Watson faces final hurdles
Teenage adventurer Jessica Watson is bracing for wild conditions as she sails down Tasmania's west coast on the home stretch of her attempt to sail solo around the world.
The 16-year-old, who has battled swells of up to 12 metres off the Tasmanian coastline, is on track to become the youngest person to sail around the world unassisted.
Watson's mentor Bruce Arms says she is due to cross the finish line in Sydney some time in the next week or two.
" I just got a message from her just before saying that the wind and the waves were on their way up again," he said.
"I think she's getting pretty excited about it but she's been a bit fed up with the rough weather that's for sure.
"[It's] sort of the last hurdle before she gets home, but she's toughened up and she's just going to get on with it and get home.
"Coming down that west coast is a pretty wild place... and she's had a wild time there and getting round the bottom of the big swells.
"There's a lot of sea mounts there and rough conditions if you're close in, so we're going to keep her pretty well off-shore where the swells are a bit longer and further apart."
Watson began her journey in October last year and is expected to be greeted by a crowd of supporters at the finish line.