Abby Sunderland
Abby Sunderland | |
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Born | October 19, 1993 |
Nationality | American |
Occupation | Adventurer |
Known for | Setting out to be the youngest person to sail around the world solo. |
Abigail "Abby" Sunderland (October 19, 1993-June 10, 2010) set sail to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world.[1] Her brother, Zac Sunderland, was the first to complete such a journey before turning 18.[2] She initially set sail from Marina del Rey, California in her 40-foot boat Wild Eyes on January 23, 2010[3][dead link] but had to stop in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. She restarted her circumnavigation on February 6, 2010, planning to sail solo, nonstop, and unassisted leaving from and returning to Cabo San Lucas, but autopilot problems then forced Sunderland to stop at Cape Town for repairs.[4] She is writing a book during the journey that is planned to be published after the journey[5]. On June 10, 2010, while sailing in heavy seas and high winds in the Indian Ocean, both of her emergency EPIRB distress beacons were manually activated, triggering a search and rescue effort.[6]
Preparation and planning
Sunderland said she has been preparing for her journey since she was age 13.[1]. She has been training ocean sailing together with experienced sailors, especially her father, Laurence Sunderland. He described when he understood she had the determination to do it. "It was a particularly rough day and her boat was rocking from gunnel to gunnel. ... I knew she was freezing cold, tired and hungry, and we'd been at it for, you know, 20 hours at that stage. I said, 'So Abby, are you ready to sail around the world now?' To which she replied, 'Where is my boat?'"[7]
The planned sail route is: Marina del Rey – Cape Horn – Cape of Good Hope – Cape Leeuwin – Marina del Rey in 10 legs, solo and unassisted, in accordance with the definitions set by the International Sailing Federation World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC). According to the WSSRC, the Equator must be crossed according to the rules of world circumnavigation, which she will do in the Pacific Ocean as she departs and returns to Cabo San Lucas.
Sail-World reported concerns about the timing of her start: "While ... she will round the Horn in the height of summer when conditions should be the best they can be, her delayed departure ... means that by the time she sails south of Australia, the weather will be approaching Autumn, and the weather will be deteriorating."[8]
Sunderland's boat
History | |
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![]() | |
Name | Wild Eyes |
Operator | Abby Sunderland |
Route | Cabo San Lucas – Cape Horn – Cape of Good Hope – Cape Leeuwin – Cabo San Lucas |
Builder | A.S.A. Yachts PTY, Australia |
Completed | 2001 |
Acquired | October 24, 2009[9] |
Status | At sea |
General characteristics | |
Type | Sloop |
Tonnage | 16 (gross), 15 (net) |
Displacement | 7407 lbs (3360 kg) |
Length | 40 ft (12.19 m) |
Beam | 11.21 ft (3.41 m) |
Installed power | Yanmar (18 hp) |
Propulsion | Sails |
Sail plan | Bermuda (Marconi) rig |
Notes | Formerly BTC Velocity |
Sunderland's yacht, Wild Eyes, is a 40-foot (12.19 m) sloop built in 2001 by A.S.A. Yachts PTY, Australia. It was designed by Jutson Yacht, Australia, specifically to be sailed single-handedly through the Southern Ocean. As BTC Velocity, the vessel finished second in the Class 3 (Open 40) category of the Around Alone 2002 race.[10] Wild Eyes is constructed of E-glass with Kevlar reinforcement into five watertight compartments with a crash bulkhead and a stern escape hatch.[10] It was bought in Rhode Island by the Sunderland family in October 2009, then sailed by Abby and Zac, with their father Laurence, to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida for transport to California. Wild Eyes was refit in Marina Del Rey, California with an array of electrical, communication and navigation systems.[10]
Journey
Initial attempt
Sunderland started her solo circumnavigation from Marina del Rey, California on January 23, 2010.[11] On January 30, 2010, eight days into her journey, Sunderland and her shore team determined that her solar panels, wind generators, and diesel fuel were not sufficient to meet the energy needs of her boat. She also had minor electrical problems in her mast wiring that affected her windspeed indicators. She decided to land in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, to take on more fuel and batteries, effect repairs, and restart her non-stop circumnavigation attempt.[12] She safely made landfall on February 2, 2010.[13]
Second attempt
First leg
Sunderland started her second attempt from Cabo San Lucas on February 6, 2010, intending to complete a solo, non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation departing from and returning to Cabo San Lucas.[14]
On February 19, 2010, at 3:07 PM PST, thirteen days after departing Cabo San Lucas, Sunderland and Wild Eyes completed the first leg of the trip (Cabo San Lucas to the Equator), crossing the Equator into the South Pacific at 0°00′N 120°15′W / 0°N 120.25°W.[15]
Second leg
On February 27, 2010, there was media concern[16] for Sunderland's safety because of the 2010 Chile earthquake. She was then at 15°S 123°W / 15°S 123°W, some 3,000 nm from the quake's epicenter, but the great ocean depth at her location minimized the effect of the resulting tsunami and her team reported that she had not "... experienced anything out of the ordinary."[17]
On March 13, 2010, Sunderland completed the second leg of the trip (Equator to South Pacific Westerlies).[15]
Third leg
On March 21, 2010, Sunderland experienced an incident during which her yacht Wild Eyes' mast went horizontal at approximately 2:00 AM local time, and she just prevented an accidental jibe in bad weather, a potentially dangerous event. There was no damage.[18]
On March 31, 2010, Sunderland rounded Cape Horn—the southernmost point of South America—making her the youngest solo sailor to do so. She experienced rough waves and heavy winds when approaching, but rather little wind the last day before Cape Horn.[19]
Fourth leg
On April 24, 2010, Sunderland announced that she would stop at Cape Town for repairs to her autopilot system. This will end her non-stop attempt, however she intends to continue the circumnavigation.[20] Sunderland had two separate autopilot systems. Both have failed, one after the other. She was able to swap parts between them to keep one of them going, but a leak in the last working one made a repair stop necessary. Sunderland arrived in Cape Town on May 5, 2010.[21]
Fifth to tenth leg
Sunderland departed from Cape Town on Friday May 21, defying the superstition against sailing on a Friday.[22] The autopilot system on her boat was replaced, and she stated "I will stop again if I need to."[23]
Around May 24, there was a potentially serious incident. A line was stuck near the top of the mast, so she couldn't reduce the size of the mainsail. Sunderland tried to climb the mast to sort that out, but she found it to be too dangerous in the near gale conditions and full darkness, so she had to sail throughout the night with too much sail area. It could be fixed the next day in lower wind.[24]
On June 10, two of Sunderland's manually operated emergency radio beacons were activated and satallite phone contact was lost. A third automatic beacon was not activated. She was sailing in 35-knot winds and had suffered muiltiple knockdowns. A rescue effort is beginning.[25][26]
Sunderland plans to return to Cabo San Lucas in July 2010, at an age of around 16 years and 8 months.[27]. After the stops, it is much more likely that the arrival with be in August or possibly September. This is now unlikely.
References
- ^ a b Thomas, Pete (January 24, 2010). "Abby Sunderland Sets Course on a Record". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
- ^ Thomas, Pete (July 17, 2009). "Zac Sunderland Completes Solo Sail Around the World". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
- ^ "16-Year-Old Girl Starts Solo Sail Around Globe". January 24, 2010. Retrieved January 24, 2010. [dead link]
- ^ James, Mike (25 April 2010). "Abby Sunderland's mission to sail solo around the world without stopping is derailed". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
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(help) - ^ "Pouring Rain and Fog". April 16 2010.
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(help) - ^ "Abby Sunderland Feared Lost at Sea". ABC News. 10 June 2010. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
- ^ Too Young? Teen Attempts Solo Sail Around World
- ^ Knudsen, Nancy (January 23, 2010). "Jessica Watson Pounded by 70 Knots, Abby Sunderland Sets Off". Sail-World.com. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
- ^ Sarabia, Ambrosia (November 11, 2009). "Wild Eyes to Take Abby Sunderland Around the World". The Log: California's Boating & Fishing News. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
- ^ a b c "Abby Sunderland's Boat". Retrieved February 7, 2010.
- ^ Scheibe, John (January 23, 2010). "Thousand Oaks Girl Leaves on Round-the-World Sail". Ventura County Star. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
- ^ Knudsen, Nancy (January 31, 2010). "Abby Sunderland Journey Aborted". Sail-World.com. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
- ^ Burgess, Kelly (February 2, 2010). "Sailor Abby Sunderland, 16, Heads to Cabo San Lucas for Vessel Repairs". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
- ^ "A Note from Cabo Team Abby". February 6, 2010. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
- ^ a b "Abby's Location and Route". February 19, 2010. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
- ^ Adams, John (February 27, 2010). "16-Year-Old Sailor-Girl Off Coast of Chile". NBC Los Angeles. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
- ^ "Abby & Wild Eyes OK". February 27, 2010. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
- ^ "A Knock in the Night". March 21, 2010. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
- ^ "Abby Sunderland Becomes Youngest Person to Sail Around Cape Horn Alone". March 31, 2010. Retrieved March 31, 2010.
- ^ "News". April 24, 2010. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
- ^ "Well, I Made It into Cape Town Today". May 5, 2010. Retrieved May 6, 2010.
- ^ "Cape Town - Final Days". Retrieved 2010 May 20.
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(help) - ^ "Abby Sunderland sets sail from Cape Town". Retrieved 2010 May 21.
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(help) - ^ Tale from the Sea
- ^ http://www.petethomasoutdoors.com/2010/06/teen-sailor-abby-sunderland-focus-of-emergency-rescue-effort.html
- ^ http://abcnews.go.com/2020/abby-sunderland-possibly-lost-sea/story?id=10877108
- ^ Castro, Tony (May 2, 2010). "South Africa Stop Just a Footnote as Abby Sunderland Can Still Sail into Record Books". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
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