit” on Netflix tells the remarkable true story of Jessica Watson, a Australian teenager who sailed solo around the world in 2010 at just 16 years old.
1. Is Jessica Watson a Real Person?
Yes, Jessica Watson is a real person.
Jessica Watson is an Australian woman who, at age 16 in 2010, became the youngest person to ever sail solo, non-stop, and unassisted around the world. She sailed for 210 days on her 34-foot yacht called Ella’s Pink Lady.
The 2023 Netflix movie “True Spirit” is based on Watson’s memoir of the same name that she published in 2010, shortly after completing her voyage. The movie aims to accurately depict her remarkable journey, overcoming storms, equipment failures, self-doubt, and criticism in the media.
Jessica Watson was born on May 18, 1993 in Queensland, Australia. She grew up sailing and decided at a young age that she wanted to sail around the world. She spent years preparing for the voyage, logging thousands of miles of experience.
The film takes some creative liberties in dramatizing some events, but Watson has said it captures the essence and emotions of her journey. The scenes with her family showcase the anxiety they faced while she was alone at sea.
Since her famous voyage, Watson has written another book, earned her MBA, worked for the UN, and now works as a corporate speaker and consultant. She continues to inspire people around the world with her story of determination. So in summary, Jessica Watson is very much a real person who accomplished an extraordinary feat as a teenager.
2. Is Matt Turner Sailor in ‘True Spirit’ Real?
The closest reference is Ben Bryant, Jessica’s fictional sailing coach in the “True Spirit” movie, had previously lost a crew member named Matt Turner when he was a captain in the Millennium Cup sailing competition. However, this appears to be a fictional backstory created for Bryant’s character in the movie, not a real person connected to Jessica Watson’s voyage.
3. Did She Really Collide in Her Pre-Voyage Trial Run?
Yes, based on the search results, Jessica Watson’s pre-voyage trial run in September 2009 did end in a massive collision between her yacht Ella’s Pink Lady and a bulk carrier ship named Silver Yang. The key details around the collision from the search results are:
It occurred around 2:30am on September 9, 2009, about 15 nautical miles off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Watson’s 34-foot yacht collided into the side of the 630-foot long Silver Yang cargo ship. The crash dismasted Watson’s yacht and caused damage to its bow and rigging.
Watson was below deck and failed to detect the approaching Silver Yang on her radar. The ship took evasive action but could not avoid the collision. She was uninjured in the crash. She cut away the headsail, retrieved the damaged rigging, and motored her boat back to shore for repairs.
The incident delayed the start of Watson’s solo circumnavigation attempt by about a month. But she was determined to carry on with her voyage once repairs were made.
4. Did Jessica Watson’s Boat Really Go Underwater?
Jessica Watson’s boat did briefly go underwater during a storm, but only for a few seconds, not the minutes depicted in the movie.
In the movie, there is an extended scene where Watson’s boat gets rolled upside down by a huge wave and is submerged underwater for several minutes. Jessica Watson confirmed this scene is exaggerated for dramatic effect. In reality, her boat was rolled and went underwater, but only for a few seconds before righting itself.
The movie scene shows the boat’s interior cabin fully flooding with water. But Watson clarified her boat did not have a watertight cabin and could not be submerged for a lengthy period.
Watson’s emergency beacon did self-activate when her boat went underwater, confirming it was submerged briefly. But she estimates the real event only lasted “seconds compared to what we see in the movie”.
5. Where is Jessica Watson Now?
Jessica Watson is now 29 years old (born May 18, 1993) and still resides in Australia. After completing her famous solo sailing voyage around the world as a teenager in 2010, she went on to:
- Write two books – Her memoir “True Spirit” in 2010 and a children’s novel “Indigo Blue” in 2018
- Complete her MBA from the Australian Institute of Management in 2017
- Work as a UN Youth Ambassador and with Syrian/Lebanese refugees
- Currently works at Deloitte as a management consultant in their Human Capital team
She also works as a public speaker at corporate events/conferences, covering topics like resilience, fear, and risk management
In her personal life, Watson tragically lost her long term partner Cameron Dale in 2021 at age 29 due to a stroke. She advocates for stroke awareness and prevention in his memory.
She comes from a family of four siblings and values spending time with family. Her parents Roger and Julie Watson, who supported her famous voyage, now live privately in Queensland. Watson still sails as a hobby, though less seriously than before.
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She was closely involved in the making of the True Spirit movie, serving as an advisor. She continues to inspire young women to pursue their dreams through public speaking and her story.
