You wrote - (Just because a stunt succeeds, does not mean that it should
have been
attempted in the first place.
It4s like people diving (racing, flyint, driving etc..) and taking silly
unnecessary risks. Contemptible.)
That would have to be the stupidest comment I have ever read, If humans had
never taken risks then where would we be today, there would be no planes, no
submarines, no high rise buildings, no fights into space, no heart
operations, the list is endless and there would be no one living the passage
making dream unless they had trained for say 20, 30, perhaps 40 years does
that time frame sound reasonable and safe to you.
As a film Stunt Coordinator, Stunt Performer, Cave Diver, Commercial Diver,
Parachutist, Motor Cycle racer and much much more, I take risks all the time
(all be it as calculated as possible) as much as walking across the road or
driving on the highway we all take risks, I believe it to be your OPINION
that it is/was unnecessary, some people I'm sure believe that travelling
across an ocean in a small boat is unnecessary and a stupid risk why not fly
instead, but some people believe flying is an unnecessary risk. I have on
occasions met small uninformed minded people such as yourself and find them
to be always knocking other peoples achievements from a far and the safety
of there cosy arm chair, just because at her age some people are probably
still squeezing pimples and not out taking risks.
I guess there are people that take risks and achieve great things and others
just follow at a safe distance.

Two things are highly commendable: her mental fortitude and the preparation
of the small boat. Anybody remember Donald Crowhurst? Although modern
communications were available to her, she was alone with her stuffed animal
crew. Very few humans spend a week alone much less an around the world
voyage alone. Let us celebrate her strength of character in doing something
few could perform. It's true that young people know less fear than older
folks, but they also have less experience in adversity to draw upon. For an
insight into this issue, examine the origins of the Outward Bound program
and the deaths of young, teenage, torpedoed mariners on the Murmansk Run
while older, fat stokers with families survived. In this regard, she is
remarkable.

Second, she and her family prepared a modest boat which did not fail her.
Although I did not follow her voyage, the boat is bringing her home and must
not have failed her in any significant way. When she had the early
collision, I doubted the wisdom of her going. I thought and still think that
her lack of alertness was attributable to the invulnerability felt by people
of that age. Then, I just reread the report on the collision of the sub USS
Hartford and the surface vessel USS New Orleans (no fault found). Adults
with sophisticated sensors can really screw-up worse than a teenager with
rudimentary gear.

I imagine that there is a big commercial component here, but that cannot
take away from her courage and stability.

Ron Rogers
(With running an Outward Bound program and US Special Forces as some
background.)