16 yr old teen lost at sea

[Dadano]

Vanity.

Why do people climb mountains?

[Pongo]

I saw her and her parents and their nonsense on TV just ONE day before it all went to crap.
Welcome to the new world, half the parents protect their kids to much, and 30 percent are pushing their kids to hard.

[kamori]

Welcome to the new world, half the parents protect their kids to much, and 30 percent are pushing their kids to hard.

Protect too much...NOW thats too funny. Your way out of touch thinking that.....

KAM
(Single Parent of a 15, 14, and 8 year old)

Seriously, Define your view on a overprotective parents you are seeing out there.

[grizz441]

Why do people climb mountains?

To accomplish something.  When you venture into extreme/dangerous sports however, you are risking your life, plain and simple.  Adults should only be allowed to make such a decision for themselves.  A 16 year old is not old enough, nor has enough perspective, experience, or legal right, to make a decision like that.  A parent should not make that decision for their child, that's neglectful parenting, which really is not strong enough of a word to describe it.  It's vanity because it's all about setting some sort of a record, getting in the news, and getting famous.   A trip around the world can be attempted at the age of 16 or at an older age.  It's not nearly as news worthy though if a 21 year old does it.  That won't get you a trip to The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.  If it's about a sense of accomplishment, practice more till you're at least of legal age, have your life figured out, what you want to do with it, and if you still want to make this a life goal, then go for it.  13 year olds climbing mount everest? 16 year olds trying to sail the ocean by themselves through dangerous oceans?  That is flat out irresponsible parenting, regardless of the outcome.

[FireDrgn]

I hope she is found alive.....    It looks like with hind sight that this was a bad decision now that something went wrong.  Once you look at other information like they knew there would be bad weather this time of year. It looks like forsight would say this was a bad idea also.  I mean come on to me a guy living in Arizona bad weather is a little snow.   To experienced pros that have sailed their whole life bad weather must mean "the sea will kill you"....

[mondego]

I decided the parents were wrong when I read this article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100611/ts_nm/us_girl_sailor. Towards the end the article states, "sailing experts said that she was ill-advised to leave California in January, because she risked arriving in the Indian Ocean at the start of the winter season."

Apparently her brother completed the same feat at 17, but he left at a different time of the year, when sea conditions are less risky. She essentially left early so that she would become the youngest to circumnavigate the globe. No one in their right mind would leave when she did, unless they were caught up in the excitement of chasing a ridiculous title. A 16 year old can be easily caught up in this excitement, which makes it the parents' responsibility to be the voice of reason.

[bj229r]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iNcCJg-kSyZBjLhEB3fRtcYzaQOgD9G8MB6O1

So apparently this girl was trying to sail across the world by herself at the age of 16 and her parents were totally okay with it.  Now there's no contact, and it's not looking good.  It really baffles me that her parents would let her do this.  In fact, it's outright idiocy and blatant neglect.  Here's a quote that the mom used to justify it:

"Could there be a tragedy?" MaryAnne Sunderland told ABC News. "Yeah, there could be. But there could be a tragedy on the way home tonight, you know, or driving with her friends in a car at 16."

Unreal.

Not having read the article, I'm going our on a limb and say they're from CA

[cattb]

Grizz,
 When you have children, or if you do, you will be able to see their dreams and see their abilities and you can make that decision for them.

[Dawger]

I'm all for encouraging kids to do stuff. Sailing around the world at 16 (for a kid properly prepared) is no more dangerous than driving a car at 16. But leaving California in January to beat an artificial deadline and ending up in the Southern Ocean at this time of year makes it a stunt and not something done in the spirit of adventure....

And my kids were not allowed to get driver's license until 18. Learner's permits at 16. License at 18. Didn't kill either one of them to wait.

[Seraphim]

Found ok apparently,

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/06/11/searchers-contact-calif-teen-lost-sea/

[bagrat]

Found ok apparently,

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/06/11/searchers-contact-calif-teen-lost-sea/

sooooo... FAIL

[Dadano]

WIN

[sntslilhlpr6601]

See Rule #6

[Tupac]

To accomplish something.  When you venture into extreme/dangerous sports however, you are risking your life, plain and simple.  Adults should only be allowed to make such a decision for themselves.  A 16 year old is not old enough, nor has enough perspective, experience, or legal right, to make a decision like that.  A parent should not make that decision for their child, that's neglectful parenting, which really is not strong enough of a word to describe it.  It's vanity because it's all about setting some sort of a record, getting in the news, and getting famous.   A trip around the world can be attempted at the age of 16 or at an older age.  It's not nearly as news worthy though if a 21 year old does it.  That won't get you a trip to The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.  If it's about a sense of accomplishment, practice more till you're at least of legal age, have your life figured out, what you want to do with it, and if you still want to make this a life goal, then go for it.  13 year olds climbing mount everest? 16 year olds trying to sail the ocean by themselves through dangerous oceans?  That is flat out irresponsible parenting, regardless of the outcome.

When you "Sail" around the world you are along for the ride, all you have to do is keep the sails in check, and you are good to go.

I sail a sunfish, now thats some hard work.

[Rino]

     Good news, glad to see she is ok.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100611/ap_on_sp_ot/lost_sailor_found