In May 2010, Jessica became the youngest person to sail non-stop and unassisted around the world.

Watson sailed out of Sydney Harbour on 18 October 2009 in her pink-hulled Ella Bache sponsored Ella’s Pink Lady heading eastbound over the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean.

Jessica crossed the equator on November 19, 2009 as required for a full circumnavigation and on January 13, 2010 she passed Cape Horn, having sailed around 9,800 nautical miles in 87 days, 11 days ahead of the planned 100 nm per day schedule. She reached the halfway point on the voyage on January 25, 2010, her 100th day at sea, 11,500 nm based on the original calculation of 23,000 nm sailing route.

At 1:53pm on May 15, 2010 Jessica crossed the finish line in Sydney Harbour, returning after 210 days at sea, 3 days before her 17th birthday on May 18.