Loneliness

Jesse Martin, Serge Thomann, 1999.

There was no denying that in the back of my mind was the fear of solitude. I don't think you can ever prepare adequately for spending nine months alone, but it perhaps would have been good to speak to someone, to talk through some issues.

Jesse Martin, 1999

When 18 year old Jesse Martin sailed his yacht, Lionheart, into Port Phillip Bay on 31 October 1999, he became the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe non-stop and unassisted.

During his 326 days at sea, Jesse battled with rough seas and long nights and his journey was one of fear, anger, frustration and elation. Jesse's story is also one of isolation - his greatest enemy being loneliness. He spent months at a time without sighting land or another human face, with no-one but his portable video camera to share his experiences.

In the Eternity gallery you can see the diary Jesse kept during the voyage, including a pressed flying fish, and record your own story of loneliness.