NSW: Preparations under way for Watson's welcome

AAP General News (Australia)
04-19-2010
NSW: Preparations under way for Watson's welcome

SYDNEY, April 19 AAP - Celebrations rivalling other major events on Sydney Harbour
are expected for record-breaking teenage sailor Jessica Watson's triumphant return.

Authorities say the party is expected to mirror the scale of a Sydney to Hobart yacht
race farewell on the iconic harbour.

The 16-year-old Queenslander is tipped to return through Sydney heads early in May,
just ahead of her 17th birthday on May 18.

If successful, she will become the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe solo
and will sail home to fame and fortune, with a book deal already secure.

The NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet, which is organising the event, has May 2
pencilled in for the celebrations, pending her completing the final leg of the journey
off Australia's southern coastline.

NSW Maritime says its expects a massive fleet of boats to meet Jessica's 34-footer
Ella's Pink Lady when she heads back into Sydney Harbour.

It's putting safety plans in place to ensure her vessel isn't swamped by well-wishers.

"There is a lot of public interest in welcoming her back, so the planning is to make
sure that over-enthusiastic people don't get too close before she actually crosses the
finish line," a NSW Maritime spokeswoman said on Monday.

A large crowd is expected to greet the Sunshine Coast teenager at Sydney Opera House
- the first time she'll step on to land since setting off from the harbour on October
18.

Jessica is sailing around Australia's west coast and below Tasmania before heading
north to Sydney.

She wrote in her blog on Sunday that the weather was much calmer over the weekend -
a relief after being battered by big swells and strong winds that tore her mainsail 250
nautical miles off Albany in Western Australia last week.

The lighter conditions have allowed her a good chance to get on top of her chores and
given bruised and tender hands a bit of time to recover, she writes.

Besides doing household chores, Jessica spent time relaxing over the weekend - sitting
on the deck with a cup of coffee and a jar of Nutella and lamenting the break-up of Queensland
band Powderfinger.

A book on her adventure is expected to be launched at the Sydney International Boat Show in July.

AAP lm/evt/tr

KEYWORD: SAIL

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