1 6 - met re ▁cabin ▁cru iser ▁for ▁five ▁years , ▁the ▁children ▁being ▁home ▁sch oo led ▁via ▁distance ▁learning . ▁Later ▁they ▁lived ▁on ▁a ▁purpose - built ▁double ▁de cker ▁bus ▁for ▁some ▁time . ▁When ▁Watson ▁was ▁eleven ▁and ▁they ▁were ▁still ▁living ▁on ▁the ▁boat , ▁her ▁mother ▁read ▁J esse ▁Martin ' s ▁book ▁Lion heart : ▁A ▁J our ney ▁of ▁the ▁Human ▁Spirit ▁to ▁the ▁children ▁as ▁a ▁bed time ▁story . ▁This ▁led ▁to ▁Watson ▁forming ▁the ▁amb ition , ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 2 , ▁to ▁sail ▁around ▁the ▁world ▁too . ▁When ▁she ▁first ▁task ed ▁around ▁the ▁world ▁she ▁almost ▁d rown ed . ▁ ▁Circ umn avigation ▁and ▁public ity ▁ ▁Watson ▁had ▁been ▁planning ▁to ▁complete ▁a ▁solo ▁non - stop ▁and ▁un ass isted ▁circ umn avigation ▁since ▁at ▁least ▁early ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁Official ly ▁announced ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁journey ▁was ▁expected ▁to ▁take ▁eight ▁months ▁with ▁an ▁estimated ▁distance ▁of ▁ 2 3 , 0 0 0 ▁na ut ical ▁miles . ▁To ▁ful fill ▁the ▁plan ▁of ▁sail ing ▁non - stop ▁and ▁un ass isted , ▁during ▁the ▁journey ▁no ▁other ▁person ▁would ▁be ▁allowed ▁to ▁give ▁her ▁anything ▁and ▁she ▁must ▁not ▁mo or ▁to ▁any ▁port ▁or ▁other ▁boat , ▁although ▁advice ▁over ▁radio ▁communication ▁was ▁permitted . ▁ ▁Watson ' s ▁planned ▁circ umn avigation ▁route ▁was ▁to ▁start ▁and ▁end