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The true story of True Spirit : What really happened on Jessica Watson's solo sail around the world

EW breaks down fact vs. fiction in Netflix's inspiring movie based on the incredible true story of the 16-year-old who attempted to become the youngest person to sail alone around the world.

Sydney Bucksbaum is a writer at Entertainment Weekly covering all things pop culture – but TV is her one true love. She currently lives in Los Angeles but grew up in Chicago so please don't make fun of her accent when it slips out.

Warning: This article contains spoilers about True Spirit, now streaming on Netflix.

True Spirit , Netflix's latest book-to-movie adaptation, is an inspiring tale about Jessica Watson, a teen who endeavors to become the youngest person to sail alone, nonstop, and unassisted around the world. Starring Titan 's Teagan Croft and based on the book of the same name, the film follows her harrowing journey as she attempts to sail 23,000 nautical miles around the globe in 8 months — something no other 16-year-old had ever accomplished before. But what makes it even more amazing is that it actually happened in real life.

Below, EW breaks down the biggest moments from the film and the true story behind them.

Is Jessica Watson a real person?

Yes! Watson exists, and she wrote the book about her own experience circumnavigating the globe upon which the movie is based. "There's so many layers of emotion in it for me," Watson tells EW of watching the film for the first time. "It's amazing, and Teagan's performance is extraordinary. It's me, but it's also something else, which I just love."

After playing half-demon empath Raven on the DC Comics series Titans for years, Croft was excited to finally take on a role closer to home. "Playing Raven on Titans , it's purple hair, very sullen," she says. "And the [ True Spirit ] producers needed to double-check that I wasn't like that in real life, that I'd be able to play Jess. I cracked a couple jokes, made a couple remarks, and they saw I'd be able to pull off perky. It's much more in my wheelhouse. And being able to act in my own accent was something I hadn't had the opportunity to do before. It was nice to have that burden lifted."

Watson and Croft met in person for the first time over dinner before the movie began filming, and they had a conversation with director Sarah Spillane about how the onscreen version of Watson wouldn't just be an imitation. "Then we also went sailing the next day altogether, and we met a few times up after that," Croft says. "It was so weird and awkward at first. I felt a weird guilt, like, 'Hello, I'm playing you.' But she was so lovely about it, and we get on really well now."

Did she really attempt to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world?

She sure did — Watson, now 29, departed from Sydney, Australia,, on Oct. 18, 2009, and returned on May 15, 2010, just before her 17th birthday.

Did she succeed?

Well, it's complicated and depends on who you ask. Watson sailed an estimated 18,582 nautical miles, crossing through the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans, all on her own and without stopping. But ultimately, the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC) ruled that Watson was ineligible for the record, having traveled just short of the minimum 21,600 nautical miles necessary to claim circumnavigation of the globe. In response to the decision and criticism, Watson wrote on her blog at the time, "If I haven't been sailing around the world, then it beats me what I've been doing out here all this time!"

The movie notably doesn't mention the controversy about whether or not she earned the title of the youngest person to sail solo, nonstop, and unassisted around the world. Once she returns to Sydney Harbour amid a massive celebration, the credits roll immediately. "The movie and what Jess is all about is not about the record," Croft says. "That's not what drove her. That's not what she was sailing for. She was sailing for the love of it. The point of the movie is about this girl who had a goal that was crazy and dangerous, and what she did was incredible."

"The thing is, it's a bit of an invented controversy because there actually is no record," Watson tells EW. "There's no 'youngest' record because the body that does official sailing records doesn't recognize youngest records, which is understandable. So I don't really understand how there can be controversy over a record that doesn't exist. The voyage and the way I sailed around the world was very similar to what other people did, but there's actually no official rules, so it's a bit hard to not comply with rules that don't quite exist."

All these years later, Watson isn't concerned about any official records or titles. "It really doesn't worry me because it was about the adventure," she adds. "But also, gosh, people really feel the need to add some drama or find a way to almost diminish it slightly. And I'm like, 'Cool, you guys do that. I'm cool with that.' Maybe I think about it too simplistically, but I'm just like, 'Why are we arguing about the number of nautical miles for a record that doesn't exist?' There is no set nautical miles. You can't argue over a rule that doesn't exist."

Did all the characters in the movie exist?

All except for two — and those two were still based on real people. In the film, Avatar : The Way of the Water 's Cliff Curtis plays her sailing coach Ben, but Watson reveals he was just a "beautiful representation of a few people who otherwise wouldn't have been able to be portrayed," from the crew who helped her repair her boat to the group of people advising her over the phone about the weather during her voyage and more.

Her parents were pretty much exactly as they appear in the movie, played by Anna Paquin and Josh Lawson . "Mum was the one who firstly read me Jesse Martin's book from the get-go, which was what inspired me to do this," Watson says. "She had the same curiosity and inspiration for the voyage as me, whereas dad really didn't believe it was going to happen for much longer. And then, obviously, he was quite reluctant, as you see. That is probably pretty accurate in terms of mom and dad's dynamic."

Croft struggled the most filming the scenes where Jessica talks to her family over the phone during her journey. "At that point, the other actors were gone, and it was just me, so sometimes that was really difficult to get into the scene," she says. "But what was lucky in a twisted way was that COVID was really big in Australia at that time, and so the borders between my home state and the state we were filming in had closed. I'd just come from filming Titans , I hadn't seen my sisters or my dad for seven months by the end of shooting True Spirit , so I was able to pull a real, genuine emotion from my real life from the real phone calls I was having."

Watson adds that the reporter, played by Todd Lasance, was fictional but represents all of the members of the media who were aggressively and publicly criticizing her plans. "There were some that were pretty damn similar to him," she adds with a laugh. "I was protected slightly from some of the intensity of it at the time because I was just so single-mindedly focused on this thing, which you need to be to do something like that. It was my team and my poor family who caught the worst of that, but it was intense."

She continues, "I can really understand where people were coming from, and it's kind of beautiful that there was so much concern. But at the same time, I don't think people really understood that there had been years and years of preparation. And this is a really safe boat, it's done this a number of times. It's not as crazy as it seems if you've got no idea about that world."

Did her pre-voyage trial run really end in a massive collision?

Unfortunately, yes. Watson forgot to turn on the proximity alarms before taking a quick nap, and a few minutes later, her boat (named Ella's Pink Lady), crashed into a cargo ship. "That collision scene's one of the ones that's really accurate, so that one's pretty intense for me," Watson says. "That was something I still have the occasional nightmare about, but it's so important to the story. It really made me in a way because having to go through that and find the strength to continue really set me up for being able to deal with the storms at sea."

Did she really leave her hairbrush at home?

In a moment of levity in the movie, Jessica realizes she forgot to pack a hairbrush for her long journey and tapes two forks together to detangle her hair for months. That did happen ... but not on her long trip around the world. "That happened on a sea trial," Watson admits. "So not quite the whole voyage. And actually, I got the idea from Jesse Martin who did forget his hairbrush for his trip and used a fork."

Did she battle dyslexia during her journey?

Watson is dyslexic in real life, and she loves how the movie accurately portrays the struggles she faced whenever she got stressed and messed up her longitude and latitude coordinates. "So many people can relate to this, and it's not far off from my reality," Watson says, before admitting with a laugh, "I mean, I like to think that I was never that bad with my lats and longs and getting muddled up. But at the same time, it's also based on the truth that mum did used to call me out when I'm tired or flustered, and I was getting stuff like that wrong."

Did she get knocked out during a storm?

In the first big storm she faces at sea, Jessica is hit in the head with a frying pan and gets knocked out. But it turns out that entire scene was made up for the movie. "I feel bad calling out some of the things that weren't quite true, but no, no frying pan," Watson says. "Although there was legitimate danger with stuff flying around inside the boat in a storm — household everyday objects become deadly. Keeping your cabin tidy is something I should have been better at."

Did her boat get stuck for a week without any wind?

In the movie, Jessica hits an emotional low point when there's no breeze for an entire week. She gets frustrated and ends up arguing with Ben over the radio. That was all fictionalized for the film but was based on real emotions Watson felt throughout her trip. "In reality, you never get such long stretches without wind," she says. "Often, it's more like a couple of days. And even within that, you might get a few puffs along the way. It is, however, very true to what that experience is like for a sailor, how incredibly frustrating it is to just be at the mercy of the elements and just waiting for the wind to come back. There's nothing you can do. Emotionally, they were some of the really tough days out there."

Did a massive storm temporarily sink her boat?

Onscreen, Jessica's journey ends with her biggest test yet, as multiple major storms merged into one. The giant waves flip her boat upside down, and she gets stuck 15 ft. underwater for an extended period of time. It's a terrifying scene, and it turns out, the movie version isn't even the full story.

"There were seven knockdowns," Watson reveals. "Not all of them were quite that bad. A lot of the time, it's just the boat being knocked over. But the 15 ft. underwater is real because my emergency beacon did self-activate as the boat sank. That happened. But the time I was upside down for, it certainly felt like a long time. I haven't really got a concept of how long it was in reality, but we are talking seconds compared to what we see in the movie, which stretches on forever in minutes and minutes and minutes. That's a little bit of an exaggeration there, but it was real to the experience of it feeling like forever."

Was her return to Sydney as epic as it appeared?

Absolutely! When Jessica arrives in Sydney Harbour at the end of her journey, it looks like all of Australia came to celebrate her accomplishment. And as the credits roll, real footage from that moment plays, showing the real Watson reuniting with her family. Incredibly, a young Croft was there in attendance that day.

"I was actually there in Sydney Harbour when she came in, but I'd forgotten since I was only six," Croft says. "When I came across this script, my parents were like, 'We were there!' I've been trying to figure out where we were in the crowd to see if you can see me in that footage. Maybe I'm there in a little pink skirt or something ridiculous."

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The Real Story Behind Jessica Watson's Sailing Journey in Netflix’ 'True Spirit'

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Editor's Note: The following contains True Spirit spoilers.

True Spirit , out on Netflix now, tells the fascinating true story of Jessica Watson , an Australian sailor who circumnavigated the globe in 210 days back in 2009 – but how factual really is this retelling?

Circumnavigating the globe is impressive as it is, but in Jessica's case, she was also a 16-year-old girl. In a year when most 16-year-olds were planking and doing the stanky leg, Jessica was sailing around the world solo. Earlier this month, Netflix premiered True Spirit, starring Titans ' Teagan Croft as Jessica Watson. The movie also features Cliff Curtis, Anna Paquin, and Josh Lawson. True Spirit gives its viewers an honest and inspiring look at a remarkable story of determination and grit while also being littered with hits from the time, like Empire of the Sun 's "Walking on a Dream," or "Geronimo" by Sheppard in a way that captures the essence of the early 2000s perfectly.

True Spirit tells the encouraging tale of a young woman, her mentor (Curtis), and her family (Paquin and Lawson portray Watson's parents, Roger and Julie, respectively). Beyond being a tale of hard work and courage, True Spirit illustrates the complicated process a parent must go through in letting a child gain independence and come into their own. Although it's a more arduous journey than most take, at its core, True Spirit is a story of what we can accomplish with the proper avenues of support, no matter how young. To this day, Jessica Watson is still one of the youngest people to circumnavigate the world and the youngest to sail the world unassisted, without stopping. Interestingly, according to the Australian Museum , Julie Watson saw Jessica as the least likely of her children to have become a sailor due to her shyness.

All that said, how much of True Spirit is true, and how much of it was Hollywood magic?

RELATED: First 'True Spirit' Images Show Jessica Watson's Harrowing Journey

Jessica Watson Already Had Plenty of Sailing Experience by 2010

As it turns out, quite a lot of it was true. True Spirit is based on the book of the same name, written by Watson, about her sailing journey, which began when she was about eight years old. Watson is one of four children born to Julie and Roger Watson, all of which took sailing lessons from a young age. The family even lived on a boat for several years, during which Julie Watson would read Jesse Martin's book about his journey sailing the world as a bedtime story (clearly had a strong influence). In a story without shortness of magnificence, Jessica spent ages 11-15 honing in on her craft. Jessica sailed 6000 ocean and 6000 coastal miles while acquiring numerous sailing qualifications. She would join the crew of several boats, gaining well-rounded experience in sailing.

By 16, she had decided to circumnavigate the world by herself. On October 18, 2009, she (literally) set sail on her boat, Ella's Pink Lady , a 34-foot Sparkman & Stephens yacht. In the process, she faced monstrous waves, storms, and understandable loneliness. She would sail 18,582 nautical miles, which, for those that don't know, is slightly longer than a mile on land by 0.1508 miles. Jessica documented her travels on her blog and by video, which would become well-known and still holds hundreds of comments.

The World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC) would determine that Jessica did not technically sail the world because she fell short of the 21,600 nautical miles required by the Council for a sailor to rightfully claim they traveled the world. However, this determination did not seem to matter to the people of Australia, as her arrival home on May 15, 2010, was met with a pink carpet to match Ella's Pink Lady and crowds of admirers. In a twist of fate, a very young Teagan Croft was among one of the attendees of Jessica's return. In 2011, Jessica Watson was named Young Australian of the Year, and in 2012, Jessica received the Medal of the Order of Australia.

True Spirit details controversy and conflict with the media regarding her age, which was very accurate. The Watson family received criticism for allowing Jessica to take on the "Everest of sailing" with her limited experience and youth, even though she had been sailing for nearly a decade by the time she began this journey.

In a moment that displays authentic humility and an attitude that was far beyond her years at the time, Jessica did not see herself as a hero. She saw herself as an "ordinary person, who had a dream, worked hard at it and proved that anything really is possible."

What's Fiction in 'True Spirit'?

According to Entertainment Weekly , Julie and Roger were represented precisely as they were. However, two characters were prominent in the film but were more representations of different people. The first is Ben Bryant (portrayed by New Zealand's Cliff Curtis), Jessica's mentor and disgraced sailor who had lost a crew member while under his command. Ben is a supporting character who is nearly as present as the Watson parents on Jessica's trip. He helps guide Jessica by radio and offers encouragement from afar. In real life (and not mentioned in the movie), Jessica's parents were New Zealanders. She holds dual citizenship in Australia and New Zealand, making Curtis' prominent role almost like a homage to her heritage.

The second made-up character is a particularly inflammatory reporter played by Todd Lasance. Lasance's character, Craig Atherton is based on several reporters who criticized her journey and her parents' support of the trip as they viewed it as too dangerous for a child. The film shows a collision between the Ella's Pink Lady and a cargo ship during a test trip before she begins her voyage. This collision did happen, and in the film, it adds fuel to the fire of the negative press.

In terms of events conveyed in the film, several did not happen in Jessica's real-life journey. Two of them were particularly impactful, the first being stuck at sea with no wind for a week and the second being knocked unconscious by a frying pan during a storm. These made-up events do not take away from the peril of Jessica's journey, though, as there is a scene in which the Ella's Pink Lady is temporarily sunk 15 feet during a storm, and frighteningly, this is true and did happen.

For those looking to watch a movie about a young woman who takes on a Goliath in the form of massive ways and soul-crushing loneliness, True Spirit is currently streaming on Netflix.

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Jessica Watson: the true story of True Spirit star’s voyage

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Jessica Watson talks to Helen Fretter about what her round the world journey was really like and how accurate the Netflix film True Spirit is

In the late Noughties and early 2010s, sailing garnered astonishing levels of attention due to a series of teenagers bidding to become the youngest sailor to sail around the world. One of the most high profile was Jessica Watson, who set off from Sydney in 2009 aged 16, and completed her loop of Antarctica – and a dip north across the Equator in the Pacific – to return an all-Australian hero after 210 days at sea .

It was a remarkable story, much of which was told in real time in Watson’s blog and video diaries. Thirteen years on, Netflix has made a feature-length sailing film based on her voyage, called True Spirit . Following the film’s release in the UK, we spoke to Watson about the experience.

True Spirit is available to watch on Netflix worldwide

Jessica Watson in the spotlight

In the film version of True Spirit viewers are introduced to the teenage Jessica Watson aboard her S&S 34 Ella’s Pink Lady on a trial solo sail, when a violent collision with a 63,000 tonne cargo ship off Queensland leaves the yacht dismasted, and both Watson and her family ashore shaken.

It’s the same opening scene Watson begins her autobiography with, and it’s as shocking to watch as it is to read her written account: “I grabbed at the tiller, flicked off the autopilot and tried to steer us. It was hopeless.

“There was nowhere to go, nothing I could do. Shuddering and screeching, we were being swept down the ship’s hull. A glance told me that the ship’s stern, with its bridges protruding, was fast approaching. The noises were getting louder and, knowing that the mast and rigging were about to come down, I rushed back below hoping for some protection.

“The cupboard next to me ripped apart as the chainplate behind the bulkhead splintered it into a million pieces. The boat heeled to one side then suddenly sprung upright with the loudest explosion yet as the entangled rigging suddenly freed itself and crashed to the deck.”

While the collision would be a terrifying experience for anyone to go through, let alone a teenager on their own, the film highlights how the media storm that met her ashore was even more intimidating. Many commentators questioned the judgement of Watson’s parents, an additional pressure which the film captures neatly.

Watson, now 30, admits that the prospect of being the centre of attention once again with the film’s launch didn’t entirely fill her with joy. “I certainly went into this with mixed emotions. I enjoy my life, I like not being recognised very often, and so there was a bit of trepidation. But at the same time, I’m just so grateful and hopefully this is good for sailing.”

An ethical dilemma

The teen solo sailor trend was a remarkable phenomenon. Australian Jesse Martin was one of the earliest, when he completed a non-stop, unassisted solo around the world voyage to and from Melbourne in 1999 aged 18. Martin recounted the trip in his S&S 34 Lionheart, also the title of his book, which was a major influence and source of inspiration for Watson.

With increasing unease and debate on the ethics of encouraging young teens to take on such potentially dangerous challenges, both within the sport of sailing and across newspaper columns and chat-show sofas around the world, the World Sailing Speed Record Council discontinued recognition of its ‘youngest’ sailor category. Martin has since remained the perpetual record holder, despite the flurry of much younger skippers which followed.

Jessica Watson (right) with actor Teagan Croft who played her in the film adaptation. Photo: Everett Collection Inc/Alamy

Much of the debate ignored the fact that the teenagers were often extraordinarily experienced yachtsmen from remarkable families. Certainly that was the case for Dutch sailor Laura Dekker , as well as American brother and sister Zac and Abby Sunderland, who both attempted circumnavigations (Zac successfully, Abby’s Open 40 was dismasted).

Jessica Watson also had a fairly nomadic childhood with years spent living on boats or converted buses. Ironically, her father had a television hire company but the Watson family never owned one, as she recalled in her autobiography: “I think Dad saw how dependent people became on them and how they restricted the lives of their owners – keeping them inside and inactive – and he decided he didn’t ever want to be like that.”

The Watson family’s unconventionality gets a little lost in the film, so keen were directors and scriptwriters to make them relatable, and show the toll Jessica’s attempt took as an emotional undercurrent tugging throughout the film. For Jessica herself, however, the family storyline was a powerful one to watch.

“Seeing the emotional experience that [my family] went through is pretty intense. I think I’ve appreciated it better in the years since, particularly when other sailors I knew have been in trouble at sea and I’ve had to sit on shore. It’s far worse waiting for news, I would rather be out there in the thick of it. So it is really a reminder of the one extraordinary thing they did by reluctantly letting me go.”

Other figures who had a huge part in Watson’s story – including Golden Globe Race organiser Don McIntyre, who secured her S&S 34 – are blended into one single character who becomes her mentor, shore team, and sounding board.

Some scenes in True Spirit have been dramatised. Photo: Everett Collection Inc/Alamy

How close to reality is True Spirit film?

While it’s gratifying to see sailing in a mainstream family film , sailing hasn’t always succeeded on the silver screen and there are elements of True Spirit which will rankle. It’s something Jessica Watson is well aware of.

“Of course, as sailors there’s parts of the movie which will be a little bit maddening for us.

“I was never relaxed about the details. I always wanted the details to be right where possible. So I have mixed feelings [about some of it]. But there’s so much I love about it too, that it showcases how beautiful it is, how special it is [to be at sea], and there’s nothing better than a little S&S sailing along for me.

Scene from the Netflix film of Watson’s solo circumnavigation. Photo: Images: Everett Collection Inc/Alamy

“It was a case of spending a lot of time with the director and the cast, talking about the inspiration behind it and helping them understand that world. And then I had to step away when it came to shooting some of the details and left them to do that.”

There is one scene – a knockdown which Watson did experience in real life – that involves a degree of suspension of disbelief. “That massive wave did happen in the Atlantic, but it probably didn’t happen quite that dramatically,” Watson says. “Though they did capture the essence of the feeling that time does stand still when you’re upside down in a knockdown.”

Watson arriving back in Sydney Harbour to a hero’s welcome in 2010. Photo: Reuters/Alamy

There are other moments where dramatic licence takes over, including one where Watson is nearly swept overboard through the lifelines. The reality was rather more boring. “I had a furling headsail and then a staysail on an inner forestay, where the storm jib went as well. That all worked incredibly well. As the weather picked up, I was able to just furl the headsail away and have the storm sail ready to go,” she explains, “Something I’m quite proud of is I that I never went on the foredeck – in fact I never left the cockpit – in over 30 knots of wind.

“Sure, I maybe sacrificed a little bit of speed, but that was part of the really conservative way that I was sailing. I could put my fourth reef in from the cockpit, but very often approaching really bad conditions I’d have the mainsail stitched and away.”

Unsurprisingly there’s little in the movie to show more mundane tasks, such as waiting for GRIB files to download. In fact, Jessica Watson was very well supported for weather routing by New Zealand meteorologist Bob McDavitt, who sent multiple daily updates which Watson would overlay with her own weather charts.

Jessica Watson and Ella’s Pink Lady cross the finish line for her unassisted solo circumnavigation. Photo: Christophe Launay/DPPI Media/Alamy

While routing has always been accepted for solo record attempts, with no official governing body to answer to, the question of what counted as ‘unassisted’ for youth sailors was open to interpretation. In 2007 British teenager Michael Perham became the youngest person to solo sail across the Atlantic aged just 14, while his father shadowed him sailing in a separate yacht.

For Watson, there was controversy whether her 23,000-mile route ventured far enough north of the Equator to count as a true around-the-world. “It certainly doesn’t worry me,” says Watson. “The biggest thing for me is that there’s no official record, as none of the bodies recognise the youngest records, which is perfectly understandable. So I don’t understand how there can be a debate about whether or not you comply with a rule that doesn’t exist.

“The route I took, chosen with my team, was about making it as safe as possible. It put me in the right oceans at the right times, and it did the things that are generally recognised as sailing around the world . I’m very at peace with that.”

The next Jessica Watson?

While Watson was inspired by reading about Jesse Martin’s adventures, would she welcome new young sailors inspired to tackle a circumnavigation after watching True Spirit ? “Absolutely, if people are serious,” she says.

Such a project is, however, very reliant on having the right yacht. “People do ask me if I would do it again, and my answer is only if the boat was exactly the same and I had the same support crew, otherwise it’s a resounding ‘No!’.

“It was absolutely that boat and how she was set up that enabled it to be possible. Someone said almost as a criticism, ‘lt was just the boat that got her there.’ But I agree with them.

“The S&S 34 is just such a gorgeous little boat. There’s nothing quite like the way that they sail beautifully upwind in a bit of a blow.”

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True Spirit Review and Ending Explained – An Inspirational True Story Brought to Life

There’s a specific film genre that consists of true stories of young, determined girls accomplishing impressive feats despite everyone warning them that it’s not possible. True Spirit is the latest offering of this type, and it’s certainly a strong entry in the genre. Jessica Watson is the perfect candidate for being portrayed onscreen; as the youngest person to ever sail solo, non-stop around the world, her achievement was basically begging to be made into a film.

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True spirit review and plot summary, is true spirit good, true spirit ending explained.

Sarah Spillane directs and co-writes the Australian biopic based on Jessica Watson’s book, True Spirit: The Aussie Girl Who Took On the World . The film opens as Jess (Teagan Croft) reflects on her relationship with the ocean and her love for sailing.

Then, we see Jess on her boat, Pink, where she looks as at home as most teen girls are in their bedrooms. She’s on her test voyage for her upcoming plans, but disaster strikes suddenly when a cargo ship runs into her small sailboat. She’s rocked (literally) by the disaster, and Pink needs substantial repairs, but she sticks to her guns that she needs to set out on her sail around the world in just a few weeks.

Her parents and three siblings are supportive, as well as her sailing coach Ben (Cliff Curtis), but the rest of the world seems to be waiting to see her fail. Some simply state that the 16-year-old girl is incapable of sailing a ship by herself all the way around the world, but there are also child welfare groups that question whether her parents should be allowing her to do the challenge. But despite the worries of Roger (Josh Lawson) and Julie (Anna Paquin), they support her desire to be the youngest person to complete the journey.

As Jess prepares, the audience is shown flashbacks to her as a young girl deciding that she wants to do the voyage and learning to sail. This helps contextualize her love of sailing in the present without needing as much exposition.

The film explores how the press circled her, her family, and her coach like vultures, with one reporter in particular – Craig Atherton (Todd Lasance) – eager to press them on the risks of the journey. Despite the odds, Jess finishes her preparations and bids a tearful goodbye to her family and Ben and sets off.

The rest of the film is taken up by Jess’s time on the water while also cutting back to her family anxiously awaiting her phone calls with her progress. Jess films video logs while on the boat, which are a clever way to give her a good reason to talk to the camera and share her thoughts and feelings.

Croft’s performance as Jess is all the more impressive because of the large number of scenes that she is in by herself, on the boat. Curtis and Paquin also give solid performances as Jess’s coach and mother, respectively, who take different approaches in their worries about her safety.

True Spirit, though based on a compelling story, doesn’t fully live up to its potential. The CGI is shoddy in places and the overall tone and film-making are somewhat Disney Channel-esque. It definitely seems meant to appeal to younger audiences, despite the somewhat intimidating storm sequences.

However, for family audiences, it’s an engaging and inspirational film. Not only does it show Jess Watson prevailing above all those who doubted her to achieve her goals, but it also touches on her additional challenge of being dyslexic. It’s the sort of film that encourages young women, in particular, to go after their dreams – and those are always worth seeing.

With a film based on the story of a true person, it’s possible that audience members may already know the ending before the film even starts. Considering that Jessica Watson is known for being the youngest person to complete circumnavigating the globe, the ending of the film is clear, and yet director Sarah Spillane manages to build tension as Jess comes to the end of her voyage.

Does Jess survive the storm?

Jess only has one cape left on her voyage when she sees that a bad storm is coming, worse than any of the others that she has faced. While on a phone call, her family urges her to seek shelter in the nearest port, but that would mean giving up the record that is just within her grasp. But Jess thinks of all the people across the world waiting to see if she completes her mission and decides to weather the storm.

She realizes that her best chances are of moving in the same direction as the storm. Her worried parents and ever-supportive siblings support the idea, and Jess uses every instruction she received earlier in her training to ensure her safety. Earlier in the film, she was rebuked by her instructor Ben for not having her collision alarms on and not strapping into the boat for safety, so she ensures to do both.

The ocean is rough and violent, rocking the small boat Pink around. At one point, a large wave capsizes the boat and it seems that all might be over for Jess. Her family even receives the alert that the boat is underwater. However Pink arises again and Jess survives.

Does Jess complete her voyage?

The following day, Jess is able to get in touch with her family and let them know that she survived. She stands and marvels at the sea and the fact that she survived. The rest of her voyage back home to Sydney, Australia goes smoothly. Her mood is also considerably lifted knowing that her loneliness is almost at an end and she will soon be reunited with her siblings and she is on track to beat the previous record.

What kind of reception does Jess receive back home?

When Jess arrives back at the harbor, 80,000 people are waiting to cheer her on as she comes into port. Journalists and spectators celebrate while she has a tearful reunion with her parents and siblings.

The Prime Minister introduces her at a press conference, calling her a hero, but she refutes it, stating that she’s just a girl who believed in her dreams. The film then concludes by showing footage of the real Jessica Watson’s homecoming and video logs from her time on the ship.

It’s an amazing reminder that as impressive as the events of the film seem, they are based on an actual teenage girl’s achievement.

What did you think of True Spirit? Comment below.

RELATED: Where was True Spirit filmed?

Article by Nicole Ackman

Nicole joined Ready Steady Cut in June 2022 as a Film Critic, publishing over 60 articles for the site. Nicole is a writer and historian based in Raleigh, North Carolina, with vast experience in entertainment journalism and museums. Her knowledge of films has been noticed, and she was approved as a certified critic with Rotten Tomatoes in 2022.

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• Entertainment
• Netflix’s Real-Life Sailing Adventure <i>True Spirit</i> Is an Anthem of Teenage Independence

Netflix’s Real-Life Sailing Adventure True Spirit Is an Anthem of Teenage Independence

S ixteen is often the age where you start dreaming of striking out on your own, of trying something just a little bit dangerous—though you still want to know that your parents have your back if you fall. That’s the appeal of True Spirit, a movie based on the real-life adventures of Jessica Watson , who at age 16 became the youngest person to sail around the world solo. Directed by Australian filmmaker Sarah Spillane, the picture is appealingly breezy, though it does have its share of tense moments involving killer waves and charcoal-toned stormy skies. Mostly, it’s an anthem of teenage independence and daring, the story of one young woman who set her sights on a dream while still a child and willed it into reality just a few years later. Not every teenager could pull it off: this is a story about believing in possibilities rather than being constrained by limits, and about respecting nature while also reveling in its wild, unpredictable glory.

Jessica—played as a young child by Alyla Browne and as a teenager by the capable actress Teagan Croft—has always lived by or on the water, and has always loved sailing. She may struggle with dyslexia, but she understands the sea and its power. She’s particularly enthralled by the story of teenage sailor Jesse Martin, who in 1999 became the youngest sailor to cross the globe solo. He was 18; she wants to break his record. She saves her pennies for a boat, the Pink Lady.

Read more reviews by Stephanie Zacharek

Most of that setting is fleshed out in flashback scenes: the movie opens in 2009, as 16-year-old Jessica attempts a solo trial run in advance of her big adventure. She has an adviser, Ben Bryant (Cliff Curtis), an ace sailor who long ago gave up on his own dreams, but who has agreed to help Jessica fulfill hers. Her parents (played by Anna Paquin and Josh Lawson), have also encouraged her all along, even though the media slams them for allowing a minor to embark on an adventure that could endanger her life.

And the trial run, it turns out, is a near disaster: Jessica seems so excited by the notion of being out on the sea by herself—we see her dancing around the tiny cabin in a pop-star reverie, singing into her toothbrush—that she forgets to set an important alarm and ends up being sideswiped by a cargo ship. She makes it back to shore, but her boat is badly damaged. And news reporters are waiting for her, practically rejoicing in her failure: the most smug of these is an uptight dude in a trim, tiny suit (Todd Lasance), who’s convinced Jessica doesn’t have what it takes to pull off the grand feat she’s assigned herself.

Read more: The 49 Most Anticipated Movies of 2023

Well, she’ll show him! And she does, 210 days later, days of glorious puffy clouds and unfettered joy but also of worrying windless stretches and angry red skies. At one point Jessica peeks out her cabin window and recites the old maxim, “Red at night, sailor’s delight, red at morning, sailor’s warning,” and boy, does that turn out to be apt: the storm that ensues is a doozy, its waves tossing her tiny vessel as a cat dipsy-doodles a toy mouse. Jessica does everything right, lowering the sails, releasing the drogue (a parachute-like device designed to stabilize the boat) and strapping herself in for safety—and still, there are dangers she can’t account for. The movie rides this unpredictability like a surfboard.

Because this is a true story, recorded by the person who lived it, we know how it ends. But that doesn’t make the threats faced by a teenager alone at sea any less treacherous. True Spirit also deals realistically with Jessica’s low points. She keeps a blog to record her experience, and at one point tearfully confesses her loneliness: she misses the passel of siblings she’s left behind at home, and there are days when she wonders why she’s invested so much in this risky undertaking. But most of the time, she relishes the small experiences that come wrapped up in this big one, cooking her own meals on a tiny burner or going above deck to shave her legs in the sun. True Spirit makes freedom on the high seas look like fun, a far cry from staring at a screen in your bedroom, waiting for your life to begin.

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‘True Spirit’ Review: Around the World in 210 Days

Nothing rocks the boat for long in this can-do drama based on the true story of Jessica Watson, an Australian teenager who sailed the globe.

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By Nicolas Rapold

The soft-rock bard Christopher Cross once sang, “Sailing takes me away.” For one gutsy Aussie, Jessica Watson, “away” meant circling the globe at age 16. “True Spirit” streamlines and sanitizes her impressive real-life feat , which began in October 2009, into pure inspo fuel, recounting Watson’s maritime journey without ever turning grim for long.

A sunny Teagan Croft (“Titans”) plays Watson, backed by Cliff Curtis as the coach and Anna Paquin as the iron-willed mom in a loving family, alongside a softie dad (Josh Lawson) and three cute siblings. Watson’s trial run ends in a collision, triggering a media frenzy, but she sets out eastward as planned on a pink sailboat covered in decals.

The cleanly shot movie cruises through storm-tossed seas and dead air alike, buoyed by a soundtrack of teen anthems, as well as flashbacks to Watson as a tween. Her solitude isn’t absolute, thanks to phone and internet access (she vlogs), and she celebrates Christmas virtually with the family, who packed gifts for her. (On the actual journey, her parents also did flyovers in a small plane.)

It all goes by fast — is that the Indian Ocean already? — and nothing rocks the boat for long, though a final-boss storm plays as a cliffhanger (albeit a brisk one). The message of manifesting your goals reigns supreme, which is great, but it’s worth mentioning that Watson’s willpower benefits from the privileges of financial security, family support and a curmudgeonly-turned-selfless coach. Without all that backing, seven months alone on a sailboat might be a non-starter (though many of us, myself included, would be in no rush).

True Spirit Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 49 minutes. Watch on Netflix.

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"True Spirit" is an inspirational adventure about Australian sailor  Jessica Watson , who in 2009 became the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the globe by herself. Her quest was sparked by another record-breaker, German sailor Jesse Martin, who did the same thing ten years earlier when he was two years older than Watson; Watson used his memoir and course as partial inspiration, with support from her family and manager and after many years of training and experience on the water. 

Watson's family was criticized in the media and by government officials for being irresponsible, and some at the time worried that Watson lacked a full understanding of all the risks involved in the trip and wasn't mature or responsible enough to undertake it (she collided with a bulk carrier during a test run from Sidney to Brisbane and was found to have been asleep at the time). Nevertheless, she persisted, sailing around the world, surviving multiple storms and a long period of windless stasis. She was recognized with multiple citations and medals and became an emblem of the can-do spirit, particularly for girls and young women who love sailing but felt excluded from it by sexism. 

Her story would seem like a can't-miss subject for a crowd-pleasing film, and "True Spirit"—starring Teagan Croft of DC's "Titans," directed by Sarah Spillane and co-written by her and Cathy Randall —does not miss. The screenplay's structure tends to impede dramatic momentum by regularly cutting back to key moments in Watson's childhood just when the present-tense action is building up a fine head of steam. But the sailing sequences, a mix of location footage and green screen bits, are stirring, sometimes breathtaking, and occasionally storybook-poetic (as in a nighttime scene that begins with an overhead shot of Watson's boat, Ella's Pink Lady, seeming to float in a sea of stars, then tilts up to show that the stars are reflections in the water). 

In real life, as noted in Watson's memoir, her dad vigorously opposed her taking the trip, but the film makes it seem as if he had only a moment's hesitation; and Cliff Curtis' "coach" character, Ben Watson, is a fictionalized version of Watson's real mentor and project manager, Bruce Arms. He's been given a tragic backstory here that seems mainly there to give the heroine something to cruelly use against him at a moment when they're both stressed out. (Yes, they make up.) But there are always compressions, deletions, and inventions in dramas based on life, and the leanness of this film's approach works mostly in its favor, even if there are times when one might wish they'd leaned into the "fable" aspect a bit harder (what an animated film this might have made!).

Overall, however, there's something a tad anodyne and "off" about this production. It's so perky and clean-scrubbed that it feels like a Disney Channel version of a wilderness survival tale, suitable for young children who presumably can't handle too many complexities or contradictions, and whose parents (perhaps) believe that the highest function of popular culture is to show families as harmonious institutions, and outsiders as interfering know-nothings. 

And at the same time, strangely, the film is so single-mindedly focused on vindicating Watson and her family and coach, and making anyone who raised objections to the trip seem like killjoy ninnies and usurpers of free will, that there are moments when it seems like the movie equivalent of a sore winner. Media naysayers are incarnated by a composite character TV reporter, played by actor Todd Lasance —a showboater with a punchable smirk who has been given the name "Atherton," presumably an homage to the narcissist portrayed by actor William Atherton in " Die Hard ." Of course Atherton, too, eventually comes around and cheers for Watson. Additionally, Watson's blog as framed within the movie seems like more of an illustration of how to bypass the media and get one's "message" out than an autobiographical treasure trove documenting Watson's incredible journey. Meanwhile, the ingrained sexism that Watson faced from records-certifiers who came up with all sorts of reasons to deny her right to claim a world's record afterward go largely unexamined. 

Watson's memoir and the 2010 documentary about her achievement, "210 Days," are altogether more thorough and nuanced looks at this story, though of course that's nearly always true of documentaries that tell the same story as works of fiction. Dramatic features tend to have goal-directed stories with uncomplicated happy endings. The messiness of life gets sanded off in the name of giving the people what they supposedly want.

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Matt Zoller Seitz

Matt Zoller Seitz is the Editor at Large of RogerEbert.com, TV critic for New York Magazine and Vulture.com, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism.

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Film credits.

True Spirit (2023)

109 minutes

Teagan Croft as Jessica Watson

Cliff Curtis as Ben Bryant

Anna Paquin

Josh Lawson

Bridget Webb

Vivien Turner

Stacy Clausen

Todd Lasance

• Sarah Spillane
• Rebecca Banner
• Cathy Randall

Cinematographer

• Danny Ruhlmann
• Veronika Jenet

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Netflix 's upcoming film True Spirit has   celebrated a picture lock on the director's cut. Based on the real-life adventures of Jessica Watson, as detailed in her sailing memoir of the same name. The movie chronicles Watson's 210-day journey to becoming the youngest person to sail solo and non-stop around the world at 16 years old. Titans star Teagan Croft plays Watson in the family flick, which filmed across Australia in 2021 and also stars Anna Paquin. Powerhouse Sarah Spillane ( Around the Block ), who serves as both director and a co-writer alongside Cathy Randall, has been teasing fans about the project on social media.

True Spirit 's production company Resonate Entertainment shared one of Spillane's snaps with an artsy filter this week. Boasting a picture lock on the film's director's cut, the photo peeped editors on a Zoom call and showed a glimpse at a sailing scene from the movie. The post was captioned with a heartfelt message of thanks, saying,  "We have so much gratitude for [Spillane]and all of the talents around the globe who came together to make this film happen." Check out the photo below.

Related:  Netflix: Every Movie & TV Show Releasing in January 2022

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This is certainly not the first glimpse of the project that Resonate has shared. Both the production company and Spillane herself have been posting tidbits from the international shoot of Netflix's   True Spirit to their respective pages. Fans have been treated to various pictures of Watson's taffy-bottomed sailboat "Ella's Pink Lady," in which she completed her arduous journey in from Sydney, Australia in 2009. Many remain eager to see Croft take the wheel as Watson in the finished film.

Locking the director's cut is a sign that True Spirit is close to being completed. Film lovers appreciate Spillane and the producers at Resonate for being so transparent about the process. Of course, audiences will have to wait until the final version sails onto Netflix to fully bask in Watson's amazing story, which served as a true inspiration at the time of its occurrence, and likely will again to a whole new generation of viewers when True Spirit hits screens.

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Source:  Resonate Entertainment

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The true story behind Titans star Teagan Croft's new Netflix movie

True Spirit is mostly very true!

That being said, there are some films of true stories that hew very close to reality, and True Spirit is one of them. Jessica Watson, played by Titans ' star Teagan Croft , did face many of the same hurdles and triumphs as she does in the film all aboard her trusty boat Ella’s Pink Lady.

As in the film, Watson was born in 1993 and spent most of her childhood in or around boats with her family, including her mother Julie (played by Anna Paquin ) her father Roger (Josh Lawson) and her siblings Emily (Bridget Webb), Tom (Stacy Clausen), and Hannah (Vivien Turner).

She was inspired to sail around the globe solo, without assistance or interruption, by the story of another young sailor: Jesse Martin. When she was 12, Jessica's mother read her Martin's book Lionheart: A Journey of the Human Spirit.

As in the film, Jessica was hands-on involved in the preparation for her trip. Where the movie departs most dramatically from fact is in the creation of Jessica's sailing coach, Ben Bryant, played by Fear the Walking Dead and Avatar star Cliff Curtis.

He was inspired by a whole host of people who helped Jessica realise her dream. In a recent Instagram post, Jessica wrote: "The fictional character Ben is one of my favourite things about the movie. Ben represents a whole team of people.

"While there are many who so deserve their own character [Cliff Curtis] has beautifully captured the spirit of these men who were so determined to see a young girl take on the world and the way they are some of my best mates. Forever grateful to everyone who played a part in making the voyage possible!"

As far as the actual record goes, Jessica did not attain it. Despite sailing around the globe in 210 days on a 33-foot vessel, the World Speed Sailing Record Council categorises a full circumnavigation of the globe as being an orthodromic distance (great circle) of at least 21,600 nautical miles, of which she was short about 2,000 nautical miles (and at only 16 years old!).

Still, Jessica's feat was obviously impressive. And like the film depicts, there were really hundreds of thousands of people there to greet her when she landed back in Sydney 210 days after she set out.

In the film, Jessica is shown as being overwhelmed by surprise at the number of people who showed up to see her in. In real life, she told 60 Minutes Australia : "I expected a few people here to meet me, but what we got coming into harbour was just completely overwhelming."

It's unsurprising that people were impressed by her stamina. In the film, Jessica is shown sailing through unimaginably high waves and rough weather, which was all true.

In real life, she made it through seven of what are called knockdowns, which is when a boat is knocked on its side to 90 degrees or worse by wind or waves. In addition, she survived her boat being capsized and three monster low-pressure systems.

If you want to watch her journey without the sensationalism (albeit minor, in this case) of fiction, there is also a documentary called 210 Days , narrated by Sir Richard Branson. Watson also wrote a book about her journey called True Spirit: The Aussie girl who took on the world .

True Spirit is now available to watch on Netflix.

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Gabriella Geisinger is a freelance journalist and film critic, and was previously Deputy Movies Editor at Digital Spy. She loves Star Wars , coming-of-age stories, thrillers , and true crime. A born and raised New Yorker, she also loves coffee and the colour black, obviously.

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Practical Boat Owner

• Digital edition

Jessica Watson – the real sailor behind the True Spirit film

• Laura Hodgetts
• February 3, 2023

Whilst the new Netflix True Spirit movie was being filmed, celebrating Jessica Watson's real-life teenage solo, non-stop global circumnavigation, the 29-year-old was battling her biggest-ever challenge ashore.

“Generally, I actually am quite a risk-averse person, and don’t like doing crazy things, I know that’s really hard to believe.”

Thirteen years ago, in 2010, Jessica Watson arrived in Sydney, having sailed solo, non-stop around the world aged 16.

Now, as a film inspired by her adventure, True Spirit , is released on Netflix, Jessica shares insight into how it compares to the reality of navigating some of the world’s most remote oceans, surviving seven knockdowns and 210 days alone at sea aboard S&S 34 Ella’s Pink Lady .

“It’s so strange for me. Because I really have no idea what it’s like to watch as someone else who’s not so close to the story. For me, I almost can’t get past being so close to it, and then not really being able to watch it like a movie. “I love so much of what they’ve done with it. It’s really cool to see the sport of sailing have this showcase, and hopefully, there are a lot of moments in the film that will really make people understand what is so amazing about sailing.”

Jessica Watson, 16, crossing the finishing line of her unassisted solo voyage around the world in her yacht Ella’s Pink Lady at Sydney Harbour May 15, 2010. Credit: REUTERS/Daniel Munoz/Alamy

Jessica Watson on the accuracy of the film?

“It has moments where it kind of jumps out and I think ‘Oh my gosh, yes. That’s exactly what it was’, like, in an expression or view in a sequence or a scene. But of course, there’s movie magic involved as well. “There are some details that certainly don’t follow the reality, and sailors will, no doubt, pick them up. The big storm scene where the boat’s underwater for quite some time in reality, wasn’t that dramatic. But in that moment, it certainly felt like it. So maybe it’s sort of true to the feeling behind it.”

Repairs on board is one area the film isn’t quite so accurate on.

“There’s quite a leak in the movie that it looks like I’m fixing with blu-tack. In reality there was nothing major, which again, was a real testament to the preparation behind it and a lot of things going right; a lot of conservative decisions. “There were torn sails, of course, that needed a bit of repair on the way, a solar panel that was warped in from the impact of a knockdown , which limited my power a little bit, and I had to replace the wind generator, and a fuel pump towards the end of the trip. “I was running the engine for a little bit of power as required, when the wind and sun weren’t doing their thing. The important thing is there was nothing catastrophic.”

Jessica Watson, 16, aboard Ella’s Pink Lady S&S (Sparkman and Stephens) 34 at Sydney Harbour. Credit: Christophe Launay/DPPI/Alamy

With the benefit of hindsight, Jessica would advise her younger self to go ahead, with provisos.

“People often ask, ‘Would you do it again?’ And I always do make it very clear that I would, but it’s with that boat and the way she was set up. “It’s really that boat and the way she was set up that got me there safely. There’s absolutely no doubt about it. “Without those conditions, and the preparation that was in place, I absolutely wouldn’t do it. It really was about that boat and the setup.”

Jessica is the second of four children of New Zealander couple Roger and Julie Watson, who moved to Australia in 1987. A focus of the film is the support her parents gave their teenage daughter to undertake the voyage, set against the reality of her facing towering waves alone in the Southern Ocean , and a media storm when she ran into a 63,000 tonne ship at sea .

Jessica said: “Some of the characters in my family are actually pretty true to who they are. But the main kind of character in the movie, Ben, who’s the mentor and advisor is actually an amalgamation of a number of real people that kind of represents a whole team of people. “There’s not the opportunity in a movie format to give so many different people their own characters, so they had to go with this approach. “There are so many real moments represented by those people in this character. “I actually really love that mentor relationship Ben has with Teagon, who plays me, because that’s so important and such a big part of how it was possible; there were all these extraordinary people, predominantly men, who were so determined to see a young girl succeed.”

When asked about the long-term impact of her circumnavigation , Jessica says: “It’s absolutely a part of who I am, and I can’t imagine who I am without that adventure and everything that led to that.

“More widely, certainly I hope it has made people stop for a moment and think ‘hey, what can young people do when they put their minds to it?’

“I think it’s been part of a movement that a lot of people have put a lot of work into, supporting female sailors over recent years. And it’s been amazing to see such a change there and to see such a strong presence out in the water.

“There’s absolutely still a long way to go. But it’s really great to see that and representation of any kind helps in that regard.”

Talk of a film, inspired by Jessica’s book, True Spirit , has been on the cards since it was first published in 2010.

Jessica said: “There’s been discussions about making a film for years, but I don’t think I really ever believed it. “So it really is only in the last week when I’ve seen it on the big screen that it’s actually starting to sink in a little bit that ‘Oh, my goodness, this has actually happened’.”

Real heartbreak

Teagan Croft and Jessica Watson and the True Spirit premiere

Attending premieres with friends has been a highlight for Jessica, who has faced a huge personal tragedy recently with the loss of her partner Cameron Dale.

Cameron, who she met in 2011 whilst competing in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, died of a stroke in August 2021, aged 29, as the result of undiagnosed high blood pressure.

Jessica wrote in The Weekend Australian Magazine “I’ve been called courageous for my sailing exploits – but the courage it’s taken to get through this is incomparable.”

She told Practical Boat Owner ( PBO) : “For us it completely came out of nowhere. It’s not something that’s on the radar for active young people; it’s the last thing on your mind to think about blood pressure or strokes. “And I suppose for me, it’s just a real moment to hopefully get that really simple message out there. To get the check. It’s such a simple thing you can do. And don’t dismiss it as something that might not impact younger people. “A lot of people ask if I was involved during the shooting of the movie. And actually, it’s not a tricky question to answer. Because obviously, I was with Cam in an ICU (Intensive Care Unit).”

Cameron Dale and Jessica Watson

Regular Cape 31 racing at weekends with a group of close friends has been a vital support.

“Cam and I met through the Sydney Hobart campaign, and probably actually knocked heads for quite a bit through that project. And then we got together at the end of it. Sailing was just the kind of core of our lives and something we absolutely did together. “Sailing has just been the most extraordinary and probably the best possible way to help with grief, you know, sailing with a bunch of people who were all Cam’s best mates and mine as well. “And that kind of environment on the boat and being part of that community and just being on the water, it’s good for focusing your head. window._taboolaSlots=window._taboolaSlots||[];window._taboolaSlots.push({"mode":"thumbnails-a-mid","container":"taboola-mid-article","placement":"Mid Article","target_type":"mix"}); “Sailing is definitely very special to me, now more than ever.”

Jessica describes dark days and suicidal thoughts and how family, friends and sailing, in particular, has pulled her through.

“A particular moment that stands out vividly is one of slight chaos after we’d just broken something.

“Full of adrenaline, I found myself no doubt looking like a dork in Cam’s oversized hat, furiously trying to bail water out of the boat, everyone laughing at me as waves dumped over me and straight back into the cabin.

“Perhaps it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I’m still savouring that moment and the revelation it gave me – a sense of being glad to be living.”

Working life

Jessica Watson

Day to day, Jessica has “a sensible desk job” as a manager at prestigious management consulting company Deloitte.

She said: “People are often surprised by that. But it was important for me to go back and challenge myself in different ways and give myself a life away from constantly being known as that 16 year old girl who circumnavigated. “I really love my role with Deloitte, one of the big four accounting firms in a management consulting team. It’s been really lovely to have some other challenges in my life and to keep sailing as something that’s absolutely the biggest part of my life, but something that’s a lifeline, hobby and passion, rather than day to day.”

Jessica was eight when her family first went to a sailing school. She particularly enjoyed messing about with trailer-sailers and sailing dinghies at her local club.

She said: “Mum and Dad wouldn’t claim to be sailors, but we sort of learned and got involved in boating and sailing as a family. “My younger sister doesn’t sail, although my older sister is the first mate on a superyacht so she’s absolutely a water person and an avid diver. And I have a brother as well who’s a geologist so he’s into more land based things.”

Officially there is no ‘youngest record’ recognised by the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC) in a bid to avoid ambitious parents sending ever-more-youthful offspring out to sea.

Jessica’s unofficial title was usurped in January 2012 by Dutch teenager Laura Dekker , who at 16 years and four months, was nearly eight months younger.

Jessica Watson, 16, at the finishing line of her unassisted solo voyage around the world in her yacht Ella’s Pink Lady at Sydney Harbour May 15, 2010. Credit: REUTERS/Daniel Munoz/Alamy

Addressing criticism that her logged circumnavigation of just over 24,000 miles did not venture far enough north of the equator for her journey to count as a true round-the-world sail or that the orthodromic distance sailed was just over 18,000nm, less than the 21,600nm required by the WSSRC, Jessica said: “It certainly doesn’t really worry me.

“I think that the biggest thing there for me is that there’s no official record, as obviously none of the bodies recognise the youngest records, which is perfectly understandable. So I don’t understand how there can actually be a debate about whether or not you comply with a rule that doesn’t exist. I sort of struggle to get past that.

“I think it is a shame that there are people who just really feel the need to nitpick because there’s no official rule. So there was no way to comply with an official rule.”

She added: “The route that I took, chosen with my team, was just about making it as safe as possible. It did put me in the right oceans at the right times, and it did the things that are generally recognised as sailing around the world. I’m very at peace with that.”

Film director Sarah Spillane spoke to Jessica “a lot” over many years, to get “under the cover of what the circumnavigation was about, the inspiration behind it and the sailing.”

Jessica said: “As time went on, it became more about practical questions, and details of the script, ‘Could this have happened’, ‘Would this have been possible?’ “I did a lot of work with the scriptwriters, then when shooting started, I obviously met everyone, which was amazing, and I got to see a bit of it. But it was then a case of stepping away and letting them get on with it.”

Beautiful moments

The film manages to capture some key memories for Jessica: “There are some really beautiful moments that I think do translate in the movie. There’s a particular starry scene that is pretty extraordinary and real to what it was like.

“The thing I never got bored of was just watching the boat dance along through the waves on a breezy day, with the spray flying. I suppose maybe I got used to it as there’s not a lot else to look at but I honestly never, ever got bored of watching Ella’s Pink Lady sail along.”

Another vivid moment was her finish in Sydney Harbour.

Jessica said: “I think there’s still part of that emotion with me today. There was the extraordinary overwhelmingness of it, when you’ve been so deprived of everything for so long. “It was just such a sensory overload, you’ve got colours and noises, and smells, and people and all these things you haven’t experienced for so long, all of a sudden, all at once. “It’s just an extraordinary amount to take in but in the most beautiful, positive, exciting way.”

She added: “Maybe there’ll be another big circumnavigation again one day, but it’ll be stopping along the way. For now, I think as long as sailing is the biggest part of my life still, that’s awesome for now.”

The finishing line of her unassisted solo voyage was “an extraordinary amount to take in but in the most beautiful, positive, exciting way.” Credit: REUTERS/Daniel Munoz/Alamy

True Spiri t , now showing on Netflix, is described as: A tenacious Australian teen chases her dreams — and faces her fears — as she sets out to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world. Teagan Croft stars with Cliff Curtis, Josh Lawson and Oscar winner Anna Paquin in this inspiring drama based on a true story.

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This article was updated to clarify that Jessica Watson logged just over 24,000 miles on her voyage, but the orthodromic distance sailed was just over 18,000nm, less than the 21,600nm required by the WSSRC.

Enjoyed reading Jessica Watson – the real sailor behind the True Spirit film?

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'True Spirit': How Jessica Watson missed out on being the youngest person to sail solo around the world

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA: Netflix has a knack for telling stories that create a lot of impact on the minds of viewers and one such project is the upcoming movie ‘ True Spirit ’. Projects based on real-life events are always nerve-wracking because they give a perspective about an incident that people might not have heard of and the aforementioned title is one of those rare titles. Based on the true story of Jessica Watson, the movie primarily focuses on a young girl who decided to defy the odds and break stereotypes by becoming the younger person to sail solo, non-stop, and unassisted around the world.

At first, people believed that she shouldn’t do that because she is too young and it might prove to be fatal for her. With the help of her supportive family and coach, Watson never backed down and started preparing for the journey. On October 18, 2009, Watson sailed out of Sydney Harbour in her boar named ‘Elsa’s Pink Lady’. The sailor passed near New Zealand, Fiji, Kiribati, Cape Horn (Chile), Cape of Good Hope (South Africa), Cape Leeuwin (Australia), and South East Cape (Tasmania) during her journey.

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The young sailor endured a total of 7 knockdowns and several storms to reach the Sydney Harbour. When she returned home, everyone was celebrating and congratulating her for creating a world record, but a website that tracks everything about the sailing universe claimed that she didn’t achieve the record. But what was the reason behind this claim? Let’s take a look.

‘True Spirit’: Why was Jessica Watson never named the world record holder?

As soon as she landed offshore, people started talking about the world record, but it was claimed that she missed the world record because she did not cover the distance required to meet strict criteria set by the official sailing body in relation to the circumnavigation of the world.

According to the World Speed Sailing Record Council, there is a rule for around-the-world sailing records. The rule states that “the length must be at least 21,600 nautical miles calculated along the shortest possible track from the starting port and back that does not cross land and does not go below 63 degrees. The equator must be crossed during the journey.

As per the logs maintained by Watson, she traveled around 23,000 nautical miles during her sail. However, according to the great circle calculations by several Australian navigators, she has traveled 18,265 nm orthodromic distance (or 19,631 rhumb line distance). This means she was 2,335 nautical miles short of sailing the entire globe.

There was a lot of drama regarding the record and Watson’s manager Andrew Fraser slammed the critics for scrutinizing a young girl’s achievement. He also noted that Watson and her team never said that they were trying to attempt the world record. Fraser said, “We’ve never used to word ‘world record. We’ve said that she would be the youngest person to (solo circumnavigate the globe unassisted), so people can make their own judgments.”

What did Jessica Watson say about the criticisms?

As soon as the chatter regarding her sail gathered steam, Watson didn’t shy away from silencing her critics with a scathing reply. Watson never really replies to such things, but she did this time and addressed the situation on her blog. In her blog (via Sydney Morning Herald ), Watson noted that she is disappointed that her attempt to become the youngest person to sail solo, non-stop, and unassisted around the around won’t be recognized because the World Sailing Speed Record Council doesn’t recognize the records set by people who are under-18.

“I don't normally bother addressing critics because someone's always going to be saying something, no matter what I say or do. But I thought I'd have my 2 bobs worth on these claims that I haven't officially sailed around the world. Call me immature but I've actually been having a bit of a giggle over the whole thing. If I haven't been sailing around the world, then it beats me what I've been doing out here all this time! Yes, it's a shame that my voyage won't be recognized by a few organizations because I'm under 18, but it really doesn't worry me,” Watson wrote.

Her inspiring journey is the main storyline of the Netflix movie ‘True Spirit’, which is available for streaming on Netflix.

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True Spirit is the latest movie based on Australian sailor Jessica Watson that premiered on Netflix. Directed and written by Sarah Spillane alongside Rebecca Banner and Cathy Randall, the movie is about the determination and persistence of a young woman to live her lifelong dream.

Teagan Croft takes up the role of Jessica, and Cliff Curtis plays the coach Ben Bryant, Anna Paquin as Julie Watson, Josh Lawson as Roger Watson, Todd Lasance as Craig Atherton, Bridget Webb as Emily Watson, Vivien Turner as Hannah Watson, Stacy Clausen as Tom Watson and more.

Danny Ruhlmann does the cinematography, and Nick Wales gives the music. With a runtime of approximately 110 minutes, the movie was released on February 3, 2023.

The official Netflix description of the movie reads as follows:

A tenacious Australian teen chases her dreams — and faces her fears — as she sets out to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world.

True Spirit Ending Explained

Jessica was finally moving and sailing again after a long wait due to no wind and waves. But it was not smooth sailing from there as a new dangerous problem arose ahead of her journey. Only one last stop was left to complete and reach Sydney, which would complete her voyage. She discovers on her radar that bad weather is coming her way, a storm bigger and deadlier than the previous one from three sides.

Her family and Ben advised her to stop at a port and prioritise her well-being. During the storm, no help will be available, which could lead to her death. So they urged her to discontinue the journey, but it would also mean that she would be disqualified.

Jessica, on the other hand, was determined and did not want to give up at the last stop. She convinced her parents, Ben and the rest of the family that she had a solid plan and could go through the storm. Instead of resisting mother nature, she will travel together with the high-intensity winds similar to surfing.

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What happened to Jessica during the storm?

The storm turned out to be much more dangerous than they had anticipated. She had strapped herself onto the bed as the small boat started to sail itself through the storms. The storms were present on three sides which eventually combined and turned into a large one. Frequently she was in contact with her family, but suddenly they lost connection. After the last phone call, her mother revealed to the family that Jessica’s boat sank 15 feet underwater.

The family started to panic and tried to contact her, but every effort went in vain. Jessica laid there scared as she was upside down into the ocean.

Did Jessica Survive?

Eventually, after waiting, the boat started to rise up and ultimately turned itself around and landed upright on the water. This is due to the small size of the boat, which helped it to float up. She immediately called her family and let them know about the news. Everyone from the city was waiting for her at the port as she arrives smiling on the small ship.

True Spirit is now streaming on Netflix.

Have you watched the new movie yet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Also Read: Loved Watching True Spirit? Here are 8 Similiar Movies to Inspire You

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11 COMMENTS

I thoroughly enjoyed the movie it had me hooked from start to end.Great job everyone congratulations.

Your awesome wee lassy it’s really good movie 🎥 the part when you was ups sides down a didn’t think you was going to get out of it glad you did hope your well x Graham fae Scotland

Okay…you heard about women behind the wheels, now buckle up for women in tiny PINK boats? In the name of the lord and everything thats is holy ⛪️, (my bathtube is bigger than that boat🛁), anyway ok movie its netflix so im going in with low exceptions, and that guy news report in cheap suit is the obious bad guy in this one, HE AND ALL REPORTERS TELL LIES TROUGHT ALMOST THE WHOLE MOVIE, i want to give him a pair of shoes made of ROCKS and push him into the water at hthe docks, Im like 30 minutes out, if it was not for this is achild movie i would like to see stuff like: shark, pirates, meeting other sailors, if she going to be alone for the next 01:30 it could be a bit boring, i hope it show how nice the sea could be at nights and daytime, if netflix have aford to do one rainbow i would be glad, 🌈🌈🌈

My score so far: 2.5 of 6

bro its based on a true story, they are not going to add random sharks pirate and rainbows

Dawg, this movie is based on a real story. They can’t just add in random stuff. Ur prob like 8

How long was the movie boat? The actual boat had 5 windows and the movie boat had 4 windows. It looked a little smaller than 33.5 feet.

Inspired! Wow! What a testament of strength, faith , belief in a dream , human doubt , victory over pain. Just amazed! Thanks for telling your story !

I actually thoroughly enjoyed the movie, I had heard about the voyage in mention at a point in my life. However, I hadn’t followed it during that time and I’ve seen a lot of true life movies where they don’t survive. This was thoroughly good and I wasn’t sure how it was going to end. Some might say it was okay, but for me I truly found it brilliant.

Very well made movie, very inspiring. The movie, more importantly the “True Spirit” sailor should have thanked God she survived. For it was by his good graces that she did.

Best inspirational film I have seen in quite some time.

It was sooooo sad but AmAZING

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Where is Jess Watson’s Boat Pink Lady Now?

The most valuable possession of a sailor is their boat, and the same applies to Jessica”Jess” Watson . At 16, the young Australian sailor became the youngest to complete a solo non-stop circumnavigation of the world. Apart from her family and mentors, the one who played the most crucial role in her journey was her boat, Ella’s Pink Lady. The challenging experiences Jessica and her pink-hulled vessel faced during their 210-day-long voltage have been intricately explored in Netflix’s ‘ True Spirit ,’ a touching adventure drama biopic on the sailor’s experiences. If you enjoyed Jessica’s story and wish to learn more about her boat and its current whereabouts, here’s what we found!

Which Boat Did Jessica Watson Have?

A 10.23 meter-long model S&S 34 sailboat manufactured by the American company Sparkman & Stephens, Ella’s Pink Lady was the vessel Jessica Watson used for her global voyage in 2009. Interestingly, it was the same design used by renowned sailors, including her childhood idol, Jesse Martin. Jessica’s mentors, Don McIntyre and Bruce Arms helped her obtain the model and had it refitted with new equipment under their supervision. New additions included a complete rebuild of its electrical system, a new galley, and reconditioned diesel and water tanks.

Not just that, the boat had a well-equipped satellite communication system and a watermaker that allowed the sailor to produce potable water. Given the boat’s pink-colored hull and one of Jessica’s sponsors being the French skincare brand Ella Baché, she named it Ella’s Pink Lady. Moreover, the sailing vessel had a self-steering wind vane system. To make it feel more personalized, Jessica named the system “Parker,” after the eponymous character from the TV show, ‘Thunderbirds.’

Parker drives a pink Rolls-Royce in the series, and the young sailor found this commonality with her boat interesting. Unfortunately, during a test run in September 2009, Ella’s Pink lady collided with a 63,000-tonne bulk carrier, causing it to get dismasted. Luckily, Jessica escaped unscathed, but the boat required heavy repairs. It was then sent to the Gold Coast City Marina, where several damages were undone with aid from sponsors.

This included damage to the hull, deck, and chain plate, re-painting the damaged areas, replacing and repairing the damaged stanchions, lifelines, and bow roller, and replacing damaged navigation lights. In addition, the sponsor logos were refitted to the starboard side. Finally, the new mast and replacement rigging were fitted, and the boat was made as good as new for Jessica to commence her journey. After she set sail on October 10, 2009, she faced numerous difficulties, including rough weather, dangerous storms, and seven knockdowns.

But because Ella’s Pink Lady was a sturdy and reliable boat, Jessica completed her journey by May 15, 2010, without any significant damages. Since she was herself trained in boat maintenance and repair, she noted in her blog all the repairs she had carried out in those 210 days. Not just did Jessica repair the battery monitor, the stove, kettle, toilet, and mainsail, but she also replaced the wind generator blades and the engine’s fuel pump of the engine. Yet, despite all these repairs and difficulties, Ella’s Pink Lady stood by its owner like a worthy companion for 23,000 nautical miles.

Jessica Watson’s Boat Now Resides at the Queensland Maritime Museum

Following Jessica Watson’s glorious return to Sydney in May 2010, Ella’s Pink Lady became a sort of national treasure, with several concerns about its future. After much deliberation, the state and federal governments came together in April 2011 and jointly purchased the yacht for $300,000. It was then stationed at the Queensland Maritime Museum in Brisbane, while volunteers also built a replica of its cabin for visitors. Since then, the yacht has been a permanent part of the museum’s exhibits, with visitors flocking each year to admire and honor Jessica’s journey.

Unfortunately, news emerged in 2020 that Elle’s Pink Lady was in poor condition due to a lack of maintenance. Museum officials also stated that it had become devalued, and despite its historical relevance, there were no prospective buyers ready to pay a premium. Regardless, Jessica’s yacht still remains for visitors to see at the museum and will always be a pivotal part of her and Australia’s maritime history.

Read More:  Roger and Julie Watson: Where are Jessica Watson’s Parents Now?

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