“Comparing her with 16 year olds from our history is misleading.”
Perhaps you might not want to bet the ranch on that premise.
Both physical and sexual maturation are partially a function of nutrition and general health. That means both physical and sexual maturation are, if anything, more likely to occur earlier now than under the conditions of a century ago.
Another observation, females mature at least two years earlier than males.
She just had the bad luck to catch the wrong wave at the wrong time/place.
Google “freak waves” and you may find it easier to understand what happened. Both the parents and the daughter made reasoned, informed decisions which were properly theirs to make.
“Theirs”, not ours. And most emphatically, not “Da Gooberments”.
It wasn't bad luck. It was lousy planning that even the American Sailing Association wouldn't endorse.
Google “freak waves” and you may find it easier to understand what happened. Both the parents and the daughter made reasoned, informed decisions which were properly theirs to make.
It was a lousy choice as to the time of year but they HAD to try for the record!
There are freeper sailors decrying this attempt. The American Sailing Association and a solo sailor, Ian Kiernan. It was foolish, not heroic! And lets not forget the TV reality show that's been filming at her house for the last 4 months!
Now we know that rogue waves are simply a consequence of the probability of wave forms piling up on each other in response to atmospheric, and sometimes tectonic movements. We usually see just the small ones since they are very highly probable. We see the 75 to 120 foot high monsters every now and then of course, and the 50 footers that took out this little boats mast more frequently ~ but not every day.
You stay at sea long enough in the right latitudes you will eventually see giant waves.