Posted on 07/10/2009 10:48:33 AM PDT by La Enchiladita
Like a lot of 17-year -olds, Zac Sunderland can get a bit tongue-tied at times. Only for Sunderland, it's not on account of hormones or nerves.
"I've been out at sea for a long time," says Sunderland, who has nearly reached his goal of becoming the youngest sailor to single-handedly circumnavigate the earth in a sailboat. "You kinda forget how to talk. Sometimes I'll get into a port and it'll take a week before the words I'm wanting to say can come out of my mouth the right way. It's annoying."
Sunderland, who has yet to get his driver's license, has spent the past year braving treacherous seas, outrunning Indonesian pirates and being bloodied by hailstones during his 26,000-mile voyage. He is currently working his way northward to California, sailing up the coast of Mexico's Baja peninsula. "If I catch a good wind, I hope to be there by July 14," he says, speaking by satellite phone from the cabin of his 36-foot Intrepid.
Sunderland left on his voyage June 14, 2008, from Marina Del Rey, Calif., heading toward the Marshall Islands in Micronesia. Asked if he thinks his parents (who live in Thousand Oaks, Calif.) are nuts for letting him embark on such a high-risk adventure, he can be heard laughing over the static and crackle of his phone. "I've been sailing all my life," says Sunderland, who grew up on boats with his shipwright father, mother and six siblings. "This is a natural thing for me to be doing. I feel comfortable out at sea, but things can get crazy at times."
Sunderland met up with pirates last October off the coast of Indonesia...
(Excerpt) Read more at people.com ...
I haven’t followed the blog throughout his journey, but I gather many expenses are handled by “sponsors.”
I read somewhere recently , possibly here on FR , that his family was $ 140,000 in the red at this point in time . I’m sure they’ll more than re-coup that once he is back and the book / DVD / etc. deals are made . Got to spend $ to make it !
Yes, I was born in Ancon, Canal Zone.
I used “Gatun” because I couldn’t think of anything else.
Thank you for the article. I didn’t know it was only going to cost him $1500. I thought it be in the thousands.
Years ago somebody swam through. He was measured and then charge $.59.
Thank you for that correction.
I also noticed the article you enclosed was dated 25 May rather than the article I read which was dated today.
Gads. What can I say!!!
When one is wrong, one is wrong, and admit to it.
Thank you again.
Here: I must have been half asleep or more this a.m. and for the past few weeks.
They were talking about some British kid who is even younger than the American kid. The British kid just arrived in Panama in his sailboat. I had the two confused for several weeks. It is obvious I am not a big sailing fan...something about getting seasick.
They are both crazy/nuts.
Sorry again for my confusion. And thank you for correcting me.
http://www.panama-guide.com/article.php/20090710154206876
Hi Dita :)
Thanks for the ping! Brave young man is almost home. I hope to see him doing an interview.
I can’t understand why someone would go into debt, especially nowadays, to do this.
Great story....
Sponsors maybe ..
Apparently wealthy Christians, with a really lucky son that gets to sail all over the place.
That’s probably it.
it’s a blast...I sailed my 33 ft Hans Christian sloop from Ventura/Oxnard (Channel Islands Marina) to Hawaii and back single handed. Took 17 days to get there and 25 to get back
..Even tho I was alone, All I kept sayin was ....did you see that !
first this comment that he must have wealthy parents and then the snide comment “good for them I guess”
this a conservative forum, why would anyone have issue with people sponsoring their kid to fulfill their dreams...plenty do it all the time....we call it college, law school , med school etc
none of which takes away from this remarkable achievement by such a youngster singlehandedly
just that leg from Kali to Mariannasis 6000 miles....alone in the rolling Pacific
not to mention the Southern Oceans and roaring 40s....not for sissies
Amelia Earhart had a rich much older husband, do we remember her any less benevolently?
man..class envy on a conservative forum...that's just great
I didn’t understand the angst either
you see this all the time here on some threads
there is a resentment of wealth from some here that permeates some topics like business threads and you get left with this populist tone which is a poor fit with a site that believes in liberty including the liberty to pursue wealth
many FReepers just spout platitudes on business...on most TARP threads most folks will claim that TARP money is a giveaway and it went to dead banks, neither of which is true
i’m not sure what to make of it, but it’s been here since my day one 9 years ago
i am happy for rich folks, don’t much like rich do gooders liberals but I love success for anyone...and especially this boy because as a former sailboat middle ocean sort myself once upon a time I know how perilous it can be
and no, my folks didn’t pay for it
did you see my post 32 ?
I’m not big on stink pots and this kid will money up because of his adventure...
it was a People interview so of course a movie is comin
as for FR....hey it takes all kinds and a FR thread always runs long enuf to correct the less accurate
You’re absolutely correct. I must be projecting all the negativeness that most of FR represents lately and that seems to be surrounding us daily, and took it out on these people. Besides, I’ve always wanted to do the smae, so a bit of jealousy is also involved.
Not class, individual. See my #38.
my bad stuart...fair enough...i get jealous too
i always wanted to be Steve McQueen
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