Australia Up Close

Modern Day Voyagers Pursue Their Dreams

By ByCHELSEA McLEAN

Modern day adventurers set out on voyages of courage to bring their dreams to life and redefine our beliefs. They make us believe we can, when we think we can't.

One famous Australian voyager, Jesse Martin, was 17 years old when he set sail around the world non-stop, unassisted and alone in a yacht from Australia's Port Phillip Bay in December 1998. He was 18 when he arrived back home to a nation of cheering supporters, after 328 days at sea. Jesse sailed 50,000 km on his voyage and became the youngest person to circumnavigate the world.

Many Australians have read his book, "Lionheart," to get an insight into Jesse's life and the inspirational courage behind his trip. When I read it, my mind was challenged by the idea: "If we don't live our dreams, what's the point of living?"

When he was a child, Jesse's parents encouraged him to believe he could do anything and that there were no boundaries to what he could do if he put his mind to it. He grew up sailing with his father and brother and decided venturing out to sea was what he would put his mind to.

Jesse started planning his around-the-world voyage when he was 14. Prior to his record-breaking journey, he had already traveled along Australia's tropical coast on a flimsy catamaran, kayaked through the islands of Papua New Guinea and crewed on a yacht sailing from Belize, in Central America, to Tahiti.

The physical demands on Jesse's body during the trip were equivalent to running a marathon a day. To avoid colliding with other boats, whales or icebergs, there was no more than 20 minutes of sleep at a time. Waves the size of two-story buildings and freezing cold temperatures were a daily challenge.

"I'm not a freak capable of something beyond the realm of the ordinary human being. I'm just a normal person ... If I can do this anyone can. All I did was say `I want to do this' and went to work on it," he said in his book.

Trying to achieve your dreams is what's important, Jesse stated. He encouraged everyone to "just have a go" because "it is better to live one day as a lion than 10 years as a lamb."

Many of the world's great authors talk about the courage to live life as a lion. In the book "Thick Face, Black Heart," author Chin-Ning Chu stated: "You endure by enduring — understand the difficulties, predict the risks and endure the hardships." America's Kenneth Blanchard, author of the famous "One Minute Manager," said we need to have the courage to be true to our own convictions and make a commitment to hard working, unshakable strength.

American philosopher Stuart Wilde said having the courage to go beyond means trusting and believing. "You have to have the courage to embrace an idea, accept it and believe it before you have any real proof that the idea will work," he said in his book, "Infinite Self."

Currently, Jesse is preparing for another world voyage with his brother and a film crew. This time he plans to spend three years at sea in a traditional Polynesian timber catamaran.

Many other modern day adventurers are pursuing their dreams too.

Through one of my friends I heard about 22-year-old David Criniti — the youngest person to participate in the "Trans-Australia Foot Race." This 4,800 km-run started in Perth, Jan. 6, and finishes March 11 in the Australian capital of Canberra. The 24 participants run an average of 70 km a day for nine weeks through 134 towns.

David's friend, Dennis, said the runners have sustained injuries like blisters, heat exhaustion, dehydration and cramps. "In the middle of summer the heat in some parts of the dessert is extreme. It sounds crazy, but they do it for the challenge and to prove it can be done."

Though David had to withdraw because of an injury, he covered 650 km and inspired other people through his efforts.

Just like Neil Armstrong, people will always find new ways to push their limits and stretch the boundaries. Multimillionaire businesspeople, like Britain's Richard Branson, set out on new voyages regularly. They have the funding and the technology to make extraordinary things happen — like flying long distances in hot air balloons.

But there are many adventurers who must seek their own funds to make their dreams happen. Jesse Martin worked hard to seek sponsorship from many different organizations.

We cannot limit other people's abilities by our own. In Jesse's words: "Let your mind dream and achieve new things."

Shukan ST: Feb. 9, 2001

(C) All rights reserved