Teen sailor Jessica Watson says the Southern Ocean has provided the toughest challenge yet on her bid to sail solo around the world.
The 16-year-old from Queensland is ahead of schedule and approaching the halfway mark in her 23,000 nautical mile voyage.
Jessica Watson in Brisbane this year soon after announcing her round-the-world quest.Credit: AFP
Jessica just under 1,300 miles from rounding the most southerly point of South America, Cape Horn, as reported at 4.30pm today.
She said in a statement that she battled wind gusts of up to 44 knots and over five metre swells during a storm on the Southern Ocean.
Jessica said it was the toughest conditions she had experienced so far but expects worse as she enters the most challenging part of her journey.
However, some unexpected company kept uip her spirits during the storm - a dolphin.
"Every time I looked out the porthole, it was still there with me," Jessica said.
"The amazing thing is, I had not seen a dolphin for weeks (and) even more amazing was that this one stayed with me for over six hours, all the way through the storm."
Jessica started the voyage in Sydney in October and plans to arrive home in May.
AAP