I'm somewhere between "who cares" and "it's none of our business as long as it's paid for privately". Although I do wonder (since obviously she's not paying for all this herself), are her supporters (parents?) nuts for allowing a 16 year old to risk life over... this? What's the point?

I'm somewhere between "who cares" and "it's none of our business as long as it's paid for privately". Although I do have to say (since obviously she's not paying for this herself), are her supporters (parents?) nuts for allowing a 16 year old to risk life over... this? What's the point?

I was one the same page with George in the first sentence until he got holier than thou in the parenting department.

Her issues were the fault of bad luck in a particularly rough and stormy region, the Indian Ocean. That she made the journey that far without incident says to me that she is more than capable of completing her trip. She has the experience, talent, self reliance, resources necessary to accomplish this, so it is not our place to pass judgment on her quest.

I hope, when they are 16 years old, that my boys are so determined to follow their dreams.

What's the point? That other child girl did the same thing at 16 and if Abby does complete it she will be 17 when completed so she will not hold the record. She can do it to save face, but she will not be in the record book for doing it. Face it, SHE FAILED.

So long as her parents understand and accept all of the risks. It will be their responsibility if something happens to her... swept overboard, drowns in storm, raped/killed by muslim pirates near Africa, etc/

Sure...shy not?? She's not on the streets doing drugs or turning tricks.

Sure, so long as every time she's rescued in the middle of nowhere she reimburses the county rescuing her.

Who cares? Just stay away from the Bermuda Triangle, little Abby. Otherwise, your insane sail may be a one-way trip.

Why not? But she won't be the "youngest" to do so since she failed at het first attempt. Not a sermon but.... isn't allowing your minor child to set sail alone in the open oceans considered 'child neglect' or endangerment?

I hope she does. Maybe this time, she can take the management boards of Metro, and the Skins, and the DC Council, with her. All these sinking ships will keep each other company.

Why bother? The Australian teenager Jessica Watson beat her. Abby Sutherland is first-place loser.

Personally, I'd rather see her sail around the Gulf of Mexico with a sponge.

Oh, well if she's not going to be the first then what's the big deal? Anybody could sail solo around the world. All you need is a boat, some canned food and a few weeks of free time.

At 16 she should be spending her time worrying about being too fat to land a boyfriend on the football team, instead of wasting her time sailing.

Sure, as long as she (or, more likely, her parental units) pay for the thousands of dollars it takes to mount rescue attempts every time she breaks down in the Lower 40s. As Son of a Son of a Sailor put it, she could be getting into much worse trouble than this in her own home town...

Yes, but with the support of her parents and anyone else responsible for her welfare. I admire her courage, and what must be some skill as a sailor. Like many things in life, sailing entails risk - but I hope that Abby would not take on this aspect of sailing again. As one who loves boats and being on the water I wish her a lifetime of sailing...without the potential of a lonely, frightful death amidst 30-foot swells.......and all the heartbreak it would bring to her family and friends.
Must be a hard loss to swallow after having come this far...

I can't answer this poll question, as I feel it's none of my business. It should be up to her and her parents. NO ONE else should be involved. I also think we should reserve our judgments.

Having survived one teen daughter with a second daughter becoming a teen this summer, the idea of sending her on a solo sailing trip appeals to me greatly.

The peace and serenity of a teen-daughterless home isn't something to be taken lightly.

She's not my kid

MM,
You are a loser as are many HS football players who amount to next to nothing in life after their 5 years in HS (assuming they actually graduate). I guess in your mind she should be on her back in the backseat of a car instead of sitting in a boat.

Yes, but, we can all see now what happens when we let teenage girls get behind the wheel (steering or helm) and start texting. Even out in the middle of the friggin' ocean, the girl will crash if she is paying more attention to the little screen instead of on the task at hand.
Daddy should let HER pick: he takes away the keys, or electronic device.

NO ONE else should be involved, huh? How about the cost of all the rescue efforts? Sounds like another rich kid that needs a bailout, just like her parents got.

I thought is was just a French fishing vessel that responded to the distress signal and rescued her?

Seems like much ado about nothing. Must be a sow news month ... oh wait, BP has been dumping 50,000 barrels of oil a day for the past 56 days into the Gulf of Mexico. All in the name of Drill, baby, drill. No, I guess that's not news.

LOL, Mildly Misanthropic! Here's to your clever parody, which shows up how absurd it is that so many teenagers do prioritize such matters as looks and gettin' with the football boys.

Anonymous, your "You are a loser as are many HS football players who amount to next to nothing in life..." indicates that you took MM's commentary literally! - Lowspark

"At 16 she should be spending her time worrying about being too fat to land a boyfriend on the football team, instead of wasting her time sailing...."

Sure, as long as her family is going to fit the entire cost, and I mean all of the expenses involved in any rescue efforts! The nations along her route should not have to come out of their pockets with fuel, equipment and manpower expenses to save her if she gets into trouble again.

My darling anonymous @ 10:51 am

Sar • casm –noun
1. harsh or bitter derision or irony.
2. a sharply ironical taunt; sneering or cutting remark: a review full of sarcasms.

My comments were aimed at definition number two. And, my little melon head, are a perfect example of why I am Mildly Misanthropic. I suggest you reread the earlier comments (all equally as moronic as your own) discounting Abby Sunderland's attempt at circumnavigating the globe alone as pointless since she would be the SECOND 16-year-old girl to do it. My ironic spin, which was lost you I know, was that there are a lot more pointless things on which a 16-year-old girl could focus.

"She's not on the streets doing drugs or turning tricks." Nah, she's just whoring herself out for product endorsements, 15 min of fame, and a reality TV show. That's much better.