Abby Sunderland Missing

[dumboiu]

I'll answer your question after you answer mine.

You don't have a valid question. The girl is 16, not 18. I have a valid question and I am all ears.......your response?

 

[Dismagic1]

You don't have a valid question. The girl is 16, not 18. I have a valid question and I am all ears.......your response?

If Abby was 18, should she have to pay for her own rescue costs? Yes or No? If you can't answer that question, then that says it all.

 

[themilesfamily]

If Abby was 18, should she have to pay for her own rescue costs? Yes or No? If you can't answer that question, then that says it all.

I think whether a person should be billed for their search and rescue costs should be decided on a case by case basis. I don't think whether a person is 16 or 18 years old matters -- except as it relates to who will actually pay the money. If it's a 16-year old, the parents will be legally responsible for payment. If it's an 18-year old, the person is on their own.

And people have been asked to repay their SAR costs.

ETA: Australia has already said that Sunderland will not be billed. That's probably already been mentioned in the thread.

 

[Dismagic1]

I think its crazy to ask someone to repay their search & rescue costs. That's so petty, and frankly is a better use of money than what government have been doing lately (Ford and GM Bailouts, TARP, Stimulus Checks, give me a break. So yes, I would gladly pay my fair share to bring Abby home safe.

 

[teskak]

But as an Australian taxpayer I am pissed.

If $200k per day is being spent on spotter 707 planes + all of the ancillliary support costs for some stupid fool (irrespective of being 16, 18, 25 or 70) choosing to do something risky in winter oceans ( guess if they timed the voyage for better weather she would be 'too old' and not get the PR)...

Then that $200k per day can be given to Ronald McDonald House, Make a Wish etc to help children who are suffering through absolutely no fault of their own and not setting out to get sponsorships.

That is where I want my tax money going

 

[Dismagic1]

But as an Australian taxpayer I am pissed.

If $200k per day is being spent on spotter 707 planes + all of the ancillliary support costs for some stupid fool (irrespective of being 16, 18, 25 or 70) choosing to do something risky in winter oceans ( guess if they timed the voyage for better weather she would be 'too old' and not get the PR)...

Then that $200k per day can be given to Ronald McDonald House, Make a Wish etc to help children who are suffering through absolutely no fault of their own and not setting out to get sponsorships.

That is where I want my tax money going

tax money doesn't go there though

 

[themilesfamily]

There are 8 states in the United States that have laws that allow billing for search and rescue efforts.

The one that pursues it most often is New Hampshire. They are on a very treacherous part of the Appalachian Trail and they were rescuing some 150-200 people a year at a huge cost to the state. They said that people would ignore weather warnings (it can snow at those high elevations in the dead of summer so you need to listen carefully to the weather reports) and would end up stranded.

They recently sent a $25,000 bill to a 17-year old hiker. I think that was last year...

I can kind of see where they're coming from. If people are acting foolishly and are putting their search and rescue teams at risk repeatedly -- I can see why they enacted the law.

ETA: But they do judge whether to charge on a case by case basis -- they are looking for "extreme negligence." And the $25,000 bill was because they had to bring in a helicopter from Maine.

 

[DisMN]

She is what the USA used to be all about. Adventure, risk and big ideas. While other girls her age are doing who knows what with whom, getting pierced noses and such, she was on an amazing journey. She must be from an amazing family.

I completely agree and really admire that girl for her courage, her stamina and her young mind keeping her cool in the event of what was probably a scary experience.

Just today I asked my granddaughter if she wanted to ride her bike to my house. She replied "but gramma, it rained earlier and now the bike path is wet."
I said "So?"

She wouldn't hear of riding her bike on wet pavement for fear something might happen. I thought that was sad.

Oh for the parents who encourage their children to go out and DO things!

I think that anybody who launches on a limited crew 'adventure' mission whether it is sailing the Bering Sea, Southern Ocean, walking to the North Pole or solo travel through the Suez Canal and passing by the Somali pirate hunting grounds should post some sort of a bond to cover possible rescue costs.

Bodies of those who die are left on Everest - are people supposed to risk thier lives to rescue children who choose to put thier lives at risk by sailing in the Bering Sea? I understand the crab fishers there pay an amount towards their coast guard services

Putting down some sort of bond before going really isn't a bad idea. It might give people pause if they knew there'd be financial consequences........

You don't think a 16 year old having a 40 foot yacht doesn't scream entitlement? Yes, some people do have more than other people and that is life - but why should those who don't have as much (the vast majority of the taxpayers) be forced to pay for the rescue of those who act irresponsible?

Yacht schmacht isn't it just a sailboat? And I doubt it belongs to her proper...but belongs to her parents or the whole family.
What does entitlement really have to do with the subject? I'm not clear on that, sorry.

I actually think the greedy sponsors who were so eager to splash their names all over her boat should be footing the rescue bill.

That's another good idea and wouldn't a high profile rescue be more great advertising for those sponsors? I would think so.

 

[Planogirl]

All I know is that if these parents are publicity hounds they are very bad ones. I have yet to hear their names or see a picture of them. Maybe in a convoluted way they wanted their child to get the fame.

As for arguing over whether to bill someone or not, that seems a pointless discussion since Australia has no intention of billing anyone.

 

[dumboiu]

All I know is that if these parents are publicity hounds they are very bad ones. I have yet to hear their names or see a picture of them.

Here they are: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/37634233#37634233

 

[Planogirl]

Here they are: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/37634233#37634233

I appreciate that. Did they make any appearances before she had problems?

 

[Jennasis]

She's been picked up (by a French fishing boat). http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100612/ap_on_sp_ot/lost_sailor_found

 

[christineann]

That 15 minutes of fame has turned out to be very expensive.

 

[happybratpack]

Interesting blog post from her today, I guess she's starting to hear the negative press.

http://soloround.blogspot.com/2010/06/note-from-abby.html


"There are plenty of things people can think of to blame for my situation; my age, the time of year and many more. The truth is, I was in a storm and you don't sail through the Indian Ocean without getting in at least one storm. It wasn't the time of year it was just a Southern Ocean storm. Storms are part of the deal when you set out to sail around the world.

As for age, since when does age create gigantic waves and storms?"

 

[Dismagic1]

Interesting blog post from her today, I guess she's starting to hear the negative press.

http://soloround.blogspot.com/2010/06/note-from-abby.html


"There are plenty of things people can think of to blame for my situation; my age, the time of year and many more. The truth is, I was in a storm and you don't sail through the Indian Ocean without getting in at least one storm. It wasn't the time of year it was just a Southern Ocean storm. Storms are part of the deal when you set out to sail around the world.

As for age, since when does age create gigantic waves and storms?"

Abby is 100% correct. The people who are judging her and her family don't have a clue about sailing.

 

[december]

I don't have a clue about sailing. But others on this thread have stated that they do. My opinion on sending a 16 yr old out on a boat by herself in January, to be isolated for months on end, has nothing to do with my knowledge of sailing. It has everything to do with my experience as a parent. No words from a 16 yr old, an age group I have 13 years experience teaching, are going to change my opinion.

 

[mhsjax]

Abby is 100% correct. The people who are judging her and her family don't have a clue about sailing.

Wee there have been people who DO know about sailing and have said that she had no business out there. What do you say to them?

 

[Dismagic1]

Wee there have been people who DO know about sailing and have said that she had no business out there. What do you say to them?

There is a difference between weekend/amateur sailors and Abby. I would venture to say that Abby knows a lot more.

 

[mhsjax]

There is a difference between weekend/amateur sailors and Abby. I would venture to say that Abby knows a lot more.

Well I am sorry but the ones I saw in various article were professional sailors. How and why do you assume that I am talking about weekend sailors. Do you want to tell them that they are weekend sailors? And that I 16 year old knows more than they do.

 

[dumboiu]

There is a difference between weekend/amateur sailors and Abby. I would venture to say that Abby knows a lot more.

You seem to think you know a whole lot about Abby and her entire situation. What are your credentials? There are many accomplished sailors who have spoken out negatively about this crazy stunt. Who in their right mind thinks it is a good idea to have a child in the middle of the Indian Ocean alone in the southern hemisphere in the winter time? She was clearly there at that time since it was the only way she might be able to set her *record* as the youngest to circumnavigate the globe. She lost time around the Cape when she had other troubles with her boat. I am glad she is safe now, but it doesn't change the fact that she had no business being where she was in the first place. Oh and also the fact that this crazy stunt has cost a lot of money to many taxpayers and endangered one of her rescuers.