Abby Sunderland is Alive & Well

An Australian search and rescue plane has located Abby Sunderland, the 16-year-old who is attempting to become the youngest person to sail around the world solo.

Sunderland was unharmed. However, her boat Wild Eyes sustained damage caused by waves up to 30 feet. Her sail is in the water and the mast has been damaged but the keel is in tact and has not taken on water. However, the boat cannot sail. It can only drift and thus she is at the mercy of the ocean. It is expected that a search and rescue boat should reach her sometime tomorrow though.

Of course, the question is now whether she will continue her expedition. Needless to say, repairs will have to made to her boat as they were after she landed in Cape Town last month. I am sure that if she chooses to resume her journey there will be howls of anger along the lines of, "What if they have to rescue her again?"

But Sunderland has done everything any other sailor would do if they were in her position. I don't think Sunderland's nautical skills are the issue here. Unfortunately, I think there are too many people who can't see past her age and her gender.