Posted on 06/13/2010 1:40:59 PM PDT by Oztrich Boy
LOS ANGELES | Abby Sunderland’s quest to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world was star-crossed from the start, and weather was always the principal villain.
Originally scheduled to launch in early December to avoid the chilly winter weather and deadly waves in the Indian Ocean, the California teenager and her team met with delays equipping her boat, Wild Eyes, money shortages and unfriendly hometown weather.
When she finally set sail Jan. 23, experienced sailors issued warnings given the late start, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Excerpt) Read more at kansascity.com ...
What is this money thing everyone has latched onto? This Country is 13 trillion in the hole. How much was spent to find
D.B. Cooper? I’m right here.
*No fame or fortune for her!
Life is cruel.*
Oh yes, it is! That’s what they were looking to get.
Too bad.
Nah even there she is not first. The Bumfuzzles made it, and Reid Stowe got around in a floating cinderblock.
A few days a year the sea is calm 
Abby was lucky, she had 7kt winds and gave the cape 60 miles sea room.
And if you leave from Capetown, it's not hard to pick a weather wimdow for Cape Agulhas
First of all, don’t call me “woman”! My sadistic exhusband called me that. Second I read an article that said her brother didn’t face near what she did and that his journey was a piece of cake compared to what she faced. And I noticed the reference to video games again. Its like talking points lately.
You are making a huge (and wrong) assumption that her parents and/or "anyone else" are necessarily as ignorant about the "high seas" as you so obviously are.
So her parents picked out the "easy" solo-circumnavigation of the world for their sixteen year old son....but then went to Google and found the "impossible" solo-navigation of the world route for the daughter....Columbus, Magellen, Cook and a few others are LTAO in their graves....piece of cake indeed. I'll give you credit, you do make me laugh....and sorry about that ex-husband...no harm intended.
Could you provide me a link for this assertion. I have seen nothing but the Aussies saying "this goes with the territory, glad to have been of assistance, we're sure you would do the same for one of ours." (paraphrase)
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Cape Horn at Last
I rounded Cape Horn today!!
I didn't get to see it as I was around 50-60 miles offshore when I went around. Even though I didn't get to see it, it's very exciting to finally be here! I've covered a lot of miles and have been through a lot, so finally getting here to Cape Horn is very exciting!! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to hook up with my dad. The local sailors don't take sailing around here lightly and sailing out to sea nearly 100 miles to take my picture and say Hi didn't quite qualify I'm afraid.
Cape Horn is considered by some the Mount Everest of sailing and I believe I am the youngest person to ever sail around it alone. Of course, there are sooo many people who have been such a big part of this. A big 'thanks' to my sponsors, my supporters and an even bigger thanks to my support team. Who knows where I would be with out you guys!
Today has been pretty nice. It has been cold, grey and raining but a nice 20 knots all day and some 15- 20 foot swells. The rolling around makes getting around the cabin pretty hard and painful but after one very flat night I actually missed the big swells and the thrill of surfing down them watching the speed gauge as it goes right on up to 15, 16 and 17 knots (17 knots is my record so far).
Being so close to shore I have seen a lot of ships on my radar recently. When my AIS alarm went off for the first time in months, I jumped out of my skin! It took a while for my heart to stop pounding but I'm beginning to get used to it again.
I am looking forward to getting further out to sea again. I'm celebrating with a movie tonight - Charles Dickens' Little Dorrit with my foot up on the table. :)
Abby
Posted by Abby Sunderland at 4:30 PM 306 comments
They didn’t have the luxury of waiting for a better time for Abby. She had to beat the Australian girl so it had to be now. Proof that the fame and winning meant more to them than their daughters safety. I don’t think they deliberately put Abby in so much danger. I just don’t think they were truly aware of the danger. I’m sure they thought they knew but they didn’t. Even Abby said it was just crazy.
Most of these nanny staters have children who couln’t even write Abby’s blog entry you just posted....much less sail around Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope solo....
“Knowing she’s alive and well means far more to me than any sailing record.”
Good thing you just barely have your priorities straight there, bud.
Truer words were never spoken. I just assume that anyone that criticizes her or her family because it’s “dangerous” is a pantywaist and move on.
bump
Proof that they had a goal.
That's soooooo 19th Century. /s
I don’t blame the girl...but her parents are Ballon Boy types. I just don’t like getting taken, especially when they use their kids.
Hilarious!!
NOW..that the record is blown, mighty big of you Jerk!
Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) chief executive Mick Kinley told reporters he did not know how much the operation would have cost Australian authorities, but there are no plans to recoup the money. "We would expect people to rescue any Australian yachtsman in these conditions," he said. "It's our obligation to do this and we'll fulfil those obligations as Australia does."
Looks like the Aussies have a different take on the situation...thank goodness they have not become a bunch of wimps whining about people taking on challenges.
YOU are the TOTALITARIAN!
Taking names??? thought only the KGB did that..Naw, Freeper Nazis do too.
When you lose an argument you start calling names...”socialist, nanny stater.” Only YOUR viewpoint is allowed!
You go ahead with your Freedom Fantasy...I am sick of parents like this, ready to cash in.
But if she had spent the last year in planning, serious training, and talking to other sailors who had done a Southern Ocean circumnavigation, then set out next month in a reliable 32-38' cruiser (as was the original intention - just don't let her father design it) she probably stood a good chance of becoming the 1st American teen, the 1st American woman, and the 10th woman from anywhere to get all the way around solo, non-stop, and unassisted.
That would have been an achievement to stand her in good stead in the sailing community.
But Laurie set her chasing a non-existant "record", ill-prepared, at the wrong time, in the wrong boat - to become the first teenage solo sailor to lose her boat. She deserved better.
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