Out of the many sailors who set out to achieve circumnavigation, only 200 have completed the course. The remaining crowd either gave up midway, or they got lost at sea, which is scarier than our greatest nightmares.

Despite the discouraging odds, a young girl named Abby Sunderland made up her mind and decided to break the record in 2010. She got her boat and equipment ready to go and set out on the journey of a lifetime. Not knowing that a disaster was waiting for her at the sea, and there was nothing she could do about it.

 

Roaring Teen

Advertisements:

Abby wasn’t just any other girl, and her story is a very polarising topic. To put this into context, you must understand that most of the 200 people who have managed to pull of the sail of a lifetime are experienced sailors well into their adult years.

Abby wasn’t even old enough to be called a young adult; she was sixteen years old when she decided to go on this voyage. Yes, sixteen! Yet, she wasn’t any ordinary sixteen years old, and her family’s past is to blame for the way her life turned out.

 

Ahoy Mate

Sailing is an age-old sport and tradition that has withstood the sands of time. Sailors have become part of pop culture and history; from pirates and explorers, you are bound to be awestruck by their stories and legends.

There’s bound to be a big fish in any water body, and in the world of sailing, circumnavigators are the crème de la crème of the crop. This small bunch of extraordinary individuals makes the round trip in one go amid all obstacles and developments. Sailing aside, this is not a small feat, and they deserve all the accolades they get.

 

A Sea Affair

Laurence Sunderland was an avid sailor who grew up on the Southern Coast of England. His love for the sea was inherited from his parents, and it was therefore unsurprising when he decided to pass down his passion for the activity to his eight children.

Laurence and his wife Marianne made frequent voyages on the 51-foot boat, and before long, his children were part of the crew. They made one merry team of seafarers as time went on, and everyone in the family was a competent sailor in a few years; the children more so than their parents.

 

Unexpected Inspiration

The Sunderlands frequented the Channel Islands and Baja California in their many voyages, and in 2009, the son, Zac, took up a daunting task. Zac decided to take on a solo voyage and circumnavigate the globe.

Zac managed to carry out the voyage successfully and gained fame and glory globally. Aside from this, Zac’s successful trip had a more significant impact on his family. The Sunderlands were proud of their sailing champion, but Zac’s sister was more than proud; she was inspired to follow in her brother’s footsteps and take on the arduous journey when she came of age.

 

Fire In The Mountain

Still, you must be wondering where Abby got all this fire from. We have all heard about sibling rivalry, but the Sunderlands were a different breed. Instead of fighting over toys and candy, Abby and her brother were fighting over world records.

After Zac made a successful trip around the globe, Abby was fired up and wanted to one-up her elder sibling. She wasn’t ready to be outshone and had plans to prove her worth to the world by doing what Zac did and breaking a few world records while at it. They don’t make them like they used to.

 

A Lost Cause

So, Abby was motivated than ever by her brother’s achievement and sought to beat Zac’s record as the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the globe by taking on the challenge at just sixteen years old. Expectedly, the father wasn’t too keen on this development and tried his best to discourage his kids from going on this adventure.

To discourage them, Mr. Sunderland took Abby and Zac to rough waters in an attempt to scare them and get them to drop their plan. But, as already evidenced, this didn’t work. In fact, it had the reverse effect as the children were given more reason to carry on.

 

The Salty Seas

During one of their rough water voyages, Laurence had taken Abby out to sea, and they were caught in a storm. They had been through a 20-hour voyage, meaning; fatigue was already setting in. Their ability to handle the ship in such dire conditions would be significantly hampered, and things were looking bleak.

Surprisingly, Abby stepped up to the game and made quick work of the ship handling it masterfully. The girl managed to keep the boat afloat through the storm, much to her father’s surprise. Although, her masterclass sailing skills were probably not enough for what awaited her in the upcoming journey.

 

A Proper Purchase

Before long, Abby managed to convince her father she was ready for the most remarkable voyage of her life, and it was time she broke the Guinness World Record that her brother had set. Together with her father, Abby went to Rhode Island, where they purchased a boat.

The avid sailor chose a 40-foot sloop that was crafted from Kevlar and fiberglass named Wild Eyes. Before Abby could set sail, she had to test her new boat to ensure it was up to standard. On the other hand, Abby’s recent win in an open race was lifting her spirits.

 

Test Drive

Testing a boat is a huge deal, and Abby wasn’t taking any chances; she took her father and her brother on an Atlantic voyage towards Southern California for the test sail. This ride was meant to give Abby insight into handling the boat and what to look out for.

Luckily, the trip was successful, and there was no incident worth noting. It seemed Abby was all set to make the arduous journey, and there was nothing in her way. Yet, this was far from the truth as some people weren’t excited about this journey.

 

Voices of Reason

Abby’s age was a huge deal, and understandably so, 16 years isn’t exactly a mature period in anyone’s life. It is for this reason Abby’s story caught media attention, and many people raised their concerns about a 16-year-old going on such a wild journey.

Surprisingly, the most vocal voice against the Sunderlands’ decision was the first American woman who circumnavigated the globe. At this point, it is safe to say Abby had the odds stacked against her, and it is more surprising that she didn’t let up and give up on her mission. Or did she?

 

Professional Counsel

Karen Thorndike is a famous sailor as she managed to sail around the world on a solo voyage at 63 years of age. Her age wasn’t the highlight of the journey as she was the first American woman to successfully pull off the trip, marking her name in the history books.

Karen’s journey wasn’t as glamorous as her feat was made to look. In fact, the long journey had seen lots of obstacles cross her path as she dealt with bad weather, fatigue, and equipment failure. This sailor definitely knew what she was talking of when she raised her concerns against Abby’s trip.

 

Age Is Just a Number?

After Karen’s journey description, you can understand how Abby, a sixteen-year-old, making a solo trip around the globe doesn’t make much sense. Karen had a point; a sixteen-year-old might not have the strength and the necessary willpower to handle such a demanding task.

But, let’s not forget that Abby wasn’t any sixteen years old, she was Abby Sunderland, a third-generation sailor, and she was ready to wear her armor and take the challenge head-on. Besides, what’s the worst that could happen? Many people had tried this voyage before and succeeded. What difference does it make?

 

New Rules

Every year, many people try their best to break various world records, and many factors determine their success. In some cases, these factors have been advantageous to the participants, and therefore the Guinness committee never took any chances when setting up these record-breaking events.

Special rules had to be set up for various events to ensure the outcome was always fair and uncontested. Can you imagine if everyone was allowed to do their own thing? We’d probably have many unique records, and in some cases, people with geographical or equipment advantages would monopolize most forms.

 

Abby’s Rules

In Abby’s case, the route and direction of travel were predetermined by the committee. This enabled the total distance to be equal in all future and current attempts at this journey.

Abby’s route was set to start in Marina del Rey and back. In between, the sixteen-year-old had to sail Cape Leeuwin, Cape Horn, and the Cape of Good Hope before making her way back. Moreover, Abby had to complete the journey in ten legs without any assistance. Furthermore, it has to be a completely solo journey meaning no one was supposed to be on board the ship during the whole trip.

 

The Journey Begins

On January 23, 2010, Abby left the Marina Del Rey Harbor and set out on her incredible journey to cross the international waters in one fell swoop. No sooner had Abby set sail than she developed mechanical difficulties, and she had to stop in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, to examine her boat.

 

Abby’s boat wasn’t getting enough power due to some fuelling system issues, which negatively impacted her time frame. As soon as she had her issue sorted, Abby set sail to make up for lost time with the hopes that she will make it fast.

Advertisements:

 

So Far So Good

After leaving Mexico, Abby had her sights on her first breakable record. Sooner than later, she became the youngest person to round Cape Horn, a very challenging region. Her luck seemed to be aplenty as she also managed to safely cross the Roaring Forties, which is known for intense winds and currents.

So far, so good, or so it seemed. Either way, Abby was off to a good start, and it was only a matter of time before she was on her way back to clinch her title. Yet, this wasn’t going to be the case as the young sailor was about be experience some looming difficulties.

 

Disaster Galore

Three months after setting out on her journey, Wild Eyes had some serious problems that needed urgent attention. Abby’s journey had been hammered with thunderstorms that had affected the systems of the boat.

The autopilots needed maintenance and attention, some systems were long gone, and the boat’s engine almost gave up the ghost as Abby landed in Cape Town, South Africa. Luckily, Abby’s family managed to fly into Cape Town and assist the young sailor with her repairs, and within two weeks, she was happily back at sea. Still, this was far from the end of the troubles as disaster struck sooner than later.

 

It Never Rains, It Pours

As soon as Abby got to the Indian Ocean, things took a turn for the worst, and she was hit with giant thunderstorms that required the young one to try her best and keep the boat afloat for 24 hours straight. The storms kept coming, and at some point, Abby’s autopilots failed, and she had to stay up and navigate the ship on her own.

To make matters worse, the constant storms forced her hand, and Abby was forced to pick between sailing and repairs, and she chose the former. After a while, Abby decided to drop the sail that was stuck on the top line.

 

Up, Up and Away

It was a stormy night when Abby decided to climb the mast amid waves crashing against her boat, making it the most dangerous place she could ever be in. But, she had no choice, and it was the best course of action as the storm was getting unbearable, and it was only a matter of time before the winds made quick work of her boat.

Abby promptly called her family to hear their voices as she wasn’t sure she would make it through the night. It must have been a scary moment for the sixteen-year-old, and we can’t help but applaud her bravery.

 

Cruel Fate

The storm went on for sixteen hours straight, and it felt like it was never going to get better. As if the gods of luck were paying attention to our little angel, the weather seemed to subside, and Abby was ready to take a break from the heavy lifting.

As soon as she relaxed a little, tragedy struck, and everything went dark. A rogue wave hit the side of the boat, and Wild Eyes capsized. This was not the best ending to the miraculous journey, but fate has a cruel way to drive its point home.

 

Missing In Action

It wasn’t long before Abby’s family caught wind that something was amiss, and they alerted the relevant authorities that their family member was missing. In an instant, news outlets found out about the situation, and many headlines read that the sixteen-year-old sailor was missing at sea.

At this juncture, many people feared for the worst as very few people get rescued in such situations. Surprisingly, a search plane managed to locate Wild Eyes, which showed signs of destruction. The boat was missing a hatch, and the mast and sail had sunk. As for Abby, her whereabouts were still a mystery.

 

Fishers of Men

In the meantime, Abby was having an adventure of her own. The young girl was drifting off the Australian coast about 4700 miles offshore. Luckily a French vessel named La Réunion found the drifting lady and took her on board.

The crewmates had no idea if the girl’s health had been affected by the ordeal. To them, they were just happy they managed to save an almost drowning girl who had faced a scary end to her impeccable journey. So far, this turned out to a heart-thumping story that would hook any avid sailor or fan of the craft.

 

All’s Well

After her accident, Abby had been drifting at sea for a night and half a day which was a relatively short time to experience significant harm at sea. The French boat had saved her from possible dehydration and other physical complications.

The young sailor only had physical and emotional exhaustion to contend with, mainly caused by her arduous months at sea. The near-drowning was the icing on the cake, but it didn’t impact Abby’s health in any significant way. But, if you must know, and if you know us, this was far from the end of her story.

 

That’s Not Even Right

After these developments came to light, media outlets were baying for blood, and the initial concerns about Abby’s parenting came to light. Many people raised their opinions and concerns regarding the case, and even professionals had a thing or two to say.

It was turning ugly, and it wasn’t looking well for the family. All they had wanted was to support the little girl, and they did their best to ensure the trip was as safe as possible. On the other hand, Abby had broken a record, and her sailing skills had proven to be up to standard since she lasted in the ocean for months.

 

Case 1

As for the critics, they had a lot to say about this developing situation. For starters, many of them claimed that the boat Abby picked wasn’t the best one for the job, and that’s one reason why her trip was doomed from the start.

Despite everything, the boat did last for months, so it’s a bit puzzling how this argument was even tolerated, but when such stories come to light, people are bound to speculate. Not knowing what actually happened to Abby and her boat at the sea, critics were arguing that the 16-year-old was at fault.

 

Argument For Argument’s Sake

Secondly, some people argued that the time of the year was a wrong choice as it wasn’t conducive and proper for the voyage. This argument might hold some merit, but in Abby’s defense, she managed to go through most of the way without any significant issues until she got to the Indian Ocean.

On the other hand, the weather isn’t guaranteed, and it takes a lot more than climate predictions to have a smooth sail. In Abby’s case, she managed to pull through the storms, and a rogue wave was the culprit to blame. The weather did play a part, but the girl was competent, or do you think differently?

 

Opportunity Cost

As people were busy flexing their seafaring knowledge and throwing criticism left, right and center, Abby was dealing with the aftermath of the boat wreck. The wreck had a profound impact on the girl, and she had to contend with emotional, physical, and financial scars.

After Abby was picked up and the damage was assessed, the numbers were done, and things looked bleak and scary for the family. The total costs of the whole operation were so huge that it affected the young sailor and her family. Moreover, her boat was left to sink in the bottom of the ocean as it wasn’t deemed a threat to other ships.

 

Expense Tracking

Abby’s boat came with state-of-the-art equipment, and it cost an arm and a leg to set up and unleash to the wild waters. Therefore, the boat sinking was a huge loss for the Sunderlands; it pinched hard when they were informed it would be left at sea.

Abby’s rescue operation totaled to a gut-wrenching three hundred thousand dollars which is more than enough to bankrupt anyone with a fickle financial backing. Then there was the emotional toll the wreck had on the sailor’s psyche. Honestly, if it were any of us, we wouldn’t set foot at sea for eons.

 

Bills To Pay

Luckily, most of the funding for the rescue operation was crowdsourced, which helped ease the family’s financial strain. Even so, their bills were more than they had bargained for, and they were having a hard time meeting these requirements.

Aside from the financial constraints, the crew of La Réunion had risked a lot to save Abby, and this also played a part in the family’s stress. They had hit a wall, and things were in disarray. Moreover, the boat was lost, meaning they couldn’t strip it for parts and sell them for cash. The Sunderlands needed another miracle as soon as possible.

 

An Old Friend

In 2019, 9 years after Abby’s unfortunate incident, something interesting happened. On New Year’s Eve, some tourists enjoyed their time off the coast of Kangaroo Island in Southwest Australia when they noticed a peculiar sight.

Something covered in barnacles was floating towards them, and you wouldn’t believe it; it was none other than Wild Eyes who had decided to make a surprise come back after all those years. Talk of the term being fashionably late being taken to a higher degree. On the other hand, the boat’s survival is a testament to its level of craftsmanship.

 

Memory Lane

Advertisements:

As soon as Abby got the news that her precious boat had been recovered, she was overwhelmed with emotions and memories of her wild journey. Surprisingly, as much as some of the memories were bad enough to scar her for life, Abby admitted that she would love to see her precious boat.

Her father agreed too and was more than ready to set a trap to view their old friend. The boat had impacted their lives in ways no one could ever have, and it was part of their history. Besides, Wild Eyes had done her best to see them, so they had to pay their respects.