Photo ©2009 Trond Hjerto
Photo ©2009 Trond Hjerto
Photo ©2009 Trond Hjerto
Photo ©2009 Trond Hjerto From Mom:
Many thanks to Trond Hjerto from the sailing vessel Maryam for the above photos of the crew!
Last contact had them all in good spirits, warming up as the head further and further south. Winds had been light at times except for a day of stormy 20-25 knot winds a few days out. They should have a steady 20 knots to blow them into Fort Lauderdale in the next day or so.
Abby is making a million mental notes on what she wants/needs on the boat. Zac is alternately teasing her to insanity and helping her learn his strategy for sleep, navigation and safety. Typical....
It must be strange for Laurence to sail with two kids who can run the show!
A special thanks to Leedy Ying from Shoe City, Inc, without whom this boat and trip would not be possible. Look out for a new web site soon with lots of fun and interesting links ect.
Abby had an incredibly friendly and encouraging email from Australia's Jessica Watson, who is already out there sailing around the world. She is looking forward to getting to port and getting in touch with her. Abby and Jessica have both dreamed of doing a trip like this for years - I'm sure they will lots in common!
Check back in a day or two for an update from Abby.
Mom
Hi, Marianne! Good to hear from you again... very excited for Abby and happy for your family that her adventure is beginning... Looking forward to it! Peace, Your Oklahoma Well-Wisher
ReplyDeleteHappy Sailing to the three Sunderlands on the water. Funny that Zac and Abby will have a similar minded teen on the oceans at the same time. But this time Jessica and Abby want to go non-stop. That makes it even more unlikely to have a chance meeting like Mike and Zac had.
ReplyDeleteAll the best,
RK
Thanks Mum. Isn't this exciting. Love the pics. Wishing the best to Wild Eyes and her crew.
ReplyDeleteKathy
Bend, OR
Sail on. Best weather for you and have fun.
ReplyDeleteKeep us up dated. We miss hearing from you. I for one look several times a day. Know that we are praying for you.
Bill
Minneapolis
Good morning all... I feel excitement in the air! So good to hear your voice again, Marianne! We are all ready for "Round #2"! :)
ReplyDeleteAm very anxious to hear all about Abby's trip... Love the pics!
As always, BLESSINGS!
Marie
WA St.
Good to hear every one is in good spirits, as for Zac, brothers will be brothers.
ReplyDeleteHi Abby...and your specialist crew!!...Good luck there, as we all know you can't do anything without a boat and Wild Eyes look OK!!..Now everything will fall inplace I am sure...we have not met, but I know you have the Pedigree!! so Good luck...You and Jessica are are way cool!...Don McIntyre
ReplyDeleteAbby, I have been following Jessica's site daily for a few months and have really been enjoying it. I am looking forward to following yours also and hope you are able to make it out in time to go around the Horn this year. That was classy of Jess to send you an email. From my reading she really means it. Its about the trip and not a competition. I bet you two will be the best of friends after it is all over! Good luck and make sure you are really prepared and don't go just to try to be the youngest if your boat isn't ready!
ReplyDeleteTake care. Dwight from North Carolina.
Hi Abbey,
ReplyDeleteWow, I can't believe I finally found you. I had heard of you through the Australian newspapers (when I was getting information on Jessica Watson) and I searched all over the net and through Calif. newspapers but to no avail. I just found Laura Dekker's Web and your name and Web was listed there, my lucky day!!!! Now I'll have two (2) ladies to follow around the world. I'm retired and live in West Virginia and really have a lot of time on my hands, so I spend it on my computer. I'm not going to bug you with a lot of questions, I'll read some of your blogs and get enough info from them to get me caught up to date. I'm behind you 100% and wish you luck and Godspeed.
May God be with you and watch over you and may the angels keep your sails full. I will keep you in my prayers.
Michael (74) from Kingwood, WV
Hi Abbey,
ReplyDeleteYou must be getting rather excited now with your dream of travelling solo around the world almost a reality.
I am like Micheal in West Virginia and following Jessica Watson's blog of her journey around the world solo.
I want to wish you both safe travels. Both of you will have an incredible story to tell and it would be great if both of you met one day as I'm sure you would have much in common to chat about.
All the best with your preparations and my prayers will be with you throughout your journey.
It's great to read your blog, you are doing a great job keeping everyone informed with the progress you are making with your preparations.
What date will you be leaving?
Kindest regards. Jan (Auckland, New Zealand)
11-15-09 @21:15
ReplyDeleteHi Abbey,
I have a question for you. On the blog I sent to you at the date and time line there is a little icon, when I put my cursor on it it says "delete comment". Do you have any idea as to what that means? The blogs I send to Jessica have the same icon on them. Am I doing something wrong?
Appreciate your help on this.
Michael (74) from Kingwood, WV
11-16-09 @15:05
ReplyDeleteHi Mom,
Just touching base to see what's going on and how soon Abby will be sailing away. I have been following Jessica since she set sail from Sydney, and all the preparations that took place prior to her departure tells me that you have been a very busy lady. I really think that it's wonderful that Abby has such supportive parents and family. Big brothers are supposed to tease, but there's a lot of love in there also. I hope she has happy and safe trip. With the crew she has behind her I'm sure she will.
Jessica is a very nice young lady and I think it would be wonderful if some day these girls could get together, they seem to have a lot in common, not just the sailing but in their personalities.
In my last blog I had mentioned that there was a problem on my letter. At the date and time line there was an icon that I didn’t understand…I finally tracked it down and there is no problem. (I’m learning)
Take care and God Bless you all.
May God be with her and watch over her and may the angels keep her sails full. I will keep you all in my prayers.
Michael (74) from Kingwood, WV
Fear not; for I am with you. Be not dismayed; for I am your God. I will strengthen you; yea, I will help you; yea, I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness.
ReplyDeleteYou have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remin; that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you. These things I command you, that you love one another. If the world hate you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own; but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
ReplyDeleteIf God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. Who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
ReplyDelete11-19-09 @14:10
ReplyDeleteHi Abby,
Just got the official word that Jessica has crossed the Equator. I'm looking forward to seeing you get to that point. How's everything going, are you getting pretty well prepared for the trip? After watching Jessica I pretty much understand how big a project it is.
I hope you'll have an enjoyable trip with smooth sailing, and maybe "Silly" will pay you a visit. LOL....
Take care and the best of luck to you.
May God be with you and watch over you and may the angels keep your sails full. I will keep you in my prayers.
Michael (74) from Kingwood, WV
Hello Abby,
ReplyDeleteI began following your journey as soon as I found out about you a few weeks ago. I hope things go smoothly in preparation but those waves sound rather big to me, an old lady who likes her feet on the ground. However, I think young people like you and Jessica and others who've travelled the world single handedly sure are special. Where would we be without the adventurous spirit.
I live on the Sunshine Coast not far from Jessica and following her journey is quite exciting, so I'm looking forward to the official start of your adventure.
My prayers are with you and for you. God bless.
Hi Abby,
ReplyDeleteKeep up the great work. I love your CAN DO attitude.
Keep safe and enjoy. Warmest wishes. Jan Pace (Auckland, New Zealand)