California Teen Lost At Sea?

She is okay. Mast broken, but she is fine. Ships on the way to rescue her. I would be scared to death if I were her Mom; and at the same time, so proud that she is trying for her dream. Her brother also sailed solo according to news reports this morning.

Amazing.

She is okay. Mast broken, but she is fine. Ships on the way to rescue her. I would be scared to death if I were her Mom; and at the same time, so proud that she is trying for her dream. Her brother also sailed solo according to news reports this morning.

Amazing.

I wonder how much was spent looking for her?

Am I the only one shocked as this? Even when adults have done this in the past there has been a support vessel nearby.

Am I the only one shocked as this? Even when adults have done this in the past there has been a support vessel nearby.

That's what I thought. Especially with all the stuff in recent times about pirates!

The dangers are so great that the record books don't even acknowledge this accomplishment anymore, so why in the world would you let your child pursue it? Especially all by themselves! Good grief!

I think sixteen is too young.

Imagine the possibilities of what she might accomplish as she gets older. snap snap snap! You go girl!

Dick Cheney broke her mast......

All right here is another perspective. My wise, but uneducated father began to learn to fly when I was 13. He soloed when I was 14 and I began to bug the daylights out of him the let me begin flying. He finally talked to his instructor and owner of the local flying service about letting me start to fly. His instructor sat me down, asked me many questions and finally said if I would follow his instructions, FAA rules and never buzz or fly recklessly, he would allow me to learn to fly. I could not solo until I was 16 and Dick Smith finally got to where he would take the newspaper up with him on Sundays and read while I got in my flight time. I soloed shortly after my 16th birthday. There was a snowstorm on my birthday so I couldn't fly. I got my private license on my 17th birthday, the earliest I could possibly have gotten it.
My father never got his license because he couldn't afford for both of us to fly. His foresight in seeing in my learning to fly of a possible vocation was both admirable and appreciated. By his actions, he taught me to be thoughtful, analytical and self reliant.
I think that is exactly what the parents of Abby Sutherland had in mind by allowing her to attempt to sail solo around the world. She will surely end up a leader among her peers as she will have experiences and education far beyond most of their wildest dreams. To often, we sell our youth short or do not guide them in a manner that utilizes their abilities to the best of their capabilities. Abby Sutherland's parents, it would appear, have done that.

Dreams are one thing, but, this?

I'm wondering, are the parents going to repay all the money that her search, cost? They should and they could take it out of the proceeds from the movie, that'll come!!

FOXNews.com - California Teen on Solo Sail Around World Feared Lost at Sea

This is awful, and I just can't help thinking... who in their right mind lets their kid sail off into the sunset for a round-the-world cruise? She's 16! :angry:

Imagine the possibilities of what she might accomplish as she gets older. snap snap snap! You go girl!

Sure, if she lives that long...

All right here is another perspective. My wise, but uneducated father began to learn to fly when I was 13. He soloed when I was 14 and I began to bug the daylights out of him the let me begin flying. He finally talked to his instructor and owner of the local flying service about letting me start to fly. His instructor sat me down, asked me many questions and finally said if I would follow his instructions, FAA rules and never buzz or fly recklessly, he would allow me to learn to fly. I could not solo until I was 16 and Dick Smith finally got to where he would take the newspaper up with him on Sundays and read while I got in my flight time. I soloed shortly after my 16th birthday. There was a snowstorm on my birthday so I couldn't fly. I got my private license on my 17th birthday, the earliest I could possibly have gotten it.
My father never got his license because he couldn't afford for both of us to fly. His foresight in seeing in my learning to fly of a possible vocation was both admirable and appreciated. By his actions, he taught me to be thoughtful, analytical and self reliant.
I think that is exactly what the parents of Abby Sutherland had in mind by allowing her to attempt to sail solo around the world. She will surely end up a leader among her peers as she will have experiences and education far beyond most of their wildest dreams. To often, we sell our youth short or do not guide them in a manner that utilizes their abilities to the best of their capabilities. Abby Sutherland's parents, it would appear, have done that.

I acknowledge your point, and agree with you, to a degree.

But I also have to agree with SWGB--why not have a support vessel nearby? She'd still be doing the solo trip, manning the sailboat all by her lonesome (which is no small feat, especially on a trip of that magnitude), but there'd be greater safety and, as several have mentioned, no costly search parties sponsored by Ma and Pa Taxpayer. Just my .02...

I can not fathom letting my 16 year old doing this, without me right behind her, in another boat. I too, believed that there were be another boat in tow. But, that being said, I was thrilled she was found safe! (with so many unhappy endings)

Sure, if she lives that long...



I acknowledge your point, and agree with you, to a degree.

But I also have to agree with SWGB--why not have a support vessel nearby? She'd still be doing the solo trip, manning the sailboat all by her lonesome (which is no small feat, especially on a trip of that magnitude), but there'd be greater safety and, as several have mentioned, no costly search parties sponsored by Ma and Pa Taxpayer. Just my .02...

I agree with you both as well. Apparently, according to the news I heard somewhere today on the radio...the parents are wealthy and all are sea savvy...learned to sail before they learned to ride a bike they said. Her 17 y/o brother did this before and held the record for awhile. They also said they are "born again Christians" and that God is taking care of her...so...

I am glad she is safe. And, it was the Australian government and Quantas airlines that went for her at least according to that same news item.

Sure, if she lives that long...



I acknowledge your point, and agree with you, to a degree.

But I also have to agree with SWGB--why not have a support vessel nearby? She'd still be doing the solo trip, manning the sailboat all by her lonesome (which is no small feat, especially on a trip of that magnitude), but there'd be greater safety and, as several have mentioned, no costly search parties sponsored by Ma and Pa Taxpayer. Just my .02...

I am soooo tempted to drag political ideology into this discussion... but, but.. but.. I won't!

I'm wondering, are the parents going to repay all the money that her search, cost? They should and they could take it out of the proceeds from the movie, that'll come!!

So do you think that all the people who stayed in N.O. and Bay St. Louis who could have left prior to Katrina should repay for the cost of their rescues?

How can someone compare victims of Katrina with a voluntary trip on a sailboat? Huh? While we can all applaud her moxy I agree that there is great expense to rescue her. I heard today that the boat that is going to rescue her is delayed because of high winds and high seas. So isn't she putting other people in danger? She is probably a wonderful, young lady but this whole adventure sounds kind of self serving. Hope she is OK.

I don't have any problem with a 16 year old sailing a boat by herself.

Most sailors learn as little kids and it is a family tradition - we went sailing before we were in kindergarten and started crewing in races in middle school. Lack of weight and physical strength were the biggest factors in how much and how far we sailed, not age.

I do have a big problem with a 16 year old girl sailing around the world without any nearby support and a great deal of money being spent looking for her as a result. That's just dumb.

How can someone compare victims of Katrina with a voluntary trip on a sailboat? Huh? While we can all applaud her moxy I agree that there is great expense to rescue her. I heard today that the boat that is going to rescue her is delayed because of high winds and high seas. So isn't she putting other people in danger? She is probably a wonderful, young lady but this whole adventure sounds kind of self serving. Hope she is OK.

Easy to compare. Many (not all) of the victims of Katrina had the option of leaving harms way, but elected to risk fate because of their "moxy" to risk fate. Their challenge of fate cost many their lives and required rescue of many others at a significant cost financially.

Same with this teenager and her family. They challenged harms' fate and the results required her rescue.

My point is that no one complained about the expensive cost to rescue many who could have left but didn't when Katrina hit, so why should there be an outcry to expect her family to pay for this mis-adventure?

I find that comparison highly offensive.

I do understand the basis of your argument, but BIG difference IMO between rescuing the victims of a natural disaster whose "sin" was analyzing the situation and their finances/resources and thinking they were safe in their own homes and someone who uses $$$ to deliberately put themselves in harms way in a spectacular and historic fashion.

I find that comparison highly offensive.

I do understand the basis of your argument, but BIG difference IMO between rescuing the victims of a natural disaster whose "sin" was analyzing the situation and their finances/resources and thinking they were safe in their own homes and someone who uses $$$ to deliberately put themselves in harms way in a spectacular and historic fashion.

Yes, there's was a potential cost to evacuating in terms in terms of life and $$. No comparison between the two situations.

that girl has lived and learned more about herself in her journey than most posting here have in their entire lives