A few days after being rescued in the Southern Ocean, Abby Sunderland remains aboard the French fishing ship, the Ile de la Reunion, and is currently bound for the Kerguelen Islands, a small chain located in the Indian Ocean. After that, she’ll be transferred to another boat, and for ten more days she’ll be making her way to a small island near Madagascar. After that, it is still up in the air, but she is slowly making her way home.
It appears that Abby’s journey is over, and the Wild Eyes will not be repaired as was previously thought. The boat has been left adrift in the Indian Ocean, while her captain departed on the large fishing ship, where she has been sending updates to her blog from time to time. There isn’t a whole lot to report really, just that she is happy to be headed home, and grateful for all of the efforts that were put in to rescue her. She has sent out a number of thank you’s to those that scrambled to ensure that she was alive and well. Abby hasn’t spoken to the press at all yet, although they have apparently been trying to reach her about the ship, but the French captain and his crew, have been running interference for her, and so far no one has gotten through.
Meanwhile, Abby’s family has responded to some of the criticism that has been leveled their way in the past few days. In a post on her blog, they have written a response to the claims that Abby was sailing too far south, and across the Indian Ocean too late in the year. They also address the rumors that they were filming a reality television series called Adventures in Sunderland.
Yep, you read that right. Apparently at some point there was a reality television series in the works about the Sunderland family, which consists of mom and dad, and seven kids, although an eight child is due any moment now. The press got wind of this show a few days back, and that has fueled speculation that the whole solo sailing journey that Abby and her brother Zac have undergone is purely for monetary gain. Perhaps the parents were even pushing them into it or at the very least, allowed them to go so they could make money. But the deal apparently is long dead, and there is no show in the works. In fact the studio involved is even in trouble for failing to pay back taxes, so at this point, it seems the rumors of a television show are false. What the future holds is still a mystery.
Finally, the Australian Search and Rescue team was hoping to get the word out that they did everything the could to help Abby, including chartering a commercial jet to fly over her last known position, and despite all of that, they are not asking the family to pay for any of the efforts. Apparently the word on that hadn’t been widely reported, and the Aussie government wanted the world to know that they didn’t put a price tag on helping save Abby. Good to know. And I’d expect nothing less from the wonderful people from Oz. 🙂
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The AP interviewed her. She will be reunited with her family in about 5 days on Reunion Island (!)
She is reported in good health and spirits and wants to do it again.
From the AP:
Sunderland acknowledged that her adventure "can look pretty crazy. But the thing is, those people don't know me. And if they did, they wouldn't be criticizing my age."
Looks like people would rather she just buy an xbox, fill her face with hamburgers and waste her life on facebook. That's much more nobel than trying to actually achieve something.