You have probably heard this on the news but Abby Sunderland, who I reported about awhile back, a 16-year old attempting a solo circumnavigation of the globe is in big trouble in the Indian Ocean (it was originally a non-stop attempt but she had to stop in South Africa last month).

Earlier today she fired off her distress beacon and the nearest ship FORTY HOURS AWAY has been rerouted to her position.  I have had goosebumps and watery eyes all day when I think about it.  My mamamones are in full swing in spite of the relatively calm response from her parents on her blog.  Since I have been following her blog religiously I almost feel like she is a cousin of mine. I had begun to worry about her in the last week because so many things have been going wrong, she had many-a-nights with no sleep…seriously it does seem crazy that a 16 year-old would think to attempt such a thing but hey, Jessica Watson, another 16-year old, successfully completed a non-stop solo circumnavigation just last month.

I am copying the following update from http://www.sailinganarchy.com

We are working on finding out what is happening, but it doesn’t look good for Abby Sunderland.

Update: French Search and Rescue has Requested assistance from the Australian Search and Rescue. Australian Search and Rescue have chartered a plane from Qantas that will do a fly over at first light.

Between about 3:00 pm PDT and 5:00 pm PDT we had many very short broken calls from iridium phone from inside boat. Abby had been Knocked Down several times in 60 Kts winds earlier in the day. Last Knock Down stripped radar from gimbaled mount on mast. There was slight amount of water in boat. No other damage was noted running backs were intact. A full damage survey had not been done yet outside.

She felt she was in good shape after these incidents. The main reason for the call was engine would not start. We got engine started and it was working OK. B&G wind instruments atop mast were still in working order she had 35 Kts wind and was sailing. Basically she felt all was OK.

Iridium dropped another call and we expected a quick call back as she had been doing for several hours. 30 minutes to 1 hour passed with no contact. Then USCG called with first EPIRB deployment this was a manual EPIRB from inside cabin. Short time later Personal EPIRB was also activated. There is also a Class 1 automatic deployment EPIRB in cockpit that has not activated.

Just about the time of EPIRB activation it would have been getting dark. She does have a life raft and survival suite. Her last water temperature report June 5 was 54 degrees F and cabin was 60 degree F…since then she has reported a cabin temp of 65 degree F

Search and Rescue has been handed over to the French. French navy vessel 2 1/2 days away has been diverted to EPIRB position. Fishing vessel 40 hours away has also been diverted to EPIRB location. Initial EPIRB location was 557 NM NNE of PORT-AUX-FRANCIAS.

That is the extent of what we know.

This is the most full and complete info you will get from anywhere I was on the phone calls with her. If you hear anything else but this it is either not true or it is new info.”

While we do not have the exact LAT/LON on her position, last reports were approximately 455 miles NE of the de Kerguelen Islands deep in the Southern Ocean. With Winter officially beginning in about ten days, the weather systems apparently missed that message and are already making this already treacherous portion of the world a place you don’t want to be right now. A very tightly wound low pressure system is passing to Abby’s south at the moment and the gradients suggest winds in excess of 45 knots sustained and very large seas.

Abby’s brother, Zach, who has completed a solo circumnavigation spoke out about Abby’s current situation on CBS.

We are two of millions of people who are thinking of her and hoping she is okay.

Related posts:

1. Young Sailing Rosies Both women (actually girls), at 16-years of age, are attempting to be the youngest person to sail, solo, non-stop, unassisted...
2. Regatta and Guang Jie Talking with him reminded me of all that we have learned living here and the naivety of a newbie. His...
3. Floating in China So there I was, floating in the middle of a lake, on the west coast of China. As I looked...