Abby's Odyssey: In Defense of the Sunderlands (Should they be blamed for this dangerous adventure?)

American Thinker ^ | 06/13/2010 | Tim Gordon

[OHelix]

Have a nice day.

Likewise.

[Little Ray]

No. Of course, I was only going back a century, not five - so you're constructing a straw-man argument.
But I am saying that kids don't need to raised in cocoon; I had multiple jobs by the time I was 16 - I bought my own car with my own earnings. Others have done much better.
Kids, at least some of them, are ready to assume substantial levels of responsibility much earlier than the current culture seems to support. Smothering them is a bad thing.

Personally, I'm ready strap a kid on gurney at 16 (or even at 14) if he commits murder. So I'm also ready to respect a kid who learns to fly at 14 and to admire a kid who tries to sail around the world at 16.

I have a FinL, over 70, who wants to sail alone around the world. Even though he owns a suitable yacht, I figure the chances of him doing are almost nil. He's waited to too long and probably isn't fit to do it any more. I'm gettin’ old too - 49. There's still a little life in me, but most of my youthful dreams are filed on their last little shelves. If some kid can chase a dream at 16, while she's got the health and reflexes to do it, then more power to her. The only thing irritating me was some comment about applying to the US Government for salvage and rescue costs... THAT’s irresponsible.

I think our country is suffering from adults who seem to prolong their adolescence into their 40’s. Its gratifying to see an adolescent who shoulders adult tasks and responsibilities.

[DJ MacWoW]

Likewise.

If it would quit raining! ;-)

[beckysueb]

Sorry. I should have stated it was the comments about homeschooling in the link you posted. Emotions are running high on this subject. I apologize for not making myself clearer.

[GladesGuru]

My posts were hardly vitriolic. If I hit a nerve, it was not intentional.

Examination of your premises is part and parcel of the FR experience, however.

[SeekAndFind]

I wouldn't allow a 16 year old but then I value children lives, not useless records.

I guess you will value your children's lives AT ANY AGE.

So, even if they were 30 and capable, you would not let them attempt this odyssey anyway.

[roamer_1]

In 1968, with no sailing experience, he competed in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, aboard a 30ft yacht called Dytiscus retiring just past the Cape of Good Hope

You forget that part of his "inexperience" was taking a rowboat across the North Atlantic - No doubt a foolhardy thing to many hereon.

Two men rowing across the N. Atlantic shows stones of remarkable size - and while he may have been inexperienced with a sail, he certainly was *not* inexperienced at sea.

[Pit1]

“I was hoping she was dead. Just to teach her parents a lesson for pushing her into doing it. 16 year old kids don’t decide to go sail around the world on their own.

I agree and I think that sailing community is trying to get that user (Black Jesus) banned. Obviously a sick puppy.

[DJ MacWoW]

So, even if they were 30 and capable

A 30 year old is not a child.

[GladesGuru]

Thanks for the correction. “Rogue wave” is correct, freak wave is incorrect.

My only excuse is I am late for my lunch coffee.

;-)

Such waves, by the way, are why I dropped the idea of building a large sail boat.

I’d rather fly over and look down for a place to land. Oddly, I nearly lost a SeaBee to a rogue wave when attempting to take off from Anguila’s SE coast cove.

What was a constant sea of about 2.5/3 feet served up a 5 foot wave just before I lifted off. Slamming through the larger wave reconfigured the bow places, removed both windshields and the front door. It also damaged the port float strut. But, we eventually did fly home, thanks to the Coast Guard, some help from other SeaBee pilots, and the generosity of the Cuban govt. who came ashore while we were gone but went back to their patrol boat without taking anything.

Rogue waves can occur anywhere, even on a protected place like the Cay Sal Bank.

[SeekAndFind]

A 30 year old is not a child.

But the issue is love and concern for one's child is it not ? Granted that the 30 year old is not a child, yet, if you had a choice, you would not want him/her to attempt the trip anyway... the danger exists at any age.

[verity]

We all should mind our goddam business and address those things which have a greater impact on the nation.

[DJ MacWoW]

You forget that part of his "inexperience" was taking a rowboat

I forgot nothing. Rowing with a partner is quite a bit different than sailing a ship alone. Especially when one has never done it before. The point is that Abby isn't necessarily competent. Blyth did it with no experience and none of the fancy technology that Abby had.

[DJ MacWoW]

But the issue is love and concern for one's child is it not ?

No. The issue is endangering them for fame and fortune BEFORE they even reach adulthood.

[mad_as_he$$]

The Aussie goobermint is out about $300,000. Not sure about the French ship.

[SeekAndFind]

So, it is OK with you if a 30 year old endangers his own life but not OK with you if a 16 year old did the same ?

Why is that ?

[Fletcher J]

Good info on the Coast Guard. Thanks!

[DJ MacWoW]

So, it is OK with you if a 30 year old endangers his own life but not OK with you if a 16 year old did the same ?

A 30 year old is an adult and responsible for their own choices. A dreamy, romantic 16 year old is not.

So! How about that 15 year old, Laura Dekker, that plans to sail next! Then a 14 year old can try. Btw, what age is too young for you?

[Tax-chick]

My daughter is having a very good time in the Coast Guard. She was 18 (and one day!) when she signed up, but didn’t start until a couple of months later because she was finishing a semester of community college.

She went to Basic Training in New Jersey and then was posted to a cutter based in Seattle. She’s been up to Alaska and Canada, to Southern California, and now on an extended tour of the Western Pacific (Hawaii, Guam, Borneo, Thailand, Indonesia, Borneo again ...).

She chose the Coast Guard over other services because she thought it was the best chance for a small girl with a lot of computer skills to see some action. She didn’t want to be a typist somewhere!

[SeekAndFind]

A 30 year old is an adult and responsible for their own choices. A dreamy, romantic 16 year old is not.

So, if a 30 year person is RESPONSIBLE for his own choice, you would be OK if he endangered his own life, but not a 16 year old ?

How do you know that a 16 year old can't be responsible for his/her own choice ? There was a time in history when 16 year olds could take up arms and even marry.