Posted on 06/10/2010 11:11:42 AM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
Abby Sunderland, 16, who is attempting to become the youngest sailor ever to circumnavigate the globe, was feared lost at sea today after her crew lost contact with her boat.
Jeff Casher, an engineer on Sunderland's support team, said two emergency beacons on her boat are now signaling she is in trouble.
Abby's mother, MaryAnne Sunderland, told ABC News that Abby manually activated two beacons around 6 a.m. Pacific Time Thursday.
A beacon designed to automatically go off when it contacts water had not been activated, she said.
Abby was in 20-25 foot waves at the time of last contact, with 35-knot winds, said MaryAnne Sunderland, who is due to give birth at the end of the month. She was shaken but focused on trying to get a rescue effort together.
The closest land to Abby's boat was Reunion Island, which is east of Madagascar. The nearest ship was 400 miles away. Rescuers were trying to contact the ship.
Casher told ABC News that he last spoke with the 16-year-old sailor around 6 a.m. PDT after she had been knocked down twice during the night because of strong winds -- meaning that her sail had touched the water.
One of those knock-downs, Casher said, ripped the radar off the boat. She had been speaking with Casher on a satellite telephone earlier because of engine problems and was in the process of fixing those problems when she told Casher she'd call right back.
She has not been heard from since, except for the distress signals.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
A personal attack because you can't defend her selfish dream? She isn't doing anything noble. She isn't contributing anything important to the world. She's being self-indulgent. Dangerously so.
How inappropriate on your part considering this article was about a brave young woman that may've lost her life at sea (I hope she hasn't.)
It appears you have fallen victim to the very condition you encourage others to avoid...that of being a infantalized child.
Hopefully, you have many years left in your life to correct said condition. However, I get the impression you are well past puberty, probably well into adulthood, and possibly into or even beyond menopause (well, maybe not). My suggestion is that you spend your remaining time on earth making an effort to...grow up.
I think a lot of teenagers tend to be cocky and feel like they’re invincible. That’s why you see so many do such daring and dumb stunts.
Some of the things I did back then, I’d have the sense not to try today.
I hope this story has a happy ending, but I’m not convinced this girl was mature enough for such a serious undertaking.
Then I better take some pictures of him before his mission, I guess. I didn't really engineer in a re-entry/retrieval plan into the design.
He just thinks that Laika the space dog is going to be waiting for him up in outer space.
Yea, I kinda do. I've been to more places in this world than most, some I wish I hadn't.
In those travels I've learned that simply “experiencing” something is not always a positive. I wish neither to coddle my children nor encourage reckless behavior for the sake of “experience”
Very few 16 year olds in this world are capable of making a life or death decision because they have not fully become aware of the permantality of death. 90% of kids at that age believe they're invincible, immortal and are more worried about pubescent concerns like boys/girls, their popularity, parental approval(or not) etc.
At 16 they will acquire a car, a gun, or any of a number of different potential dangers to their person. But we do our level best to teach them how to cope with every possible scenario and hope and pray for the best.
Putting a 16 year old child into a small sailboat without a ship for 400 miles in the vast Ocean to set a record is totally incomparable and you know it. If you don't I feel for your present or future psychiatrist.
Thank you for saying it better than I could. The world is running out of adventurers.
Oh, but he made it to the summit back, so that made it okay because it apparently wasn’t dangerous.
That was sarcasm too.
I'll dispute that. She is in a 40' sailboat. Her blog discusses sailing in 30'+ waves and 60Kt winds following a change in wind prevailing direction and arrival of a front. It gives no indication anyone understood the dire peril of such conditions. Both she and her family have access to highly detailed weather forecasts and should have routed away from the front days in advance. No sailor in their right mind would expect to be able to pilot a 40' sailboat in following seas of 30'+ waves and 60Kt winds and with a cross-chop from a previous blow. That's nuts!
What's next a 5-y.o. windsurfing in a hurricane? "Follow little Dylan live via his webcam as he shreds waves in Hurricane Bob".
Everyday people die on the ocean because they believed they "knew the risks". That's the key, the risks are UNKNOWN. Always have been, always will be. People who think they know die. It's only a matter of time as to when they go. Was she and her family prepared for her to die at 16? I think not! And for what? Well, until they pulled it her website said: "Bling".
There is, in fact, scientific evidence to back this up. The brain is still forming neuron connections until a person reaches his 20s.
The actuarials behind auto insurance premiums tend to back that up....
Depending on the size of the storm, it may not have been possible to route away....
No S. You'd think he'd have given some cred. for the cool strato pic hobby you pursue.
Thank you for that. I was simply speaking from anecdotal experience, it’s interesting to see some scientific reinforcement behind the belief.
RE: “Everyday people die on the ocean because they believed they “knew the risks”. That’s the key, the risks are UNKNOWN. Always have been, always will be. People who think they know die. It’s only a matter of time as to when they go. Was she and her family prepared for her to die at 16? I think not!”
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Of course risks are largely unknown. But obviously Abby wanted to do this — for whatever reasons — the family wanted it for her as well.
Was it stupid? Depends upon your viewpoint. Obviously you think it was a stupid stunt. I think it was a great adventure and there are NO assurances about anything in life so why not go for it if you really have a desire to do something like this. Tragedy can occur at any time.
She wanted to do this; she did it — if she does not survive, at least she died doing something she really wanted to do.
“She wanted to do this; she did it — if she does not survive, at least she died doing something she really wanted to do.”
If you have any kids, I’ll eat my shorts.
I would agree. I don’t know what it take to convince me my daughter was capable of open sea sailing, certainly it would take quite a bit.
500 years ago such a feat, even as part of flotilla, was far more dangerous that a solo 16y/o today. I wonder how many thousands of kids died back then?
I'm certain that if she drowns,gasping for her last bit of air, this very thought will be a comfort to her. At just 16.
RE: “If you have any kids, I’ll eat my shorts”
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Start eating.
In your #238 you describe my #211 as "specious".
Can you give an example of how ?
She's doing something quite dangerous, with the approval, backing and knowledge of her parents.
In my examples, I was doing something stupidly dangerous, without even the knowledge of my parents.
I fervently hope this young explorer makes it.
Your point is well taken. I do not know them. As a rule, I am generally very careful about passing judgment in tragic (I pray this will not turn out to be so) situations. However, I know enough from my personal experience about what this endeavor entails, and I have seen enough from my professional experience to recognize parental psychological overcompensation, that I made some assumptions. As a parent myself, my emotional response to this situation caused me to make an exception to my rule.
Perhaps I am wrong, but it would take a great deal to convince me of that.
‘they’ll be charged with child endangerment.’
If this poor girl is dead, her parents’ reckless disregard for her safety should get them charged with manslaughter.
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