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TomCochrane
Trad climber
Boulder Creek CA
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Jun 15, 2010 - 01:06am PT
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It's not so easy to spot a drifting boat from the air unless you have precise GPS coordinates, such as from an EPIRB. The EPIRB batteries on 'Wild Eyes' aren't going to last much longer, but the boat will probably show up somewhere closer to shore eventually.
So there was a Discovery Channel film crew a few years ago that borrowed a sailboat to go to the Farallon Islands outside of San Francisco's Golden Gate. They anchored offshore of the islands and took a Zodiac to shore. They were having dinner on the beach when the wind changed and pulled the boat's anchor free and sent it drifting out to sea.
The insurance company hired Chelsea to go look for it from the air. They searched for three long days and were never able to see it. This is a relatively confined area with well known winds and currents. The sailboat eventually showed up near the Channel Islands outside of Santa Barbara and Los Angeles.
More recently, I was taking off from Watsonville Airport in my plane, when NorCal called and asked me to make a search for a Lancair with an engine fire that had just crashed with a broadcasting ELT. The area in Monterey Bay that they asked me to search turned out to be several miles in the wrong direction from the airport. Even when I later knew exactly where the crash was located near the airport, it was extremely difficult to see from the air, even from a low altitude.
And I don't think any of my friends with thousands of skydives would want to try landing on the deck of a small boat in high winds. Perhaps you could jump with a small inflatable with the sort of sealed outboard engine used by the SEAL teams.
The SEALs also launch their inflatables from a Chinook in a low hover, but I don't think you could get one out that far unless you started from a conveniently located aircraft carrier.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISvmLcJ3atA
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Jun 15, 2010 - 01:08am PT
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While we're sailing slippery slopes, what age would be acceptable for a youngster to lead a trad climb, particularly without parental supervision?
Sure it's more dangerous to sail the ocean alone, but the kid had plenty of epic experience before that. If she were a climber who had led tons of trad cracks, then the rostrum, then Astroman, and then climbed the Prow, would it be a crime to let her solo Zodiac or pull leads on the Nose?
Wanna put laws and liability into other people's sports? Willing to have those rules extend to climbing?
Tough calls. It's one thing to make em for your own kids, but what sort of latitude should other parent's values and ideas come into play?
Then there is the skill and discipline issue. Basically, no kid gets to be an olympic gynnast (and they are almost ALL KIDS these days) without an insane about of risk, sacrifice of other kid stuff, and discipline. How much regulation should govern this?
Just askin
Peace
Karl
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FRUMY
Trad climber
SHERMAN OAKS,CA
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Jun 15, 2010 - 02:39am PT
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pro-circuit is a company - it's owned by the guy in the wheel chair.
club racing is year round in most southern states. you forgot Arenacross.
now it's outdoor ama-pro motocross. third race of the season was last weekend. most of the 250 cc (lite class) riders are under 19. but their are at least 3 older world champs racing with those 16 - 19 year old kids. a U.S. championship is worth more the best riders are here. these young kids are the best & amazing, but they are pushed to the limit. you win or you are repaced.
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426
climber
Buzzard Point, TN
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Jun 15, 2010 - 09:57am PT
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Lucky in what regard?...Looks like you are arguing down a slippery slope rather than accepting that a 16 yo gurl sailed around the world, 21,600 nautical miles be damned....
"***
Success is simply a matter of luck. Ask any failure.
-Earl Wilson
or perhaps:
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The lucky person passes for a genius.
-Euripides
I hear you on the parent thing, yet how many parents turn over the keys to a kid at 16...(bad car guy analogy, yet oddly apt....) This even plays in a way to our forum, iirc ChrisMac was 16 when he took Morgan (then 13) up El Cap...(?) Youngest ascent in any case according to Hans' page...
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coondogger
Trad climber
NH
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Jun 16, 2010 - 08:56am PT
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Show title, "adventures in sunderland". Reported to have signed months ago.
Did they send her out months ahead of when most would want to make passage through those waters to set an age record?
I think we all agree this is an amazing young woman with tenacity and grit. No question. I think the concern for many/most is the timing and motivation of her parents and the balance between giving a kid wings to fly vs the moral responsibility of keeping that kid safe. Whenever press prestige or pay get involved with motivation, reasons get clouded.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Jun 16, 2010 - 12:22pm PT
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Could it have been the kid's motivation and persistence? Maybe the parents tried to hold her back but she wore them down.
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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Jun 16, 2010 - 12:33pm PT
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Would I venture into the Indian Ocean in late fall? No, but then again I would probably be a little reluctant to venture there even in the "good" season.
Whoa...that one made me think Sir Guido.
If my man Guido won't do it, then that chick's got bigger ballz than most of us put together!
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John Moosie
climber
Beautiful California
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Jun 16, 2010 - 12:36pm PT
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If my man Guido won't do it, then that's chick's got bigger ballz than most of us put together!
Or not enough experience to realize just how dangerous it is.
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TomCochrane
Trad climber
Boulder Creek CA
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Jun 16, 2010 - 01:15pm PT
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We're talking about the wilderness of open ocean; not just an extension of city chatter. If you have to buy a camping permit or get the approval of your local social worker, it's not wilderness. I used to wander the Idaho Sawtooths for weeks as a pre-teen with my folks having no idea where I was and only a vague idea when I would be back. My dad taught me fly fishing as soon as I could walk, so they knew I wouldn't starve out there. On two occasions I had to outrun and hide from hunters with rifles who decided to hunt me and used up a lot of ammo in my direction. In northern Alaska there are little kids not allowed to go for a walk alone until big enough to hold a shotgun steady on a bear. And as soon as pre-teens can reach the rudder pedals, they can fly the family float plane over to the next lake to spend the afternoon with a friend.
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FRUMY
Trad climber
SHERMAN OAKS,CA
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Jun 16, 2010 - 03:15pm PT
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THANK YOU TOM
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TomCochrane
Trad climber
Boulder Creek CA
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Jun 18, 2010 - 06:25pm PT
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So three tough guys who are all experienced sailors, including a professional licensed mariner, are in a nice fully equipped 39' Pierson sailing vessel heading up the coast from La Pas Mexico to San Francisco after a provisioning stop in Moro Bay.
Chelsea and I got a call early this morning asking us to go 17 miles offshore to tow them back to Santa Cruz - moderate 8-10 ft seas, moderate winds, nothing wrong with the boat...just fatigue...
To locate them out there took several GPS fix corrections by cell phone, ADF steering onto their VHF signal, and radar, and our two pairs of eyes scanning the haze for their sails. We told them we had them in sight from about 1.6 miles away. They didn't see us with our flashing red strobe light until we were almost on top of them. Without all the electronics it would have been practically impossible to find them.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Jun 18, 2010 - 06:39pm PT
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Read something on the net today about Kayaking the biggest waterfalls and a 15 year old had done one of the top 3 or 4 ever done at around 125ft. I can't find the article about the 15 year old, but they referenced this video of the biggest. http://surftherenow.com/2009/05/16/kayaker-paddles-186-ft-waterfall-sets-record/ When are you old enough to consent to that. Number two was a guy that had done Niagra but died in the attempt.
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TomCochrane
Trad climber
Boulder Creek CA
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Jun 18, 2010 - 06:52pm PT
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I just got a PayPal refund with the note: 'Thank you for your donation, however all efforts to retrieve Abby's boat have been exhausted'
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TomCochrane
Trad climber
Boulder Creek CA
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Jun 18, 2010 - 10:36pm PT
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http://soloround.blogspot.com/
Family Post
Our family would like to thank everyone for their wonderful support and encouragement over the past week. As you can imagine it has been an exhausting time with so many mixed emotions and we are now eagerly looking forward to Abby’s return.
We will not be issuing any further public or private statements. To assist us to manage the publicity Abby’s trip has created we have appointed a public relations consultant / manager to act on our behalf and request that from this point, all media enquiries be directed to him. This will enable us to return to our primary role – parents to our children and in particular at this moment, a supportive mom and dad to Abby.
We would ask that you respect our family’s request for privacy at this time. Our focus is on both Abby and our new baby who is expected to arrive into the world at anytime. The next couple of weeks will be very exciting for us.
We will continue to update our blog with Abby’s progress and in due course Abby will be available to tell her story.
Thank You,
Laurence & Marianne Sunderland
Media / publicity enquiries – Please contact Lyall Mercer:
USA: 310-776-7557 (Int: 1-310-776-7557)
Australia: 0413-749-830 (Int: 61-413-749-830)
Email: info@mercerpr.com
Clarifying Misinformation
There has been so much written in the media that is either incorrect or out of context. We’d like to clear up a few points:
AUSTRALIAN SEARCH AND RESCUE COSTS:
The Australian government has never asked us to contribute anything towards the recovery costs and has no intention of doing so. Australia – like the USA and other countries with significant coastlines, are part of the international agreement to assist those who need help within their search and rescue territories. All of these nations do this for citizens of all countries and this is funded by the respective governments. Australia has a robust media and each time there is a rescue – irrespective of the nationality of the person concerned – the media alone tends to make this an issue which in turn stirs up some emotions. We value and appreciate the Australian government and volunteer organisations – as we do the French authorities - who assisted Abby.
REALITY SHOW
We were approached by Magnetic Entertainment last year before Abby departed to shop a reality TV show based on our family. Abby's trip was already sponsored. Their idea was to do an inspiring show about Zac and Abby’s adventures, what our family was like and what made them as strong and independent as they are. The show was shopped and not sold. All rights were returned to us. There is no reality TV show or documentary in the works and we are not pursuing one. It is sad and ironic that some of the media - who are sensationalizing and twisting Abby’s story for profit - accuse us of doing the same thing. We can assure you that our priority is the protection of our children, something all parents will understand.
Laurence & Marianne Sunderland
Posted by Abby Sunderland at 9:07 AM 600 comments
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Aboard the Ile de la Reunion
Everything is going well out here. I'm still getting used to walking around on board and it takes both hands to keep myself from falling up and down the narrow halls. I'm still having trouble typing on this key pad but I've got a few more days to get the hang of it.
Everyone on board has been really friendly. They have come a long way out of their way to help me and I am so thankful that they did. My mom has told me about all that the different rescue groups did to help find me. So thank you to all of you. I had only hoped that a ship would pass by me within a few weeks. I am really in awe. Thank you to everyone involved.
The captain is a big, friendly, bald guy with a big beard. He speaks English pretty well and he says, "Is no good to worry about the boat. Is just a boat, you is safe. You should not think about the past." Which is true, but its hard to keep my mind off everything that's happened.
Everyone in the bridge has been fending off the press and I'm very grateful for that. I really don't want to start doing interviews quite yet.
I have started writing. At first I decided that I wasn't going to write a book. But then I started to think about all the good times Wild Eyes and I have had together. All that's left of the voyage of Wild Eyes are my memories, eventually they will get fuzzy and I won't remember all the details. I don't want that to happen. Wild Eyes and my trip have been the best thing I have ever done or been through and I don't ever want to forget all the great times we have had together, or the bad ones for that matter.
The story of Wild Eyes is over, but my story is still going. I'm still out on the ocean headed to a little island called Kerguelen and then will be on another boat for ten days up to an island near Madagascar. From there I will eventually make it home.
So, on goes my adventure!
Abby
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Jun 29, 2010 - 05:45pm PT
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Article based on news conference in the Los Angeles Times today:
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-sunderland-m,0,3767504.story
Abby Sunderland recounts storm at sea and failed attempt to circumnavigate the globe
By Catherine Saillant
June 29, 2010 | 12:09 p.m.
Poised calmly before dozens of cameras, rescued teen sailor Abby Sunderland on Tuesday recounted the harrowing storm and rogue wave that ended her attempt to sail around the world.
The strongest gales had abated and Abby was down in the cabin working on the engine when a giant wave caught the sails and rolled the boat upside-down. It immediately righted, and when Abby got to the deck, she saw that there was nothing more than a 1-inch stub where her 60-foot mast had been.
During the rollover, she got banged up and briefly blacked out, she said.
"When I got outside, there was nothing there," she said at a news conference at Marina del Rey. "It was a 1-inch stub. There was nothing to jury-rig."
Sunderland recounted the terrifying moments, talked about what she had learned and responded to criticism of her parents during the hourlong news conference.
Sunderland, 16, earlier this month had to abort an attempt to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe. She was rescued June 12 by a French fishing vessel in the Indian Ocean after drifting for two days in her stricken 40-foot yacht Wild Eyes.
She said there were definitely moments when she was terrified on the sea, but she was expecting that when she set sail from Marina del Rey in late January.
She said criticism of her parents allowing her to attempt such a feat at a young age came from people unfamiliar with her and her family. She noted that she had been sailing most of her life and had worked as a crew member on sailboats piloted by her father and older brother, Zac, before leaving on her trip. Zac made his own successful around-the-world solo trip at age 17 last year.
She noted that she had crossed two oceans, two cape horns and was only stopped by a rough wave. "My trip didn't end because of something I did wrong," she said.
She said she might write a book about her experience but that her family would not do a reality TV show or a documentary. She said the criticism of her parents was "extremely hurtful."
For now, she said, she planned to concentrate on finishing high school and getting a driver's license. But she said her love of the sea had only grown with the trip.
"I have sailed 12,000 miles, and I'm proud of my achievements," she said. "The more I sail, the more I like sailing. I'm definitely going to do more."
Sunderland's parents did not attend the news conference because her mother, Marianne, was in labor with the family's eighth child, a boy. Sunderland revealed at the news conference that the family had decided to name the baby Paul, after the captain of the Ile de la Reunion, the fishing vessel that plucked Abby from the sea.
Copyright © 2010, The Los Angeles Times
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Jun 29, 2010 - 06:57pm PT
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Wait a minute; "two Cape Horns"?
Is this journalist an idiot? She really didn't say that, did she?
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