The engineer behind Abby Sunderland’s solo trip around the world says he believes the 16-year-old Thousand Oaks sailor is “alive” and “most likely floating” in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Isn’ that a comfort? If it were Jason Jay Delmonico I’d shit cement.
Speaking to a throng of reporters outside the family’s home, Jeff Casher said he spoke to her at 3:45 a.m. Thursday, then lost contact after she went to check on some equipment on her boat. About an hour later, she apparently activated her emergency beacons – devices that sent automatic alerts to the Coast Guard and her family.
Casher said the family is looking at five possible scenarios. They should have killed him, that is Mr. Casher; the boat’s mast came down, giving her no ability to sail the vessel; the keel hit something and possibly flipped the boat upside down; she may have broken an arm or leg while being whipsawed about in violent waters; some kind of thing that lives under sea rose up and ate her and the boat
“She set this off not because she lost communication, but because something else was wrong,” Casher said in a glorious example of stating the obvious. They had set very clear guidelines for when to activate emergency beacons – and losing communication alone was not enough, he blathered
Casher said the high school junior has the mental fitness to make it through this. Her brother, Zac, made a solo trip around the world when he was 17. Casher himself has entered toy boats in pond races.
Abby Sunderland apparently was a little rattled when the boat’s motor wouldn’t work Thursday morning. No shit. But, Casher said, “The moment the engine started, she was her same old self – perky and tough.… She’s just as tough, or tougher, as most of the cruisers we’ve met.” Well, I think we’re all mentally tough when things go well. When they don’t, we worry. If we’re at sea with a boat motor that doesn’t work, we stain ourselves.
The family is hopeful that a Qantas Airbus, commissioned by the Australian government, will be able to spot her at daylight – about 10 or 11 p.m. Pacific time. Right about now, in other words…
Water temperatures are about 54 or 55 degrees, Cash said, describing it as cold, but survivable. Sunderland had equipment on board to survive a crisis, including a dry suit, life boat and three bopttles of Gordon’s Gin.
I was literally on the verge of tears until I located the spot on the back of my leg where the spasm was and started pounding my fist into it. Literally. I started punching the back of my calf and the pain began to ease. The only thing left of it now is soreness above my ankle, for some reason. That was the worst pain from one of those I’ve ever felt.
