Were Abby Sunderland's parents wrong to let her sail the world alone?
Sorry, but this girl and any other teenager should not be able to sail around the world on their own. It is great to be adventurous, but at what cost? I am sure she and her family are so Thankful that she was rescued. I do agree with the comment that the family should help to pay for the expenses of the search and rescue of her.
#2 - Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:13 PM EDTI bet Christopher Columbus's and Leif Erickson's families said the same thing . . .
Perhaps not, but how much would you like to be that some of their crew members were 16 or younger?
Too many of you underestimate the resiliency and toughness of teens by calling them "children" and relegating them to "girls." It's really a form of prejudism.
Look at all these greed. Why are most people here angry? Not because a capable 16 year old sailed alone, it's because they are afraid of footing the rescue bill. Yeah this is America. No wonder the next generations are nothing but blood sucker fat slobs. "Dont go out and do anything with your life, you're children, just sit in front of that playstation all day."
James of UNO - horrible reference- Columbus and Erikson not only had a crew, they had multiple boats...they werent sailing solo.
Personally - i say go for it. If she dies, thats her problem, she was the one choosing to do it. If she would have made, noone would have had a problem with this.
I had/have/will have no sympathy for people that choose to do these kinds of things. I wont knock the girl for trying - but sorry, you deserve whatever you get when you do those kind of things. I wouldnt let my child do that, but to each their own.
I do have a problem here though if people other than the parents have to foot to bill for the rescue. You make the choice to do something like that, you should have to pay for it. We arent talking about an accident here, this was a willfull and what turned out to be bad decision.
I don't think the family should help pay, I think should should pay ALL the costs - if they thought it was okay for her to sail the world, they should be prepared to foot the bill.
Its so sad to see how many people live in fear...geez, we need MORE young adults like her who are smart and courageous...young adults like her are likely the only hope we have in a world full of sheep and politicians. As for her parents...good for them!
#3 - Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:17 PM EDTSmart? When there is a high probability she won't make it back. What is it with humans who want to "best" Mother Nature. Please. Southern California boating is NOT open water sailing, thousands of miles from nowhere with storms and high seas that can take you to your grave. I see zero use in activities such as "conquoring" Everest: There is no oxygen, the weather is not fit for humans, and there are so many who lay testimony to its danger.
She's damn lucky, period.
Maybe it's not so much about besting, or becoming better than something, as it is testing yourself, and growing yourself. Risking death is something that can change you. The one who is brave enough to become a better human being deserves the resources.
We all brave death every day just by taking the car to the store. Age should be judged by a persons maturity. You can still get married and have babies in some states when your sixteen, having babies can be a dangerous act. Is every sixteen year old that had sex an idiot? How old where you when you first had sex? It seems as if there are two reasons people don't want sixteen year olds to sail around the world.
1. They don't want to pay the rescue bill.
2. They are jealous that someone else has the nerve to risk their live on an adventure.
The first is ruled by greed. The second by fear. If every thing we did was controlled by fear and greed nothing of value would ever be accomplished.
You think it is unreasonable fear to care for and protect a minor child??? You know as well as I do that we're not talking about being a helicopter parent. There is a HUGE middle ground between that and going the other extreme of allowing a minor to sail the globe in a small boat alone.
People you are using a bogus argument. Yes there are and have been sixteen year olds sailing on ships in the way past--but they were usually either press ganged against their will or orphaned and had nothing. Our enlightened society does not tend to think of that as a good thing. Young people were also forced to work at laborious jobs for long hours, but we cry "foul" at that--they are too young!! And how many of you want the age of pregnancy and sex getting lower and lower? Or, do you really think it's a good idea that 16 year olds and younger had to go to war during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars??
Why are we so obsessed with wanting our children to grow up too fast?
I hope you get to send your children into almost certain death some day.
The fact that she was in those particular waters at a time when ANY REAL PROFESSIONAL sailor knows better
But renowned Australian round-the-world sailor Ian Kiernan said Abby should not have been in the southern Indian Ocean during the current southern hemisphere winter.
“Abby would be going through a very difficult time with mountainous seas and essentially hurricane-force winds,” Kiernan told Sky News television.
Conditions can quickly become perilous for any sailor exposed to the elements in that part of the world.
right there -that statement proves she is not as "seaworthy"as her father wants you to believe-or she would have studied all this BEFORE embarking on this sail.
I don't care if she is SIXTEEN and "EXPERIENCED" she is still just a CHILD in the eyes of the law.
Flog the parents.(and make sure they pay where it hurts the most-- $$$$$)
#4 - Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:17 PM EDTThe law that says your a minor until 18.
Again - could care less if she were 6, 16, or 60. She chose to make the trip - thats between her and her parents. Thats their call, if they wish to take that risk - go for it. But i offer no symapthy, condolences etc to people that choose those tasks. Same for the people that die every year climbing mountains. Thats their call, but dont expect me to feel bad for you when something goes wrong. Kudos to the girl, she got lucky. Could have turned out worse for her than it did.
Umm, Dennis, I think you are a little confused about political parties. Those affiliated with Obama are actually the ones opposed to being controlled, you know, they want free choice over who to marry, their own reproduction.....it's the Republicans who are the "LIve as (I say) I Live" people and want to control others' lives.
Regardless of that completely irrelevant socialist remark, I don't think anyone is trying to control anyone. The question was asking for people's opinions, and that's all they're giving. If that girl had been lost in American waters and YOU had to foot the bill to look for her, I wonder if you might be one of those (in your words) @!$%#s who thought they had some WTF business expressing an opinion over it.
#5 - Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:18 PM EDTTrying to contol other people's beliefs, opinions, and even the nature of their light bulbs is the ultimate "Live as I say" mentality. That's what the leftists represent. They're just really good at suckering the downtrodden into believing it's about their liberation rather than seeking more power and control. Conservatives just want government to stick to the job it was given by the Constitution and no more.
That being said, when it comes to a 16-year-old being allowed to sail the world alone in winter waters there should be some kind of investigation. Parents are supposed to protect children from stupid ideas like that. For those who say we shouldn't live in fear, we are given a healthy dose of fear for the purpose of survival. There's a difference between being cowardly or lazy and being wise. Are these really the only two choices we have? Send our kids out to potentially die in the ocean or keep them in front of video games? Aren't there a whole lot of healthier options out there? And couldn't this girl have made this trip when she was older? It's not like she was dying and this was on her bucket list. What if everyone decided to do this? How many search and rescue teams would it take to go find all the people who decided to follow their life-threatening dreams? I suspect if this is what a person thinks it takes to make their life complete, maybe they need to do some serious soul-searching.
Both of the major parties are the two faces of the same corrupt governmental approach. Look at our foreign policies for the past 100 years, does it seem to change with political party changes? Look at the welfare state since the 30's, does it change with the party changes? They are both corrupt and paid for by the power brokers of banking and international corporations.
The promise of Individual Liberty the Constitution and Bill of Rights (supposedly) protects are not and have not been served by either Republicans or Democrats for many many years. But the argument over which party is (correct) does serve the power brokers and politicions very well.
I agree that if her parents decide to allow this trip to happen, then they need to be held accountable for the expense of the rescue or whatever else she gets into. Just as we parents are with our little darling teenagers that are driving and doing whatever they do when in our homes.
Actually Suddenly Ronda - both parties are trying to tell you how to live.
Republicans - Gays cant marry, your not allowed to have an
abortion, Religion is great.
Democrats - The car you drive is too big, Your not allowed to
put a christmas tree here - its offensive, Everyone
has to pay for everyone else wether you want to or
not.
Its all from what side of the fence your on. Lefties can only see the right trying to control, and the righties can only see the left trying to control.
Truth of the matter is, they are both trying to control.
The only difference between liberals and Conservatives is which evils they are trying to save us all from.
Depends on how important it is to her parents whether she lives to be 17 or not.
#6 - Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:21 PM EDTLet's just put everyone in a bubble. Then we can all "live" safe.
James of UNO - whats the deal brother? Why are you making it sound like anyone opposed to a kid sailing solo around the world is just nuts.
I think there is a difference between living in a bubble - AKA - living safe and having a problem with a kid sailing around the world.
The extreme that your saying people are living safe - that would be a parent not letting there 16 year old cross a street or something. I dont know to many people that would consider it overprotective to not let a teen do what she tried to do.
Kudo's to her for trying, but your anger at people not being down with something like this is a bit misplaced. I think your in the minority with thinking this is a great idea. Heck, i have a buddy who is a lifer in the marines, served in Gulf War and Iraq - he said that what this girl was nuts. And i call you an idiot if you say he "lives in a bubble and plays it safe" by serving in the Marines, because thats pretty much the opposite of playing it safe.
So take a breath brother, its just peoples opinions, like yours. They are entitled to it, just like you are.
I think is irresponsible for the parents to have allowed it. There are so many things that could go wrong. When she was lost for that time, I thought of all of the pirates that are operating in various parts of the world. I wouldn't want to be a woman or girl alone on the sea.
#7 - Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:24 PM EDTKids are dissapearing, walking down the block. How are you going to keep THEM safe? Leave her and her parents alone
Don, are you really serious in comparing kids walking to a bus stop to kids sailing the world alone?? The level of risk cannot be compared.
ROFL @ Don. Wow dude. Walking to the bus stop = sailing around the world solo in sail boat.
You must have grown up in Detroit.
Sailing solo around the world is risky business for anyone. Weather, pirates, mechanical problems, illness, giant mechanical sharks, accidents.......I don't think it really matters who you are or your age. The keys to surviving to talk about it are exceptional sailing skills, the ability to deal with and solve problems, an appropriate vessel and utmost preparedness.
She set sail on a robust vessel and was prepared for just about anything. Mommy and Daddy didn't send her out on an inflatable raft. It's really nobody's business to judge one way or another, but from what I can see, this young lady could sail circles around some of the best mariners in the world, and her parent's blessing was more than enough to lend testement to her abilities and game plan.
#8 - Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:25 PM EDTAs stated above by the professional sailor Ian Kiernan, and by many others, she was in the Indian Ocean, known by many sailors to be the most dangerous in the world, in the middle of winter, also the most dangerous time of the year. Her parents sent her off into this knowingly in order to try to obtain a silly world record, was that worth your daughter's life? Most of you who are arguing the case that her parents were right in allowing this are completely ignoring that fact.
They made the ice fisherman pay for their own rescure off of the ice in Lake St Claire MI. They should do the same for her parents.
I am glad she is alright. Her parents should be charged with reckless endangerment.
#9 - Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:34 PM EDTSee, i was with you till the charging the parents of a crime. No they shouldnt, they supported their daughter in a decision that they made as a family, and it didnt pan out right.
Should they get sympathy? No.
Should they have to pay the bill for the rescue? Yes.
Should they be charged with anything. Hell No.
Geeze man, so quick to try to litigate. You must be a lawyer.
I've been reading Abby's blog. There were too many mistakes made, and she made poor choices while sailing. For example, I never saw where there was an alarm installed for when the wind got too high and she needed to change sails to a storm sail. Another example: She planed her trip in such a manner that she was more concerned about beating the record that anything else. Her departure time made it so she ended up in the Indian ocean during the winter storm season. That was bad planning. Another example: During a knockdown she had water come into the boat from a badly installed throttle mounting. Why was this not checked before she left Cape Town? Not only that, she didn't have her foul weather gear on when dealing with this. She claims she didn't have time to do it, but would not it be better to be practiced in QUICKLY putting on the gear for just an event? Firemen do this all the time. Why didn't she do this and practice beforehand? Again, poor decision making.
The boat was not checked properly before her voyage. She made bad choices. I wanted her to make it, but sorry, she should not have made the voyage.
#10 - Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:36 PM EDTThank you for posting this. You were one of the few people who could make any since of it without getting personal. She was not prepared physically and not mature enough to realize it.
First the girl made it 12,000 miles. Second it isn't winter yet in the Indian Ocean. I say she was knowledgeable and well skilled.
How many of you actually sail and know what it's like to been in a storm, such is the one she was experiencing? Well, I'm a woman who does sail and didn't start til I was in my 40's and I'll tell you what, if she's been doing serious sailing with her family, for many years, as apparently she has, her maturity about sailing is probably a lot higher than mine was when I went through my first storm. I think her parents were fine about letting her go. My God people, she can get killed crossing the street or by another crazy person here! I frankly think she's safer at sea. I'm sure her parents are very proud of her and her brother for their accomplishments. I would be! Sailor in San Diego
#11 - Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:37 PM EDTYes, you can get killed crossing a street. Does that mean you stand in the middle of the highway and play chicken with the cars?
That's not even a valid comparison Scalzo. She wasn't out in the big scary ocean in a paddle boat, tempting fate.
Yeah, she was out in the most dangerous ocean in the world at the worst time, trying to break a world record for the sake of doing it. That doesnt' sound like it was looking for trouble at all. Most professional sailors wouldnt attempt a crossing liek that at this time of year, and basically anyone with any common sense could have seen this happening.
Yes, but if she gets killed crossing the street - taxpayers don't foot the bill.
Yes, but if she gets killed crossing the street - taxpayers don't foot the bill.
Only have to if they set her down in the middle of a busy highway and watch her get killed, which is essentially what these parents did to their 16 year old girl.
Julie - just the fact that you said you don't care if this kid "dies trying" tells me that anything else you ever say again is not worth reading. That was one of the most horrible statements you could have made. Any point you have about payment of rescue cost has been invalidated by your cruelty.
#12 - Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:38 PM EDTNot true - She chose to do an incredibly risky thing. If she would have died, that would have been her fault. This is the same for people that die climbing mountains, or base jumping, or any other feat of danger.
Your choosing to do something incredibly risky for personal reasons. She wanted to be famous. She got lucky.
So ive seen her odds at anywhere from 1 in 5 to 1 in 1000 to make it around the world. And we already know she was doing it for the adventure and to beat the record. If they had a record for Russian Roulette, with 1 bullet in a chamber that can hold 1000 bullets. And the girl did that and died- would you say "aw... that poor girl. Thats so sad." No, you would say "Why would you do that you idiot?"
This is no different. So dont expect others to feel sympathy because this girl decided to do something incredibly risky, and actually pretty stupid. Its great shes alive. And noone is saying "I hoped she died". They are simply saying 'if' she died, they would care. I agree with that.
What's next; strapping a 3 year old on the back of a Sherpa and claiming the "Youngest" to climb Everest?
Or putting a 4 year old in a boat with a life vest and seeing if the kid can solo around the world?
Or the youngest kid to perform brain surgery?
I just love this competition between parents with too much money trying to live an adventure through their kids.
#14 - Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:44 PM EDTNebraska,
I actually plan on bringing my pregnant wife to the peak of mount Everest so that she can give birth, and our child can be the youngest ever to reach the peak. They will be zero years old.
Beat that other parents.
Nebraska...
I am so disappointed in you. I am also a Nebraskan. For most of my life I felt Nebraskans were different, tougher some how, something that came from our pioneer origins. I also thought we were intelligent in life's ways; that is, until I read your idiotic statement. You must not be a native, and no doubt you live in a college town. Please move.
Every time someone tries a stunt like this they should have to deposit in an escrow account the estimated amount needed to pay for a number of people to risk their lives for a rescue attempt. What the hell is she doing down there this time of the year??? Sounds like another little rich kid looking for publicity. I'll never forget the video of a rescue helicopter tumbling down the side of I think Mt. Hood as they tried to rescue some clowns that tried to climb in in the middle of winter. And now people are on their way to risk their live for her.If you want to try something like this you're on your own................
#15 - Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:49 PM EDTSo we have to sail around the world at age 16, climb Mt. Everest at 15 in order to show the world we aren't afraid, that we aren't wimps, that we aren't .....pedestrian.
It is getting a little extreme the ends people have to go to now in order to "prove" themselves. Of course it is all supported by the media which just loves these kind of stories. Where does it all end. 9 year old crosses the artic, 7 year old swims the Atlantic, 5 year old climbs El Capitan, 3 year old flies jet around the world. There is no end to this ridiculousness.
#16 - Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:51 PM EDTToo many holier than thows jumping in
Abby is a sailor, it's what sailors do
Did you all jump on Jessica Watson's parents for letting her do the same thing?
Nope... why? because she didn't have her boat come apart?
Are you self righteous-eager to jump on anybody-posters even sailors? Know the slightest thing about it?
The girl is an accomplished sailor, she ran into some bad weather and her journey suffered because of it
I sail at least three days a week, I wish I had that kind of opportunity at her age
She is something special and hats off to her parents for encouraging her!
#17 - Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:55 PM EDTAgain, "hats off to them" - that's great as long as they are footing the rescue bill.
Millions of parents allow their kids to drive, and auto accidents are the no. 1 killer of teens. Are they irresponsible? I don't know the odds of getting killed sailing around the world vs driving as a 16 year old. Are they that different? It certainly does seem stupid to be sailing the far southern latitudes during winter, who decided this was ok? Her? The parents? Someone else? Really not enough info to make a decision on this one. As to the question of rescue expenses: 1. the US isn't paying for it. 2. If you want her to pay, then are you going to have people pay to be rescued by lifeguards? How bout victms of tornados or hurricanes? Earthquakes? They should have known better than to live on a fault.
#18 - Fri Jun 11, 2010 2:05 PM EDTNot sure what having a ferrari for their first car has to do with anything. But a lot of parents give their CLEARLY irresponsible kids, cars worth more than my house every day, buy them alcohol even though they are underage. This is no more dangerous than driving in some bad areas at night, do you lock your kids up and protect them from the everything that happens badly, that just creates kids with an unrealistic expectation of life, which a lot of parents are doing these days, and the generations that have had that experience are arrogant, careless, selfish, etc.. Yeah, that's so much better than letting them experience life.
You just cited some OTHER examples of bad parenting...along with sending your kid on a boat around the world. None of it is ok. Any a-hole can have a kid
THANK YOU! The only difference between this young lady and the others who did this was bad weather. Her age had nothing to do with it. I've got kids (boys and girls) on either side of her age and while it terrifies me to let them out in the world today, it has nothing to do with their ages. There is no difference in my eyes between this young lady (and her parents) and those parents who push their kids to train for hours a day to play hockey, participate in gymnastics, skating, or even rodeo. The inherent danger in every day life for ALL OF US, no matter what our ages, is there and nothing can change that. If her parents push her to try for the record and there is proof that they forced her to try to sail into dangerous waters during storm season, then yes, call in the authorities. Otherwise, give this young lady the credit she deserves for being brave, intelligent and keeping a cool head on her shoulders in a very bad situation.
With technology nowadays, anyone can sail around the world. I bet I could put my cat in a boat with autopilot and it'd have just as good a chance as this 16-yr old girl. This so-called accomplishment is as meaningless as flying around the world in a hot air baloon. Yawn.
#19 - Fri Jun 11, 2010 2:07 PM EDTWhat great accomplishments have you had Pat O? Flying around the world in a hot air balloon would impress me. ANd if it's so easy to sail around the world, why worry about this girls risks? For some people just getting to work and back everyday is an accomplishment. I've watched adults that can't drive a car more than a few miles without an incident. I see adults fall asleep, drive drunk, drive while reading, run stop lights; and you don't think sailing around the world is an accomplishment. I'll bet your a XBOX junky whose biggest accomplishment is writing your opinion down in this post. Yawn
They said that they decided to have her take that route ( Indian Ocean dead of winter)
because they were afraid for her safety if she had to stop at ports along the way,
being a 16 year old girl all alone and all. So they traded one set of possible life
threatening scenes for another. Just brilliant...idiot parents, they need to not only pay
for any rescue expenses they need to be prosecuted for endangering the life of a child.
What next for these idots ?
#20 - Fri Jun 11, 2010 2:16 PM EDTYou're in Easy Mode. If you prefer, you can use XHTML Mode instead. |
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Hell yes!