ZigZagMarquis

Published June 12, 2010 American teenager Abby Sunderland vowed Saturday that she would attempt to sail solo round the world again, after her first try at the record was thwarted when she became stranded for two nights in rough Indian Ocean seas. Sunderland was plucked from her damaged yacht by a French fishing vessel on Saturday, 2000 nautical miles from the western coast of Australia. Her 40-foot sailboat Wild Eyes remains adrift. The 16-year-old sailor was waiting to be evacuated since Friday, when Australian rescuers spotted her from the air and made radio contact. "It's been a little bit crazy these past few days. Everything's happened pretty fast but I was really lucky that there was a boat that could come and get me where I was," Sunderland said, according to Australian broadcaster ABC. "When stuff is going on out there you can't really get too scared about it -- I mean it doesn't really do any good." When asked if she would sail again, she said: "I'm definitely going to sail around the world again, or at least give it another try. "I don't know when I'll get another chance to do it. "I've wanted to sail around the world for years and I definitely want to do it." An Australian Maritime Safety Authority said Sunderland was likely to be transferred to one of two other ships steaming for the rescue site. "Arrangements to land Ms Sunderland will now be negotiated with the three ships that have responded to the distress situation. One ship is bound for Australia and the other would likely return to its home port at La Reunion,'' the spokeswoman said. From the U.S., Sunderland's parents responded to a wave of criticism for letting her attempt her treacherous solo round-the-world journey -- saying the family were "adventurers, not accountants." Sunderland left Los Angeles on Jan. 23 in the hope of becoming the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe solo, attempting to better Australian Jessica Watson. But she came to grief when her mast snapped and yacht rolled in atrocious weather conditions on Thursday http://www.abbysunderland.com/

Yeah... but... but that's "hard", Nat! Most people don't want to RTFM!!!

On the top right of the task bar... Click on "HELP" In the drop down, click on "Microsoft Excel Help" (or just hit F1) In the Assistance / Search for Window, search on "Merge the contents of multiple cells into one cell"... click the green arrow to the right to search Click on "Merge or split cells or cell contents" Under "What do you want to do"... click on "Merge the contents of multiple cells into one cell" Read! Good luck

Maybe she'll decide to take up Skydiving when she turns 18? Maybe someone should send her a gift certificate for a Free First Jump Course, redeemable anytime after she turns 18?

Navigational hazard. If its has hard to sink the boat as they made it sound, how are they going to do it? Massive amounts of weight on it? There are very few things in this life that simply can't be solved by the proper application of high explosives! Nope, not many at all, but I highly doubt (or would hope) that the ship that picked her up is lacking these explosives on board. Its a French boat, of course there are high explosives, otherwise how else would the be able to surrender and scuttle their boat? True... French Naval vessels are the only ones out there that have "ALL REVERSE - FLANK"

and then the real trouble will begin Yeah, I had that thought too... Glad she's safe too. Hope to hear she's home safe in a few days.

Glad to hear she's okay. Too bad it's pretty sure she won't complete her journey and they'll have to sink her boat... it will probably prove difficult though if its the French Navy that takes on the task... ------------------------ http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/06/12/french-fishing-vessel-rescues-teenage-sailor-indian-ocean/ THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Laurence Sunderland, the father of 16-year-old Abby Sunderland, told reporters outside his home that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority had contacted him to confirm the rescue more than 2,000 miles from the western Australia coast. "She got out of her vessel with the clothes on her back, and we are just really excited and ecstatic that Abigail is in safe hands," he said. "She was in good spirits ... She talked to her mother." Sunderland has been stranded in heavy seas since Thursday, when she set off a distress signal after the mast collapsed, knocking out her satellite communications. The elder Sunderland said the family was not going to elaborate on the problems that led to the emergency. The Australian group said the French ship Ile De La Reunion brought Sunderland on board from her stricken craft Saturday afternoon at the site (about 2:45 a.m. PDT). French authorities called it a "delicate operation" and at one point the fishing boat's captain fell into the ocean. "He was fished out in difficult conditions" and is in good health, said a statement from the French territory of Reunion Island. Laurence Sunderland said the crew used its dinghy to retrieve his daughter. "We are just ecstatic that she is alive and well and survived the ordeal." An hour before the rescue, an Australian search and rescue spotter plane overflew Sunderland's boat and she fired off a flare to confirm her position. The plane and fishing boat maintained contact to determine how best to carry out the rescue amid concerns over the rough seas and the differing size of the two vessels. The elder Sunderland said it could be more than a week before he sees his daughter. The French statement said the boat is headed toward the Kerguelen Islands. Australian authorities, coordinating with French officials, are to decide on Sunderland's final destination. Laurence Sunderland said her boat will likely be sunk because of the difficulty towing it a great distance. Sunderland set out from Los Angeles County's Marina del Rey on Jan. 23, trying to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe solo. Zac Sunderland, her brother, held the record for a little more than a month last year until Briton Mike Perham completed his own journey. The record changed hands again last month, when 16-year-old Australian Jessica Watson completed her own around-the-world voyage. Outside the family home early Saturday, news crews gathered to hear word of the rescue from the family, which had been receiving updates by telephone from Australian rescue officials. Eight pink balloons were tethered to the white picket fence in front of the single-story house and beneath them was placed a large, hand-painted sign that read: "Thank God Abby's alive." Soon after starting her trip, Sunderland ran into equipment problems and had to stop for repairs. She gave up the goal of setting the record in April, but continued, hoping to complete the journey. She had been keeping in contact with her parents through satellite communications and had made several broken calls to her family in Thousand Oaks, reporting her yacht was being tossed by 30-foot (9-meter) waves -- as tall as a 3-story building. An hour after her last call ended Thursday, her emergency beacons began signaling. Rescuers in a chartered jet flew from Perth on Australia's west coast and spotted Sunderland's boat, Wild Eyes, on Thursday. She was able to radio to the plane to say she was in good health and had plenty of food supplies. Her parents have come under criticism from some observers for allowing the high-risk adventure. Veteran sailors questioned the wisdom of sending a teenager off alone in a small boat, knowing it would be tossed about for 30 or more hours at a time by the giant waves that rake the Southern Hemisphere's oceans this time of year. Her father defended the voyage. "I never questioned my decision in letting her go," he told reporters Friday. "In this day and age we get overprotective with our children. If you want to look at statistics, look at how many teenagers die in cars every year. Should we let teenagers drive cars? I think it'd be silly if we didn't." She was contacted by rescuers in a chartered Qantas Airbus A330 jet that made a 4,700-mile (7,600-kilometer) round trip from Perth to Sunderland's boat, which is near the limit of its range. They spotted Sunderland on the back deck of her boat. Its sail was dragging in the water but Sunderland appeared to be in good shape. She told searchers Friday that she was doing fine with a space heater and at least two weeks' worth of food. Family spokesman Jeff Casher said her vessel so badly damaged, her attempt to circle the globe was over. "This is the end of the dream. There's no boat to sail," he said. The Australian maritime authority did not say how much the rescue mission would cost but said it would not be seeking compensation for the search, which initially fell just outside of Australia's search and rescue region. It was not immediately clear if the French vessel would seek compensation.

No, we know you too well already. ... but, sooo, I still gotta chance??

Shouldn't the thread title be more like, "What DZ.commer lady would you want to invite you to bang her?" I mean, women are not just pieces of meat ya know. ... did that get me any points?

Amazing. I'm glad you got to meet those gentlemen. If that's accurate, his unit was lucky. Some units that took part in the Normandy Invasion that saw action in the ETO through VE-Day suffered over 100% casualties by the wars end.

I thought Yancy went to other means to "get high", not skydiving?

Fuck you say!!??

I don't know if it is accurate or not, but I recently heard that only 10% of those who served during WWII are still alive today. In a dozen years or not many more, WWII will truly become "history" existing only in books, photos and a old film. I often think of men like my father, uncle and their friends who served during WWII... who, when I was a boy weren't much older then I am now and then seemed so strong... are now very old men, still active of mind, but failing in body and will not be around much longer. Most of the books I read tend to be about WWII. When reading accounts retold by individuals and their experiences in combat, its almost to a man how humble and non-heroic they speak of their account. Even more amazed that in many cases its very late in life or only after their passing that their families learn of things like Purple Hearts, Bronze or Silver Stars their relative earned / were awarded.

http://blogs.denverpost.com/captured/2009/06/05/the-65th-anniversary-of-d-day-on-the-normandy-beaches/ Pretty soon there won't be many men left who were there during the invasion 65 years ago. That thought always gives me pause to think what have I done meaningful in my life?

Congrats!

... and lots of Kerosene! But seriously, how about a big BBQ? Everyone could chip in.

LOL! Yeah, right! Like Turtle is getting any ass... except when his finger rips through the tiolet paper! DUUUDE.. think tandem students that don't know any better...... I stand corrected.

LOL! Yeah, right! Like Turtle is getting any ass... except when his finger rips through the tiolet paper!

Ruht Rooooo...Cops been watchin ya! Shhhhh! Everyone be cool... Don't look, but there's a COP on the thread... ... post like you're not stoned!

Well, Dave, more than one folk have cautioned y'all about encouraging bored skydivers to do silly sh*t around the bonfire to get their picture taken, least they end up a smokin' pile... so... back to takin' photos of drunk hot chicks kissing!

Geeze Louise!!! People will bitch about ANYTHING these days! I mean, thousands living along the Gulf Coast have "Free Oil" just washing up on their public beaches and folks are all bent about it! *Runs*

From looking at the photos Dave put up on http://www.skydivingstills.com/ from this last weekend's going's-on back at CPI does it look like they had "too much fun" and had to "stop"... or is it just me?

Yeah, that was my thought too. I was "told" very early on in my skydiving career that its really bad mojo to actually land in a cemetery!

You can't fix stupid.