Round-the-world sailor nears half-way point

Sydney, Dec 29 : Australian teenager Jessica Watson said Tuesday the feared Southern Ocean had given her an easy passage and that her big test would be rounding Cape Horn on the tip of South America.

Watson, 16, left Sydney aboard the 10-metre yacht Ella's Pink Lady Oct 18 on what she hopes will be an eight-month voyage and a place in the record books as the youngest ever solo circumnavigator.

The Queenslander wrote in her blog that she was near the mid-way point and had around 3,000 km to go before reaching Cape Horn.

"I've been finding the light winds and slow progress a little frustrating, but I shouldn't complain because life is so much more comfortable in the light conditions and the wind chill is going to be quite something if it does eventually pick up," she wrote.

Watson has been exchanging messages with fellow solo sailor Dilip Donde, who is also on route for Cape Horn.

Donde, a 42-year-old Indian Navy officer, began his solo circumnavigation bid in August.

"It's been great to talk to him and compare conditions, as he's not far to the west of us and also heading for Cape Horn," Watson said.

She hopes to beat a record set 10 years ago by fellow Australian Jesse Martin, who at 18 circumnavigated the globe on his own and unaided.

Her route across the Pacific and to the Atlantic tracks that of fellow Australian Kay Cottee, who became the first woman to sail solo and unassisted round the world 21 years ago.