<p>I think it's crazy to have a kid do this and then monitor with satellite phones. If my kid had the financial backing to do this, and the skill and the maturity, etc., etc....I'd be no further than the horizon away from her at all times.</p>
<p>So she's in the Indian Ocean and sends a distress signal. Her life's in peril, she's putting other lives in peril, and can you imagine the cost of such an operation...incurred by total strangers who are more dedicated to this girl's safe return than her own parents. Oh, I'm sure nobody wants her back safely than her own parents...but the question is why didn't they do more to ensure that outcome?</p>
<p>This is a case where I'd literally be on a helicopter...though, my guess, is that Guinness might not certify the record if the parents maintain that kind of proximity. And at that point you have to ask if this is about her achieving something special or making the 2011 edition of Guinness.</p>
<p>I haven’t been following this story. Sailing is dangerous, though, no matter where one sails. Water kills so quickly. I’m not defending the parents on that basis, but sailing on Narragansett Bay can also kill you.</p>
<p>I read a story about a girl in Denmark (??) who at 13 wanted to attempt something similar. The government put her in protective custody and forbid her to leave the country. Would that someone did the same for the kid who climbed Everest (another climber went blind and was left to die after 12 hours of attempts to bring him down).</p>
<p>BTW - turns out the parents of the girl who was temporarily stranded at sea were shopping around a reality show (can you say Balloon Boy?). Wonder how much money they plan to pay to compensate all the people who went to rescue her.</p>
<p>Well she did have a goal, and thats great. But there is reason why children are born with parents, and “parenting” does not seem this girls parents first priority. Not saying they don’t care… just they didn’t consider her safety first. </p>
<p>I grew up on the ocean. Have been in big swells on moonless nights and in treacherous waters - many times. I am close to several people who had careers in ocean racing. And Periwinkle is right, it can be dangerous in Narragansett Bay. The Indian Ocean ? Professional, seasoned, hard core adult sailors would do more than think twice…few would attempt such a trip alone. </p>
<p>A sixteen year old girl is a child who, while she may be a crackerjack sailor, is not mature enough to make such decisions - namely risking her life.</p>
<p>As if she’ll miss out on life if she waits until she’s 20 or 25 and more experienced, more savvy, less immortal…and doesn’t have parents misguiding her.</p>
<p>I think that she should go for her dream. Just as long as she (and her parents) know that it could potentially threaten her life (as it already did). But if I was her, as soon as I could, I would go back out there again. Just because something is dagerous doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it (legally). Whatever it may be and however old you are, do what you love. Someone who can do that has some serious drive, though to some it may come accross as stupidity.</p>
<p>I have nothing against someone who wants to pursue a dream of sailing around the world solo. But that’s not the goal. The goal is to be the youngest ever. These are fools’ records when it comes to extremely dangerous activities. And they impact others because rescue efforts will have to be coordinated – at great risk and expense to those people. So thinking that she is attempting this in some vacuum misses the point. When (if) she sets her record, that will challenge some other, obviously younger, sailor to try to best it. At some point you have to say “stop” and I think that point has been passed.</p>
<p>As noted above, with the first story, the parents weren’t in a trailing vessel a few hundred meters away…they were shopping a reality show thousands of miles away. These record attempts are all about bad parenting. It’s good to give your kid independence. It’s great when kids seek out challenges and adventures. But there’s actually no call to suspend sanity in the process.</p>
<p>Yeah the whole “record” thing changes things a bit. It all depends on her maturity and capability. If she has both going for her then I don’t see a problem. But I’m kind of thinking she didn’t…</p>