Inspirations

Jesse Martin, whose experiences alone onboard Lionheart taught him lifelong lessons he could never have learned on land. Image supplied.
From ‘Lionheart’ to Reef Guardian: Jesse Martin’s next grand adventure
By Geoffrey Williams
If there is anyone who has reached the pinnacle of our solo travelling world, then it would have to be Jesse Martin OAM, who in 1999 shot to international fame as the world’s youngest sailor to circumnavigate the globe – solo, unassisted and non-stop – onboard his yacht Lionheart. Now, the legendary adventurer and his brother Beau are encouraging all Australians to try bareboating (chartering a boat without a crew). To share their seafaring insights with experienced enthusiasts and first-time sailors alike, Jesse and Beau have partnered exclusively with award-winning bareboat charter operator, Portland Roads – Sailing the Whitsundays.
Jesse was 14, and Beau 12, when their father bought a catamaran and the trio set off on a 1,000-kilometre voyage from Cairns to Cape York. A few years later, it took Jesse 328 days to cover approximately 27,000 nautical miles solo onboard Lionheart. “My experience onboard Lionheart taught me lifelong lessons I simply could not have learned on land,” Jesse tells The Solo Traveller. “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’s famous voyage took him east from Melbourne, around Cape Horn, across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and past the Cape of Good Hope before returning home – a gruelling 328-day adventure marked by loneliness, gear failures, and severe weather that knocked his mast 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.”
“It’s understandable that most will opt against sailing across the globe as I did as a teenager,” Jesse is keen to add, “… but given we live in the most special part of the planet – among the wondrous Great Barrier Reef – means bareboating in The Whitsundays is truly an experience every Australian should consider. 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 Ngaro Sea Country?”
Beau is just as passionate about sustainable travel and the thrill of bareboating as his brother. “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 tells The Solo Traveller. “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 are the global leaders in this endeavour. Jesse and I consider it our responsibility to champion purposeful travel, and Portland Roads is the perfect partner for us to do just that.
The unprecedented challenges facing The Great Barrier Reef
For Jesse and Beau, this isn't just about adventure, it's about protecting the ocean that shaped their lives. The Great Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the world's most biodiverse ecosystems, is facing unprecedented challenges due to climate change. In its 2024 report, the Australian Institute of Marine Science, alongside the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, reported that “… aerial surveys revealed that over 60% of the reef experienced bleaching, marking the fifth mass bleaching event in the past decade and the most extensive on record. These events underscore the fragility of the reef and the urgent need for comprehensive climate action to preserve this natural wonder for future generations.”
In the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s Position Statement on Climate Change, the authors state that “Climate change is the greatest threat to the Great Barrier Reef. Only the strongest and fastest possible actions to decrease global greenhouse gas emissions will reduce the risks of thermal stress on the Reef and limit the impacts from climate change on the Great Barrier Reef. Future impacts can only be minimised by reducing global greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible, combined with fast-tracking actions to build Reef resilience.”
Sustainability is of immense importance to Jesse and Beau and among the chief reasons they opted to partner with Portland Roads – a leader in responsible tourism, who provides self-skippered bareboat charters committed to reef protection, restoration, and carbon neutrality. The Martin brothers’ partnership with Portland Roads 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 programmes of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority in protecting Australia’s greatest natural asset. “Finding an ethical partner was so important to us,” Jesse explains. “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.”
John Linton, the owner of Portland Roads – Sailing the Whitsundays, echoes the excitement. “Having Jesse and Beau as part of our dedicated team, promoting adventure with purpose is such an honour. Like so many, we’re in awe of Jesse’s achievements. It’s great to have the boys onboard.”

Beau, John, and Jesse. Image supplied.
Until June 2026, when you book ‘The Lionheart Experience’, which includes a self-skippered experience onboard SV Portland Roads, a spectacular, high-end catamaran, you will get to chat with Jesse one-on-one via video call, if not in person, before your sailing holiday. Guests will also get tips from the Martin brothers about their personal ‘passage plans’ through Ancient Ngaro Sea Country, including their favourite anchorages and secret spots in the protected waters of the Great Barrier Reef.
Geoffrey Williams is the Founder and Publishing Curator of The Solo Traveller.
Sources
Cantin, N., James, N., and Stella, J. (2024). Aerial Surveys of the 2024 Mass Coral Bleaching Event on the Great Barrier Reef. The Australian Institute of Marine Science and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. (N.D.). Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Position Statement on Climate Change.