Sick toddler on dead sailboat rescued by navy

[sugarbear]

My dad was going to sail around the world with us after my mom died. Bought the boat and everything, taught us how to sail. We were 8 and 10.

Instead, he bought the business that he'd worked at all through high school and college. The owner wanted to sell to my dad, but wouldn't wait two years.

[underwaterrhymes]

There is no way in hell I would attempt to confine a 3-year old and a 1-year old to a 36-foot space in my house let alone on a boat on a trip around the world.


ETA - I get seasick, so even if they were older this does not appeal to me. I would love to pull the kid(s) out of school for a year and travel all over at some point, but they will be old enough to enjoy and understand it and Dramamine will not be a focal point.

[isabel]

I mean, in theory? Yeah, I would take that risk if I felt confident in my ability to sail a boat on the open water and if I had enough supplies and medical knowledge. But there's no way I would actually have any interest in doing something like that.

Also, I don't have kids, so my answer could take a complete 180 once I actually have a child.

[fivechickens]

No fucking way.

[underwaterrhymes]

Apr 6, 2014 20:49:01 GMT -5 @tambcat said:

Probably no surprise, but I think this was really irresponsible of them. An around-the-world sailing adventure sounds great, but either do it before you have kids or wait until they are older. Don't drag a baby and a toddler into it.

It was incredibly selfish too. Kids that age will not enjoy something like this at all.

[sugarbear]

I should have answered your question. I wish my dad had taken us on the trip.

However, no way in hell would I do it with a toddler and a baby.

[thebreakfastclub]

My one year old can barely handle Target then Costco in the same morning. Screw that sailboat.

I always wonder if the rescued people end up being liable for the cost of the rescue in situations like this.

[livinitup]

That rescue sounds incredible. Truly.

Sailing around the world would be AMAZING. Nothing about my life makes that a remote possibility.

[mandymay]

I wouldn't, but my best friend spent two years on a boat with her family and two dogs and sailed up and down the Pacific Ocean when she was young. I'm glad the little girl was able to get help!

[Deleted]

So, I would normally say this sounds irresponsible, except by all accounts this family was well-prepared snd very knowledgable about sailing. Accidents happen, just as they do when we drive or fly.
I'm glad they were able to get help.

Personally, I wouldn't do that trip. DH went sailing from the Bahamas to Canada with his parents when we was in his early 20's.

[cville]

Leaving aside the risk and illness and massive expenditure of resources for this rescue, trapped on a 36 foot boat with two small children surrounded by danger requiring my CONSTANT VIGILANCE sounds like my own personal version of hell.

[aprilsails]

I actually have been following their blogs for the past couple of years. The husband is a very experienced sailor, but I've gotten the impression I few times that the wife feels like she is in over her head to some extent. I don't think the second child so soon after the first was in their plans.

That being said, many cruisers take their kids at that age since they don't have to worry about schooling. There are large groups of 'kid boats' that travel the world and keep in contact to meet up in various locations.

This is a major dream of mine and I follow many family sailing blogs. I would like to do it with teenagers or pre-teens if it pans out. I spent over a year at sea when I was in high school and my husband and I have taken courses for navigation and seamanship so he can get up to speed. We're working our way up to it, but I am always super impressed by those people who actually make it happen.

[thinkofthesoldiers]

Apr 6, 2014 21:17:32 GMT -5 cville said:

Leaving aside the risk and illness and massive expenditure of resources for this rescue, trapped on a 36 foot boat with two small children surrounded by danger requiring my CONSTANT VIGILANCE sounds like my own personal version of hell.

One of my kids sleep walks and H wants to rent a houseboat for a vacation. There is no way I would sleep. So it isn't happening. I actually would love to do a houseboat trip, but not with a kid who walks in their sleep.

And OP, I'd love to travel the world with my kid. The idea of being at sea for weeks on end with them? Not appealing.

[skib]

We took our daughter on a cruise when she was 7 months old and not mobile and I was still scared the whole time that she was somehow going to fall overboard. I can't imagine trying to keep track of a one year old and a three year old who are running all over the place -- I would be a nervous wreck. But honestly, they don't sound like the most responsible parents anyway.

[fryjack2]

I know how to sail but I'm petrified of the open ocean. I stick to lakes.

No way in hell would I take children that young on an around the world trip. Their boat was taking on water so they couldn't use the motor. You typically need 2 people to sail a boat that size. Who's holding the baby?


I do have a friend who's parents sailed around the world in the early 80s. He was 3. His parents split up because dad wanted to keep sailing and mom was done. I'm guessing having a young child on board factored into her decision.

[cville]

So I just read one of the dad's posts. It's like "day 5 or 6, rough seas, this is really really difficult. Kids are a lot of work. We had sex tonight."

Ha ha ha haha. Ha ha. Ho ho hee hee.

Yeah. I clearly do not and cannot understand these people. At all.

[gretchenindisguise]

Not something I would do, but then some wouldn't take their 5 mo old to Spain.

I think the parents sounded experienced and ran into some bad luck.

I do think it may have been wise to wait a bit longer after their kid was sick though.

[Deleted]

No way, but I am pretty much the most risk adverse person ever. I would never sail myself, camp in remote areas, etc.

[sonrisa]

Forget about how fragile small kids are. No one who is under the age of consent should be taken on such a risky journey. If you want to risk your own life by sailing the pacific, fine. You don't get to gamble with your kids. I'm glad they were rescued but that was an incredible waste of resources which could have been avoided if they had acted with good judgment.

[sonrisa]

Apr 6, 2014 22:32:52 GMT -5 gretchenindisguise said:

but then some wouldn't take their 5 mo old to Spain.

This isn't spain. This is more like dragging two small kids up Mount Everest because your sherpa is game. 

[marina007]

A

[Deleted]

I hope these two dumbfucks get a bill from the US Navy, but they won't.

And the whole baby rolling around in the cabin? I got my judgemental pants on.

I also really hate the "la-ti-da, just following our dreams" attitude. When your dream doesn't consist of confining two small children to a hunk of shit in the middle of a massive body of water hundreds of miles from civilization, knock yourself out.

[mrsukyankee]

I wouldn't with kids at that age but perhaps after they hit 5 or 6, and can begin to help out/appreciate it all, I would.

[sent]

I had no idea people traveled the world this way.  

[Deleted]

The SIL and brother were interviewed and both said that it was a stupid idea and they told them not to go. And seriously, they should be on the hook for the rescue costs.

[cinnamoncox]

IMO it's completely irresponsible and selfish to do this with children that young. So the baby wasn't planned so close? Well, they knew she was born when they left right?
A core responsibility of parenting is keeping children out of extreme danger , this seems like a complete parenting fail on their part.
They didn't keep them safe, the US navy did.
They are lucky and I also hope they get a bill for the rescue. Sure, accidents/illnesses happen, but that's an atypical place to be. When illnesses happen here in my world, we just drive to the doctor, it doesn't take the US military to intervene.

[ECB]

Apr 7, 2014 6:19:22 GMT -5 cinnamoncox said:

Sure, accidents/illnesses happen, but that's an atypical place to be. When illnesses happen here in my world, we just drive to the doctor, it doesn't take the US military to intervene.

This.  I live in Maryland on the bay.  If you were talking sailing up and down the bay, or maybe even taking it down the coast a few hours.  O.k. - that's one thing.  But they took a sailboat out into the open sea to go around the world.  The list of things that could go wrong grows and grows and grows.

Oh, and hey, guess what?  They lost power.  So they had to sail.  And as said - trying to sail a boat while one of the only 2 adults on the boat needs to watch the kids?

Irresponsible. 

Older kids who can actually help w/ the sailing, who can swim, who can both help and fend for themselves - different story. 

[housewife]

I don't like these parents. I've got all sorts of dreams and things I want to accomplish but I've either put them on hold or adjusted them to be conducive to raising kids.

Yea, we'll be that family that RV's across the US one summer and spends another in Europe when they're older. However, you won't see me going all Swiss Family Robinson.

[pamela]

A 1yo who should be learning to walk - on a boat? These parents suck.

[Saint Monica]

I wish I could get behind them on this. I really do. But I think they are dumbasses.