16-Year-Old Sailor Feared Lost at Sea

[SlowwHand]

This was a good idea. Right there with climbing Everest.

Abby Sunderland, the Southern California teen who was attempting a solo sail around the world, lost contact with her crew after a rough night of storms.

A 16-year-old Southern California girl attempting a solo sail around the world was feared in trouble Thursday thousands of miles from land in the frigid, heaving southern Indian Ocean after her emergency beacons began signaling and communication was lost.

Australian Maritime Safety Authority spokeswoman Carly Lusk said three vessels were sent from the French territory of Reunion Island and an aircraft was to depart from Perth on a four-hour flight to Abby Sunderland’s location more than 2,000 miles from both Africa and Australia.

It was not clear when the vessels left, but it would take a day for the nearest ship to reach the area. Reunion Island is off Madagascar, the very large island along the east coast of Africa.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37621453/?gt1=43001

[Dinner]

Her parents' must be so proud.

[Ben Kenobi]

Wow, yet another battle over the same grounds.

Her brother got through ok. I can't see why it would be ok for him and not for her.

Now if only all the kids who get themselves killed through drunk driving took this example to heart. The solution isn't to keep banning kids from having any responsibility or challenges.

[Proteus_MST]

The big question is,
if she (with her age and sailing experience) was even able to take an educated guess at the dangers that she would encounter during her long journey.
I assume a lot of sailors more experienced than herself wouldn´t undertake suxch a sail voyage around the world, because of the dangers it poses.

Maybe her brother was just lucky because he didn´t face the eather conditions she did (and so for him it was a rather easy voyage).

(at the moment at least, chances seem to be good that she survived and might take it as a healthy experience about dangers at sea)

[Ben Kenobi]

He was lucky.

Anyone sailing unassisted has to get lucky, regardless of whether they are 16 or 55.

[DaShi]

Shut up, Ben.

[Asher]

Wow, yet another battle over the same grounds.

Her brother got through ok. I can't see why it would be ok for him and not for her.

Of course you can't.

How about they're young, still not wise enough, not experienced enough, and only doing it to set a record and achieve fame?

Stupid kid, stupid family, predictable results. Just cause it's not always fatal doesn't mean it's not unreasonably dangerous and stupid.

[Ben Kenobi]

Some people have dreams.

Other people like Asher have fears.

It's always easier to criticise and say it can't be done. I've been doing it for most of my life doing what people believed couldn't be done.

[Elok]

If it has a high risk of killing you and nothing to offer but empty bragging rights, cost-benefit analysis alone should tell you it's not worth doing. Vapid talk about dreams is meaningless next to that.

[OzzyKP]

Lindbergh, Armstrong, Hillary, Columbus, all reckless, stupid, irresponsible monsters who should have just gotten a 9-5 job like everyone else. How dare they seek to push at the limits of human accomplishment. How dare they venture boldly into the dark. How dare they take a chance. What a bunch of ego maniacs.

[Ben Kenobi]

Yay, backup from Ozzy!

[Asher]

Some people have dreams.

I've many dreams, and I'm fairly close to achieving many of them.

My dreams do not involve stupidity, though.

It's always easier to criticise and say it can't be done. I've been doing it for most of my life doing what people believed couldn't be done.

First off -- no, no you haven't. Look at where you are at your age. You've done nothing.

Second of all, no one said it can't be done. People are saying it's stupid to do it.

I'm sure some children have dreams involving decapitating kittens and puppies. It's not that it can't be done, it's that it shouldn't be done.

[Asher]

Lindbergh, Armstrong, Hillary, Columbus, all reckless, stupid, irresponsible monsters who should have just gotten a 9-5 job like everyone else. How dare they seek to push at the limits of human accomplishment. How dare they venture boldly into the dark. How dare they take a chance. What a bunch of ego maniacs.

Are you ****ing kidding me?

You're comparing a rich 16 year old girl on daddy's sailboat on some stupid, pointless journey to trailblazers?

I demand you apologize for offending anyone remotely intelligent.

[OzzyKP]

Are you ****ing kidding me?

You're comparing a rich 16 year old girl on daddy's sailboat on some stupid, pointless journey to trailblazers?

I demand you apologize for offending anyone remotely intelligent.

[Ben Kenobi]

I've many dreams, and I'm fairly close to achieving many of them.

You have fears not dreams. If you had dreams, why would you care what other people achieve, and be judging their goals as stupidity?

You've got your own little box where you are quite comfortable.

First off -- no, no you haven't. Look at where you are at your age. You've done nothing.

Have I? First in my class of 400? How many people with a profound hearing impairment achieve this?

Second of all, no one said it can't be done. People are saying it's stupid to do it.

Her brother was successful, so I don't see why it's stupid for her to try it. What you mean is that you wouldn't dare have the balls to attempt something like this, so the attempt is stupid.