A Nation Of Wimps
Badtux called it a cult of safety, which was exemplified by a CNN poll showing that 68% of the respondents thought it was too dangerous for a 16-year-old “girl” to sail around the world alone.
If I were Abby Sunderland’s insurance agent, I would much prefer that she engage in something as safe as a solo sail around the world, than being a teenage driver in California. The southern oceans are treacherous, but not as dangerous as the I-405 or Pacific Coast Highway with chemically impaired celebrities whizzing around. Just look at the numbers.
The ABC noted that:
The parents of 16-year-old US sailor Abby Sunderland have defended her solo round-the-world attempt after her successful rescue by a French fishing boat.
The Australians are not apt to get too carried away with the “danger” to Ms Sunderland, as they just welcomed home Jessica Watson, a 16-year-old Australian who just finished her sail around the world. Ms Watson sailed a S&S 34, a proven design, and kept connected with a blog.
Ms Sunderland sailed a slightly larger Open 40, designed for solo sailing, and her vessel had already been around the world many times. She too had a blog.
Despite being demasted and losing its keel, the vessel remained afloat, and Ms Sunderland followed the proper protocol for seeking assistance. Imagine what would have happened to her if she had been t-boned by SUV blowing through a red light?
What father in his right mind wouldn’t want his 16-year-old daughter sailing around the world solo, rather than attending the local high school [it’s a “guy” thing, because we know what 16-year-old guys are like]?
16 comments
About the only complaints I have about the parents’ behavior is that once she got delayed by initial equipment troubles so that she’d hit the winter storm season, the delay that led to her not being able to beat the Australian girl, they didn’t delay her by a few months more so she’d miss the winter storm season. Even then, while that raised the risks significantly, the possibility of her dying in that boat with all the technological gear she had — the sat phone, the emergency beacons, marine radio, and so forth, not to mention the boat itself, which is pretty near unsinkable — was decidedly less than on a typical California freeway, where the mangled bodies of teenagers are cut out of cars every day.
I think it’s that old Puritan ethic again, the same thing that drives religious fundamentalists. I.e., safety nazis are motivated by the sneaking suspicion that someone, somewhere, is having fun — and that this must be stopped.
— Badtux the Snarky Penguin
Actually, most Aussies were concerned for Abby, and very glad she is OK. It could have happened to Jessica just as easily. Most Aussies will be hoping that Abby doesn’t give up on her dream, and I’m sure Jess will be happy to help her out. 🙂 Aussies love someone that young and gutsy challenging the odds, even while being worried about all the things that can go wrong! We understand all about the risks.
Abby is a damned gutsy young lady! And she should be remembered as such, and encouraged. She isn’t stopping all the bed-wetters from staying under their Mom’s beds, that’s their choice.
Speaking of adventurous girls and happy endings, I give you the results from today’s 100th running of the Dipsea footrace in Marin County, California. It’s a rugged, difficult run, mostly on narrow trails, with timed starts. So you’ve got your first-across-the-line runners, and fastest overall times, and your bumps and scrapes and disasters. This year the first across the line was 8 year old Reilly Johnson, with 68 year-old Melody-Anne Schultz right on her heels. I volunteer at the race’s first aid/water station, so I saw young Reilly blazing up Cardiac Hill, in first place, so tiny and strong, with a big smile on her face. I can pretty much say the same thing about Melody-Anne: twins except for 60 years. God, I love this race. Here’s a link and a photo:
http://www.marinij.com/dipsea/ci_15290776
Oh, I dropped by via Dependable Renegade.
I am not a fan of the southern oceans and I only had to occasionally fly over them. It was always a bumpy ride and there wasn’t much of a ditching option if things got interesting.
As you say, Badtux, the vessel had multiple flotation chambers, and a lot of redundancy built in for emergencies. It must have been a hell of an event to snap a carbon fiber mast and the keel.
Yes the timing was not good, but she was ready to leave and apparently strong willed.
For the people who think it was dangerous, try driving behind one of the Mexican pick-ups that collected used tires heading South on I-5. They were stacked so high they barely made under the bridges, and the scrap lumber used to increase the capacity really didn’t look up to the task. Things are really scary on SoCal freeways.
The thing is, Kryten, you would have been just as concerned about anyone in that situation, no matter what their age. Jessica had some nasty moments on her voyage, but that was the entire point, proving themselves. I’m thrilled that there are still teenagers in this country willing and able to take chances, people with dreams.
Welcome to the Gulf Coast Larkspur. It’s nice to now that kids are doing more that staring at video screens of one kind or another.
Hiya Larkspur, and welcome! 😀 And yeah, that is one heck of a race! 😆 Thanks for posting about it.
The thing is, Kryten, you would have been just as concerned about anyone in that situation, no matter what their age. Jessica had some nasty moments on her voyage, but that was the entire point, proving themselves. I’m thrilled that there are still teenagers in this country willing and able to take chances, people with dreams.
Yup! Taking the current youngster’s view into account, it is really something special for people like Jess and Abby to even think about it, let alone actually attempt it! Amazing people, truly! I salute them and all like them. There may be some hope, after all… 😉 😀
I just had another look at that news item Larkspur posted above about the 100th Dipsea Race that an 8YO girl won. I had another hard look at the photo, and it’s amazing to see such determination and winning attitude on the face of an 8YO! Great photo. I suspect that if she decided to continue, she may well be a future track star! Gutsy kid for sure! 😀
Thanks again Larkspur, there hasn’t been much to smile about lately (apart from Bryan’s kitten shenanigans!) 😆
There are pirates in them waters! And huge squid! And and… um… lots of water! Be afraid!1
Marin County is the north end of the Golden Gate bridge, and is not exactly level, so that was a hill climb, not just a race. Impressive effort, and well worth encouraging.
You’re right, Ellroon, the message we send to children is don’t do anything, because everything is too dangerous, and then we are on their case because they are out of shape.
I think the pirates have better sense than to attempt the southern oceans in their boats. It would be one long haul from Somalia across a whole lot of nothing. Of course, most Americans have almost no knowledge of anything south of the Equator. 😉
At 16, Zac Sunderland set sail across the world on a boat. People raved about his brave spirit of adventure.
At 16, his sister set sail….ran into trouble…and people are freakin’.
It’s OK if you are a boy…but not OK if you are a girl.
It’s only “girl power” if you can buy it, wear it and look sexy doing so. It’s not “girl power” if you actually try to accomplish something in your life.
Geez.
I would imagine that both Jessica and Abby know who Dame Ellen MacArthur is, and would like to sail like she did.
Dame Ellen is all of 5’2″ and took the solo around the world record at 28. Being from Derbyshire, which is landlocked, Dame Ellen had to wait to start sailing.
I fail to see why you can be gold medalist in the Olympics at 16, but sailing is too dangerous.
Yeah, really! You know I hate double standards, and there are WAY too many these days! I really think that in the case of people like Jess, Abby and even that little 8yo Reilly… It’s simply pure jealousy and cowardice because the naysayers didn’t and don’t have the guts to attempt anything, and as an excuse, they can trot out all the stat’s until the cow’s come home about why it shouldn’t be done! They *REALLY* hate it when someone like Jess proved them wrong! I bet they almost had an epiphany when poor Abby’s luck ran out. Bastards! I really, REALLY hope Abby is just more determined now! You go Grrrrl!! 😉 😀
It’s pretty simple for me. I’ll respect and support anyone, of any sex, age, race, whatever who has the gut’s and determination to *have a go*! So long as they understand the risks, and prepare for the worst, and still want to go… achieving their goal and even winning is simply the icing on the cake. They are already several rungs above most of Humanity in my book, simply because they damned well tried, and had the guts to do so knowing the risks! The rest of humanity seems content to be afraid of every shadow! They make me totally sick and annoyed that I have to be part of the same race as them! I’ve done it, and anyone can. I’ve succeeded, and I’ve failed. But I always did my very best, and even beyond. Nobody can do better than that.
BTW, I don’t just mean you have to do extreme sports or take insane risks either! Not everyone can do that, heck I’d salute anyone for having a go at something that others might consider simple, but for that person is outside the norm. 🙂 Sometimes, you have to succeed in small steps before you can succeed big! The thing with Jess and Abby for me is they attempted to do something huge and way outside a normal teen’s comfort zone! Which is why I am so proud of them, even though I have never met them, and probably never will. 🙂
From Abby’s blog:
A Note from Abby
So sad… If you have a heart and soul, you can feel her pain. You can hear how disappointed, and angry she is! And rightly so… I can’t help thinking “Poor kid!” Even though she isn’t a *kid* any more. She may be young in age, but she’s just leaped 20 years in experience! As I read that, I see a lot of wisdom as well as the anger and disappointment. And that’s a good thing. 🙂
You know, with all the experience I have and all I’ve seen and read and heard… I generally hate Humanity. But, thanks to people like Abby, and even Brian and others here and there… I think that some of the individuals are OK! 😉 🙂
The sad part is that Abby is being more “adult” about this than the “adults”.
The US is a nation that sends 18-year-olds off to war after a few months of training, but freaks out because someone who has been sailing for years is “only 16”.
Sad to say, it’s not just the USA. We have our share of loud-mouthed fools and cowardly idiots too. I saw a couple Aussies posted stupid rants on blogs about things like Abby should pay for her rescue and crap. At least the head of our Maratime Rescue Services is saner. He’s said to reporters they should remember that if it was one of them lost somewhere far away from Aus, they should hope that someone there would rescue them. It’s part of the International Code.
People just piss me off most days! 🙁
Bah!
I just saw this posted on Abby’s blog…
Answers to the Critics
Yup!! That is 100% spot on!! Last night in our News, Quantas has stated that they haven’t billed the Gov for the use of their aircraft or time, nor do they intend to (and Quantas *ARE* (usually) tight-arses! I guess even a tight-arse knows when it’s good PR to do the right thing!) 😉 😛
Charge for it? Doing it is part of the Law of the Seas. Even my crowd was required to monitor the guard and emergency frequencies for distress calls. Hell, we used resources to locate them if possible, because we would want people looking for us if we went down.
She had all of the modern equipment, so it wasn’t like the search for the French airliner that went down between Brazil and Africa. That’s why she was picked up so quickly. Compare this search to one for a day sailor who got caught in a storm out from a local harbor and was reported missing by a friend or family member. Those searches take a lot more time and resources.
That French fishing boat responded because it had to, whether it wanted to or not, and they were in the same area. It’s what you have to do if you want to sail on the ocean, no matter what your reason, or mode of power.