Sailing the Whitsundays with The Lionheart Experience and Jesse Martin aboard Portland Roads

Jesse Martin OAM, who shot to fame in 1999 as the world’s youngest sailor to circumnavigate the globe solo, unassisted and non-stop, is encouraging all Australians to try bareboating by chartering a boat without a crew.

To share his seafaring insights with experienced enthusiasts and first-time sailors alike, Jesse and his brother Beau have partnered exclusively with award-winning bareboat charter operator, Portland Roads – Sailing the Whitsundays.

From this April, those who book ‘The Lionheart Experience’ which includes a self-skippered experience on-board SV Portland Roads, a spectacular, high-end catamaran, will get to chat with Jesse one-on-one via video call, if not in person, before their sailing holiday.

Guests will also get tips from the Martin brothers about their personal ‘passage plans’ through Ancient Ngaro Sea Country. The brothers will share their favourite anchorages and secret spots in the protected waters of the Great Barrier Reef.

This incredible opportunity to learn tips and tricks from Australian Sailing Royalty is included for anyone who books a self-skippered yacht charter experience on SV Portland Roads.

With no licence or sailing experience needed, the cost of hiring the four-cabin, eight-guest SV Portland Roads sailing catamaran starts at $750 per person, for six days of sailing. Training is provided pre-departure, and all ages are welcome.

“Having Jesse and Beau as part of our dedicated team, promoting adventure with purpose is such an honour,” Portland Roads – Sailing the Whitsundays owner, John Linton, said. “Like so many, we’re in awe of Jesse’s achievements. It’s great to have the boys onboard.”

Teen adventurers

Jesse was aged 14, and Beau 12, when their father bought a catamaran and the trio set off on a 1000-kilometre voyage from Cairns to Cape York. A few years later, it took Jesse 328 days to cover approximately 27,000 nautical miles solo on board the yacht Lionheart.

“My experience on-board Lionheart taught me lifelong lessons I simply could not have learned on land,” explains Jesse Martin. “My sailing experience prior to Lionheart was not extensive by any means; and my message to Australians is that you can do it too,” Jesse said.

“It’s understandable that most will opt against sailing across the globe as I did as a teenager; but given we live in the most special part of the planet – among the wonderous Great Barrier Reef – means bareboating in The Whitsundays is truly an experience every Australian should consider.”

The extraordinary offering also includes a personal message and signed copy of Jesse’s bestselling book, Lionheart: A Journey of the Human Spirit. A signed copy of 100 Magic Miles of the Great Barrier Reef – considered ‘the bible’ of The Whitsundays – by David Colfelt, can also be ordered as a memento.

Additionally, Jesse and Beau will meet, greet and dine with Portland Roads guests during sailing seasons, and guests will also be invited to join The Anchor Club, a collective of custodians of the Great Barrier Reef.

Sustainability is of immense importance to Jesse and Beau Martin and among the chief reasons they opted to partner with Portland Roads – an acclaimed leader in responsible tourism, who provides self-skippered bareboat charters committed to reef protection, restoration, and carbon neutrality.

Sustainable bareboating

The Martin brothers’ exclusive partnership with Portland Roads – Sailing the Whitsundays includes a role as Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Briefers. Their aim is to educate and encourage safe and sustainable bareboating practices while spotlighting the important programs of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority in protecting Australia’s greatest natural asset.

“Finding an ethical partner was so important to us. Getting back on the water is one thing; but doing it alongside global leaders who have so much respect for the planet was the stronger incentive to partner with Portland Roads,” Jesse explained.

Today, the Martin brothers are themselves parents and plan to set sail with their own families on bareboating adventures. Jesse is a filmmaker, author and adventure advocate.

Jesse’s famous voyage on Lionheart saw him sail eastward from Melbourne, rounding Cape Horn, crossing the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and passing under the Cape of Good Hope before returning to Australia.

During the 1998-1999 adventure, Jesse experienced loneliness, equipment failures, and extreme weather, resulting in his mast being knocked to the water eight times.

“While I’m truly grateful for the life-changing lessons of extreme solo-sailing, bareboating needn’t be extreme,” says Jesse. “Self-skippering a yacht is truly exhilarating, and the team at Portland Roads is very good at helping guests, including beginners, to acquire the skills to do so safely and sustainably.

“Sailing in The Whitsundays is the ideal way to experience the best of sailing in calm, protected waters. Sharing this with friends, family and especially young people completes a full life circle for me. Who knows what brilliant ideas our kids can dream up on an adventure in Ancient Ngao Sea Country,” says Jesse.

Just as passionate about sustainable travel and the thrill of bareboating is his brother, Beau.

“In Portland Roads, we’ve found a genuine and passionate business partner whose deep connection to land and sea sets a new standard for purposeful travel,” Beau said. “I encourage every Australian to consider giving bareboating a go, because there’s nothing else like it – especially within Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. It’s important to be well-across the many ways to enjoy the Reef respectfully, and Portland Roads – Sailing the Whitsundays are global leaders in this space.”