As a film was being made about Jessica Watson’s life, she was facing her partner’s death.

At the age of 16, Jessica Watson achieved a feat of enormous courage. 

She set aboard her boat, Ella's Pink Lady, and became the youngest person in history to sail solo, non-stop around the world. Over 210 days, she chased empty horizons, sparred with life-threatening storms and endured seven knockdowns, all while utterly alone.

But the greatest act of courage the 2011 Young Australian of Year has ever displayed came a decade later.

On August 30, 2021, Jessica Watson lost her partner, Cameron Dale, to a stroke. He was just 29 years old.

Speaking to Mamamia's No Filter podcast, Jessica, 30, spoke about the immense pain she endured in the wake of Cameron’s death and the monumental bravery and determination it’s taken her — is taking her — to venture forward without him by her side.

Image: Instagram @jessicawatson_93.

Jessica and Cameron met in 2011.

Just months on from her record-breaking around-the-world voyage, Jessica was planning next big feat: skippering the youngest-ever crew in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race. Her coach put forward Cameron’s name as a potential candidate.

"I picked up the phone and talked to him, and my first impression was like, 'Who is this guy? I don't know about him,'" Jessica said.

"Luckily my coach said, 'No, no, we need his experience. I think you need to take him seriously.' And so we met... We spent the year arguing like all hell. We clashed so badly. He staged something almost like a mutiny at one point."

But beneath it all, Jessica fell for Cameron's "adventurous, fun-loving spirit", for his old soul. Once the campaign was over (and the crew’s rule about not dating within their ranks had lapsed), they began a relationship.

"We had so much fun," she said. "Our life revolved around sailing, our friends, and then obviously normal elements of life as well — studying, work."

For Jessica, that meant a Bachelor of Arts from Melbourne's Deakin University, a Master of Business Administration from the AIM's Business School, writing two best-selling books and working in management for a major accounting firm.

She and Cameron had more excitement on the horizon. Marriage. Hopefully, a child. But even before all that, they were anticipating the upcoming Netflix movie about Jessica's solo voyage. It’s called True Spirit, and Jessica said Cameron was as "extraordinarily" excited about it as she was.

While you're here, watch the official trailer of True Spirit, now streaming on Netflix. Post continues after video.

The couple was on the Gold Coast, where they'd been meeting and sailing with some of the film crew, when Cameron experienced a minor stroke — the product of undiagnosed extremely high blood pressure. 

"He hadn't been well," Jessica said. "There were a lot [of warning signs] in hindsight. But it was, a number of times, completely misdiagnosed. For some reason, the idea of checking blood pressure just wasn't on the radar for someone who was quite an active person, who otherwise you would have assumed was very healthy."

For a short time, it seemed like little more than a "huge wake-up call". Then a second, catastrophic stroke followed.

"[After the first stroke I had] this sense of, 'We're getting out of this and we are getting married straight away, and we're going to live like every day is so precious,'" Jessica said. "And that's one of the things I hate the most: that we didn't get to do that, to live like you really know what it means and how lucky you are."

For six weeks, Cameron was cared for at Gold Coast University Hospital. Jessica was there with him, talking to him, telling him how much she loved him, reliving some of their most cherished memories aloud, passing on updates from the set of the movie, which had begun filming nearby.

"Cam was, like me, so invested in this [movie]. And he really wanted to see a lot of the sailing technical details right. So I was responding to messages when they asked me questions and talking to him about that at the same time, which was probably really, really helpful," she said.

"It felt like an amazing support layer from all the movie cast and crew. But of course, you know, my family… Through that period, and the year-and-a-half since, I can't believe how often I'm just overwhelmed and crying about how many beautiful people there are."

For someone who has spent her life planning adventure after adventure, Jessica now finds herself somewhat adrift.

"[Cam and I] were on the verge of having a baby and building a life together in that way. And that was all of my focus; my next life… Everything is completely up in the air for me now," she said.

"I don't think people realise the extent to which I've completely had to rebuild an identity and find myself — all of that stuff. So I don’t know [what’s next]."

"I'm throwing myself into everything that feels good, and that is positive. And that is helping people find sailing, and it's helping people remember to check their blood pressure, and really just enjoying the company of great people as well."

To hear more about Jessica’s incredible story, including the emotional part of her sailing journey that still lives with her today, listen to this episode of No Filter.

Feature Image: Instagram @jessicawatson_93.