Abby Sunderland, 16-year-old 'round-the-world sailor whose boat was totally disabled in a storm in the Indian Ocean, was rescued Saturday, June 12, at about 2:45 pm PDT (11:45 am EDT) by a French fishing vessel, "Ile de la Reunion." Seas were rough and a dingy was used for the transfer.
Abby's boat, "Wild Eyes," will likely be sunk, because it is badly damaged, and not feasible to tow it to port... and it is a navigation hazard if left to float. That's a lot of money and work to simply destroy, but there appears to be no choice.
The "youngest person" solo circumnavigation goal had already been lost, but Abby had continued in hopes of completing the journey. Had she succeeded in her original goal, she would have been the third person to lower the age record her brother Zac had set little more than a year ago.
It is not clear whether the French fishing vessel will seek compensation, but the Australian government will not.
I earlier questioned allowing children to participate in such dangerous undertakings. Abby's parents have been challenged by others:
Veteran sailors questioned the wisdom of sending a teenager off alone in a small boat, knowing it would be tossed about for 30 or more hours at a time by the giant waves that rake the Southern Hemisphere’s oceans this time of year.
Her father, Laurence, defended the voyage.
“I never questioned my decision in letting her go,†he told reporters
Friday. “In this day and age we get overprotective with our children.
If you want to look at statistics, look at how many teenagers die in
cars every year. Should we let teenagers drive cars? I think it’d be
silly if we didn’t.â€
I think it's a bit facile, even silly, to compare driving a car to sailing solo around the world. The article includes links to additional discussion on the wisdom of sending children on such "adventures' alone.
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Comments: 27
I feel though, that if you don't give your child room to grow, they might end up growing up to either resent you. Or never try to attempt anything, for fear they'll get hurt.
For me, the issue here is not whether a teenager is competent, but whether they have the emotional maturity. The danger, exhaustion and total isolation for sustained periods of time can be very hard for anyone to deal with, and the teenage years are marked by bouts of depression, mood swings, self-doubt - ask any parent.
Alone in the Southern Ocean is not the best place to have to deal with these.
That's why people are failing to see.
If you set limits within these things children attempt, then I say go for it.
It's not as if they said, okay honey go in the middle of the ocean, get lost, and never come back to us.
They were letting her accomplish a dream. I don't see what's wrong with that.
If we consider all of the preparation, skills and knowledge of weather, tides, sailing etc. - Abby acquire a lifetime of excellent experience and knowledge. IF - If she had died that lifetime would have been short, but I dare say far more living than any 16 year old who plays video games for 6 hours a day. http://bestchildblog.org/?p=97
This family is an example for all of us, one that should inspire us to greater action. Abby, her brother and parents are taking on the challenges most of us only dream about.
Yet two years later, no one would have any say at all as most country's would call her an adult.
They would have the distinction of having raised the youngest round-the-world solo sailor.
It is not wrong for parents to encourage their kids to strive to demonstrate the best of themselves, to grow in their skills and talents, and to capitalize on their own passions, but it is wrong to push and pressure a child to make undue sacrifice or take undue risk just for the sake of bragging rights. It's stupid, and it's cruel.
I still don't understand how authorities could have been persuaded to approve that choice.
For the second time!
I guess I am overprotective... I won't even let my 11-year-old walk the 200 yard distance from our apartment to the grocery by himself (admittedly, though, that's because he's just like I was as a kid,) and the girls aren't allowed to drive my van because even though I trust them, I don't trust it. It's kind of tricky. Though both girls are very conscientious, there are some things only experience covers.
If it's that way with driving, I am sure it is even more so with sailing, and another notch up from that with sailing on the ocean.
I think it's crazy to let a teen do something so dangerous, but thank goodness, so far the young lady is ok.
Comparing sailing to driving is disingenuous at best. Those parents are insane! Not only do kids grow up being passengers in cars (quite a bit more often then on boats, I'd say) they also have to get a learner's permit, and can only drive with a liscenced driver (an adult in MI) for a set period of time, before being allowed to go solo. It's also A LOT less complicated (again, I'd venture to say) then sailing a boat over an ocean!
Personally, I'd rather be a little "overprotective" and allow my children to reach the ripe old age of 18, then let them die doing something stupid.