ABBY

If you have been following the adventures of Abigail Sunderland, as I have, you are well aware of her recent rescue in the Indian Ocean. Obviously, I am one of many as her recent blogs have generated 12,000 comments. While a few were in the “What were you thinking?” category and directed at Abby’s parents, the overwhelming majority of them were supportive of both 16 year old Abby and her Mom and Dad. I will leave it to others to debate whether they should have consented to her solo, non-stop around the world journey in the 40 foot sail boat “Wild Eyes” as I believe there are few things more personal that the decisions of how to raise one’s kids. I am sure they deemed Abby “ready” for such an adventure and if you followed her blog from the time she left Marina del Rey you would have to admit she was as qualified as most far senior to her.

I was listening to talk radio in my car when the program was interrupted to announce the news that Abby was missing. Sketchy reports would only verify that she had been talking via satellite phone with her parents when communications ceased. Having 4 kids myself I could only imagine the horror they must have felt. Also, having made 2 multi-monthly trips to South America on a fishing boat, experienced winds up to 100 miles an hour and fished cod in a very nasty Gulf of Alaska, I had visions of Abby stepping off Wild Eyes into her raft, thousands of miles from the nearest land. The news that she had activated her emergency beacons meant things had to be dire. Knowing what is set in motion with their activation means it is usually a last resort. Like the rest of those following Abby I went to bed with horrible images in my mind.

The next day we learned Qantas Airlines, God bless them, was sending a plane with qualified observers to follow the beacons. We learned she had been located and was seen sitting on the stern of Wild Eyes. Talk about finding a needle in a hay stack, this was indeed a miracle. Despite brief radio contact with the aircraft I am sure Abby wondered what was next as she watched the rescue plane head back in the direction of Australia, some 2,000 miles away.

Abby’s blog tells us the French fishing boat Ile de la Reunion arrived the following day and in abated sea’s picked her up with their raft. If you are human at all you can sense her deep disappointment at having to abandon Wild Eyes. I can just see her standing at the rail watching her as she disappeared over the horizon. She has a long, slow boat ride ahead of her before she reaches an island with an airport to begin her flight home.

My hat is off to all those involved in her rescue effort but particularly to the French fishing boat, captain and crew. As is well known, when there is a “Mayday” broadcasted on a marine radio, all else is put on hold. Through communication with others it is determined who is closest to the vessel in distress and what their capabilities are. Then it is not a matter of whether you want to go or not you just go. No questions asked, no regard for weather or the lost income from fishing time missed, you put your vessel on a heading for the broadcasting beacon and pray you get there in time. I am sure no one is more appreciative of this centuries old bond among people at sea than Abby. What a welcome sight that approaching boat must have been.

Whether it is by blog, book or documentary, I can’t wait to hear the details from Abby.