16 year old Abby Sunderland from Thousand Oaks, CA set sail yesterday from the Del Ray Yacht club in the 40 foot Wild Eyes. Abby's hoping to become the youngest person ever to sail solo around the globe.
Awesome. Abso-frickin-lutely awesome!
Part of me is worried for her.
Part of me is green with envy.
Abby's attempting something I've fantasized about doing ever since I saw the movie The Dove back in the early 70s. One problem, I don't have a sailboat. Another problem, I don't know how to sail. Besides those two minor issues, I think I could do it.
I plan on tracking her journey. I'm going to check in on Abby's progress every day, here.
If you feel like adding Abby's blog to your list of follows, it's over there on the right.
From her website:
Abigail (“Abby”) Sunderland turned sixteen in October 2009. To the outward observer, she is a seemingly cleancut, All-American girl…the second of seven children. But inside of Abby, a passion burns. Since becoming a teenager, she has had her sights set on making history as the youngest person, male or female, to circumnavigate the world. Not only does she plan to accomplish this feat alone and unassisted, she plans to do it without once taking refuge on land. Aboard an Open 40 racing sailboat, Abby will embark on her voyage in January 2010 from Marina del Rey, California. By June 2010, Abby plans to have made history.
There was a young girl from Europe (Holland maybe?) who was also trying to do this! I'm fascinated by the bravery so obvious in one so young!
ReplyDeleteI do know how to sail (well, I *did*) and although we don't currently have a sailboat, I can tell you it takes some major cojones to attempt this!!
Abby is one woman I will look forward to following as she grows up!