Parents, would you allow your 16-yr old daughter to...

[kenny]

It is winter in the southern hemisphere.
You just don't go there now, especially alone in a sailboat.
Imagine 25 foot waves and 70 MPH gusts of wind, while it is snowing.
That is what every sailor knows she was heading into.

Then imagine the route takes you 2000 miles from any continent, days away from any ship because any captain with a brain is not stupid enough to venture into that remote part of the sea in the winter.

Even if it was not a hoax, this father needs to hire a lawyer, and I hope his butt rots in jail.
I don't care if he IS a born again Christian and believes with all his heart that sending his daughter into what every sailor knows is Hell on earth was the Lord's will, as he claimed on that LA Times video I linked to above.
That's a cop out - and actually this religious aspect is a very important part of this whole thing that will be swept under the rug of PCness.
To me a parent not accepting responsibility for this hair-brain decision makes it even more reprehensible.
"It's not that my brain wasn't working; I was just obeying God!" ??? Gimme a break.

Opps, is my intolerance showing again?
This is like letting your ill child die by refusing medical treatment (other than prayer).
I fully support religious freedom - for adults to do whatever they want to themselves.
But when parents put kids in harms way like this, it just becomes child abuse.

I hope remove all seven kids, and the one about to be born, from these nutty parents.

 

[Smurfysmiles]

Maybe she should have just waited a bit until she could be the oldest person to sail around the world lol

 

[ksinger]

Date: 6/11/2010 12:00:25 PM
Author: RaiKai

Date: 6/11/2010 11:47:23 AM

Author: VRBeauty

Asu -- I''m not in any way downplaying their sailing skills. I''m sure they are well trained and very skilled. It''s just that nature can''t be totally predicted. There is bound to be an element of luck (good or bad) involved in such a long trip. That''s all.



ETA age does matter in a situation like this. I''ll admit this is a generalization, but... such an adventure takes mental and emotional rigor as well as skill, planning, and the right equipment. As I said this is a generalization, but... some of that mental and emotional rigor comes with age.

Exactly.


This is not a matter of just being ''well trained and great sailors''. Great sailors even have bad luck, and find themselves dead. I think of events like the Vendee Globe, where sailors race around the world, where you arguably have the best of the best and things go wrong and they end up dead, or lost at sea, and so on. It is the same reason that even the best climbers die up on Everest, and are still there frozen in the mountain. There is a matter of luck - luck with the weather conditions, luck with the equipment, and so on. And bad luck can arise in SECONDS. Literally.


Jessica, the Aussie that just went around the world, as was said previously CRASHED INTO A CARGO SHIP during her trip as she fell asleep. She also had a few other scary incidents. She still made it out alive as she got LUCKY. She may have had skills, but it was also luck that did not have her RUN over by that cargo ship, or have her break her skull when she crashed, or so on.


Sending Abby/Abby going into this part of the world at this time of the year was just *stupid* no matter how wonderful of a sailor she may or may not have been. I have heard criticisms that as it was a boat on autopilot, they just plunked her in and sent her off....and her skill set is not as high as it should be for this kind of route. I am sure she does have skills, but that does not mean they are skills for THIS event. She has only been single-handing for 3 or so years. Even very experienced, talented sailors who HAVE traversed around the world are saying it was a very stupid and careless thing to do - whatever her age. I don''t think this was a matter of bad luck as those conditions are entirely predictable there at this time of year. She is however LUCKY that all that happened was she lost the mast.

Yes to all of this. And add me to the list of people who adamantly insist that age DOES matter. At 16, I don''t care how well you''re trained to do something, you have neither the sheer amount of experience, nor the developmental advancement that you would even a few years later. The brain and full reasoning capability is not fully developed until 25. She probably does not yet have the physical strength and bone development she will have at 20. She is not DONE yet, and to send a person that young - no matter how savvy she is for her age - out into that without every single advantage that maturity could give her, is bordering on criminal. Risk your daughter for a stupid record? For the approval of others? Single handing is a singular test of will and skill, and doing it needs to be for other reasons than fame.

As many have pointed out, men and women with many more years and experience - people who have DONE this and are not just armchair warriors - have said what she did and where she tried to do it, were freakin'' INSANE. As far as I''m concerned her parents'' AND her judgement are thus suspect.

 

[missydebby]

Date: 6/11/2010 12:39:24 PM
Author: kenny
It is winter in the southern hemisphere.

You just don''t go there now, especially alone in a sailboat.

Imagine 25 foot waves and 70 MPH gusts of wind, while it is snowing.

That is what every sailor knows she was heading into.


Then imagine the route takes you 2000 miles from any continent, days away from any ship because any captain with a brain is not stupid enough to venture into that remote part of the sea in the winter.


Even if it was not a hoax, this father needs to hire a lawyer, and I hope his butt rots in jail.

I don''t care if he IS a born again Christian and believes with all his heart that sending his daughter into what every sailor knows is Hell on earth was the Lord''s will, as he claimed on that LA Times video I linked to above.

That''s a cop out - and actually this religious aspect is a very important part of this whole thing that will be swept under the rug of PCness.

To me a parent not accepting responsibility for this hair-brain decision makes it even more reprehensible.

''It''s not that my brain wasn''t working; I was just obeying God!'' ??? Gimme a break.


Opps, is my intolerance showing again?

This is like letting your ill child die by refusing medical treatment (other than prayer).

I fully support religious freedom - for adults to do whatever they want to themselves.

But when parents put kids in harms way like this, it just becomes child abuse.


I hope remove all seven kids, and the one about to be born, from these nutty parents.

OMG, I hate when people absolve themselves of responsibility by saying God told them to do it. Whether it''s sending your kid to sail in the Southern Seas in winter, marrying underage girls in poligamist marriages, or bombing people you don''t agree with.

Their whole thing is sooooo egotistical. I bet they will try to get her moola on the Christian Speakers circuit.

 

[yssie]

I'm completely with you Kenny, RaiKai, ksinger. This whole thing makes me so frustrated and I know less than nothing about the sport of sailing, I can only imagine how the veterans and enthusiasts feel.. I'm glad she didn't lose her life, and I hope the world has learnt something from this escapade... but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[kenny]

I certainly hope daddy gets a bill for that Quantas commercial jet that made a special 4600 mile trip to find her and for the ships headed her way into that no-man's land.
Why should Quantas shareholders and ticket buyers, and ship owners foot the bill for this man's folly?

I hope no rescuers are injured or killed.

 

[kenny]

Pic from her website.
Must have been taken from the Qantas jet that flew 2300 miles from Australia to locate her.

Notice the mast of the sailboat is gone. snapped off after gusts so strong they pushed the mast into the sea several times.

 

[kenny]

Hey, whadyaknow?

Did you know that America's best family has been pitching a reality show?
How awesome is THAT?
If the daughter isn't killed she'll get to watch her dad get rich and famous.
If she does die, no biggie, they have 7 more kids to use.

Link

 

[ksinger]

I think I''m going to vomit.

 

[yssie]

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 6/11/2010 6:07:08 PM
Author: ksinger
I think I''m going to vomit.

Me too.

 

[missydebby]

What total douchebags

 

[Amber St. Clare]

No freaking way--I'd even give my 24 year old a hard time if he said he was going to do it.

I heard she has been found. Good.

Now her parents should have to pay for the recovery costs.

Just read all the posts. Someone should call CPS. The father should be in jail alongside Mr. Heine {Falcon's daddy}.

You have to have a license for a DOG--but anyone can have a kid.......

 

[kenny]

Date: 6/11/2010 6:22:49 PM
Author: Amber St. Clare
Just read all the posts. Someone should call CPS. The father should be in jail alongside Mr. Heine {Falcon''s daddy}.

Funny you say that.
I think lots of people feel the same way.

In that sailing forum someone posted this:

 

[Italiahaircolor]

I''m sorry, but this is absolutely ridiculous.

She is 16 years old, and started this journey in January...shouldn''t she have been in school? I understand that there are differing ideas surrounding what an education is, and how it should be obtained...but at 16, she''s a child...her biggest hurdle should be getting her homework done or fighting with her boyfriend, not navigating the world on a small sailboat.

At 16 the government is only starting to trust her to drive, and yet these "parents" think it''s reasonable for her to sail the world? Give me a break. She is still to young to do a multitude of things that should be required of some before they get the green light to sail the world.

What ever happened to letting a child be a child? And I mean within the normal boundaries. Okay, so she wanted to this--that''s great--but children shouldn''t be given everything they want, especially not when we''re talking about something of this magnitude! Her parents must have known the dangers--you don''t need to be sailing savvy to realize the potential loss involved in something like this...and yet, they let her go? It seems like nothing short of reckless endangerment to me.

As far as traveling abroad...okay, fine. I understand that many parents view this as a corner stone or a right of passage...but who would send their 16 year old alone to a different country in the middle of the school year for upwards of 6 months? And no, it''s not school related. Oh, and they can just flit about wherever they feel like. It''s just absurd, really, really absurd on all fronts.

I hope these parents are held accountable for every cent that it cost the involved countries to search for this CHILD...and I hope that are brought up on charges locally as well. What a couple of morons.

 

[kenny]

Date: 6/11/2010 7:14:05 PM
Author: Italiahaircolor
I''m sorry, but this is absolutely ridiculous.
She is 16 years old, and started this journey in January...shouldn''t she have been in school?

All their kids are home schooled so I guess she got permission from the school, IOW mom and dad.

 

[missydebby]

Gah... I hope they get outed.

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

Date: 6/11/2010 1:56:34 PM
Author: kenny
I certainly hope daddy gets a bill for that Quantas commercial jet that made a special 4600 mile trip to find her and for the ships headed her way into that no-man''s land.
Why should Quantas shareholders and ticket buyers, and ship owners foot the bill for this man''s folly?

I hope no rescuers are injured or killed.

Nope. The Australian government (who chartered the qantas plane) will foot the bill and has already stated that they will not be recouping the costs.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/newshome/7387214/australia-to-foot-bill-for-teen-sailors-rescue/

 

[hihowareyou]

Date: 6/11/2010 12:00:25 PM
Author: RaiKai

Jessica, the Aussie that just went around the world, as was said previously CRASHED INTO A CARGO SHIP during her trip as she fell asleep. She also had a few other scary incidents. She still made it out alive as she got LUCKY. She may have had skills, buhttps://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/edit.asp?mode=reply&pageNo=3&num=30&type=reply&catID=3&forumID=5&topicID=144503&replyID=2522424&quote=0t it was also luck that did not have her RUN over by that cargo ship, or have her break her skull when she crashed, or so on.

There is definitely a component of luck but Jessica's trip was also very carefully planned and timed. By no means did Jess take an 'leisurely' route but she didn't take any risks as stupid as sailing into areas that are notoriously treacherous at that time of the year. [edit to clarify, if i was Jess's parents I wouldn't let her go because in my eyes, you get to make the decision to put your life in danger when you are an adult and until then your parents are responsible].

I have some relatives who are sailing now with their children (under 3) and every step of the way they have made sure they are crossing oceans at the best time of year with the best weather as well as taking the safest routes. It will take them almost a year to travel a fraction of a 'round the world' trip but at least they are not taking undue risks. Of course there is luck involved but there is also a lot you can do to increase your luck and decrease the chances of running into trouble.

I don't understand why this girl's parents didn't insist on her taking her safety more seriously. Most parents are happy to let their kids drive by not at 200km/h. I'm sure in sailing families it is common to let your kids go on solo voyages but surely this is the equivalent of driving twice the speed limit in a car?

 

[VRBeauty]

The nearest ship was 1 1/2 days away. The thought of it leaves me speechless.

 

[missydebby]

Date: 6/12/2010 1:25:16 AM
Author: hihowareyou

Date: 6/11/2010 12:00:25 PM

Author: RaiKai


Jessica, the Aussie that just went around the world, as was said previously CRASHED INTO A CARGO SHIP during her trip as she fell asleep. She also had a few other scary incidents. She still made it out alive as she got LUCKY. She may have had skills, buhttps://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/edit.asp?mode=reply&pageNo=3&num=30&type=reply&catID=3&forumID=5&topicID=144503&replyID=2522424&quote=0t it was also luck that did not have her RUN over by that cargo ship, or have her break her skull when she crashed, or so on.

There is definitely a component of luck but Jessica''s trip was also very carefully planned and timed. By no means did Jess take an ''leisurely'' route but she didn''t take any risks as stupid as sailing into areas that are notoriously treacherous at that time of the year. [edit to clarify, if i was Jess''s parents I wouldn''t let her go because in my eyes, you get to make the decision to put your life in danger when you are an adult and until then your parents are responsible].


I have some relatives who are sailing now with their children (under 3) and every step of the way they have made sure they are crossing oceans at the best time of year with the best weather as well as taking the safest routes. It will take them almost a year to travel a fraction of a ''round the world'' trip but at least they are not taking undue risks. Of course there is luck involved but there is also a lot you can do to increase your luck and decrease the chances of running into trouble.


I don''t understand why this girl''s parents didn''t insist on her taking her safety more seriously. Most parents are happy to let their kids drive by not at 200km/h. I''m sure in sailing families it is common to let your kids go on solo voyages but surely this is the equivalent of driving twice the speed limit in a car?

Why the route and the push for the record?
Books
Movie
Reality Show
Speaker''s Circuit ( I heard Pat Robertson has already chimed in about them, and they are very very evangelical.)
There''s money to be made.

 

[kenny]

I''m glad she''s been rescued.

 

[RaiKai]

I am glad she has been rescued...but I am aghast at her blog update that seems to trivialize the event. She just sounds young and really quite naïve about the ocean there and the risks this time of year. There is a reason ships avoid the area, and even the experienced sailors are saying it was a bad route that she was not equipped properly for. But no, she knows it all I guess!

The French captain fell in the ocean during the dangerous rescue and had to be fished out, and not a word of thanks or appreciation for how difficult it was or that they risked their lives for her? I realize she may be tired and all and I cannot know what is really going on...but she had the time to talk about how she will miss Wild Eyes and that it is a pain to type on a French keyboard! I hate to say - she sounded like she was *entitled* to the rescue at risk of others.

It all rubs me wrong - especially that she and her family will profit of this and I somehow doubt will donate any of that to the rescue operations.

 

[kenny]

Agreed RaiKai, in fact I was just about to post this SNIP From that Sailing forum.
It starts with what our little narcissist wrote on her blog right after being rescued.

BLOG SNIP

Rupe, on 12 June 2010 - 11:52 AM, said:
From http://soloround.blogspot.com/
(Abby's blog)

Saturday, June 12, 2010
A Note from Abby
Hey everyone,
Sorry I haven't written in so long as you probably already know I had a pretty rough couple of days. I can't write much now as I am typing on a french key pad as well as trying to stay seated in a bouncy fishing boat.

The long and the short of it is, well, one long wave, and one short mast (short meaning two inch stub.) I'll write a more detailed blog later, just wanted to let every one know I am safe and sound on a great big fishing boat headed I am not exactly sure where.

Crazy is the word that really describes everything that has happened best.

Within a few minutes of being on board the fishing boat, I was already getting calls from the press. I don't know how they got the number but it seems everybody is eager to pounce on my story now that something bad has happened.

There are plenty of things people can think of to blame for my situation; my age, the time of year and many more. The truth is, I was in a storm and you don't sail through the Indian Ocean without getting in at least one storm. It wasn't the time of year it was just a Southern Ocean storm. Storms are part of the deal when you set out to sail around the world.

As for age, since when does age create gigantic waves and storms?

I keep hitting the wrong keys and am still trying to get over the fact that I will never see my Wild Eyes again. So Ill write more later.

Abby
Posted by Abby Sunderland at 7:09 AM

(Kenny writing now: End of blog snip, start of snip of poster on sailing forum which I SOOOO agree with.)

I'm sorry but the first words out of her mouth should be, "I'd like to thank the people who just put their lives at risk in order to save my life"

Good lord.

She's defensive about getting picked on.
She's sad she won't see her boat again.
She seems offended that the French have slightly different keyboard layout.

She never thanks her rescuers.

 

[Amber St. Clare]

Spoiled, entitled brat. How DARE THEY not have an English keypad????

 

[RaiKai]

Now they are starting a fund to salvage the boat as it was not scuttled. Again, no fund for the rescuers!

Salvaging is stupid...it is not worth the risk given the value or costs in towing it or whatever back. Unless they plan to auction it and bank on the *fame* aspect? It should be sunk to avoid it being a hazard to others.

If it is going to be salvaged, I hope someone gets to it who is not associated with the Sunderlands. Someone is on the way apparently.

 

[Kaleigh]

I can''t believe she didn''t say thank you to those that risked their lives to save her sorry A**. Wow, just wow.

 

[kenny]

Please donate money so Wild Eyes can be saved and brought home to be united with Abby. Click

 

[missydebby]

Douchebags of the year

 

[perry]

I''ve just read all the post in this thread, and have mixed thoughts.

Would I let (or support) a 16 year old taking a trip like this. Yes, for the right individual. I view that us adults should be teaching the children how to take responsibility and make decisions. Some children mature faster than others and can indeed take this level of responsibility. Yes there are risks, but their risks in everything. In this case she seems to have been well trained, well equipped, and did everything well and acted responsibly. I do not hold the collision against her as these things do happen to other solo sailing vessels (and I wonder about the ship she collided with - how alert were they).

For those who are so worried about the age and being separated from help by a few days... That has been what mankind has done for thousands of years - and only in the last few decades in certain parts of the world has it changed.

I do believe that the route was a risky one - and an alternate route should have been used.

As far as her and perhaps the family manners (to call it that). This is very typical of our times (or perhaps more typical these days).

As far as the family possibly being part of some form of reality show. It seems to me there are lots of offers/possibilities for that out there (I recently turned down an invite to be considered for a reality show).

Have a great day,

Perry