Zac Sunderland Returns

Imagine sailing 40,000 miles of open ocean...alone. Even the most seasoned sailor might think twice before embarking on an adventure like this. So many dangers lurk: high winds, treacherous seas, pirates. It's certainly not something, say, the average 16 year old would ever consider. Well, apparently, Zac Sunderland is not your average 16 year old. And by the way, he encountered all of the above, including pirates off the Somali coast.


On July 15th, after 13 months at sea, Zac Sunderland (now 17) returned to Marina del Rey aboard his 36' sailboat, Intrepid, as the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the globe solo. An amazing accomplishment for this daring young man, and one that deserved a bit of celebration.

So, along with my friend Stephen, his wife, Kelly, and my camera, we motored out from the marina on their sailboat at just past 10am to be a part of Zac's welcome home committee. We were not alone. We joined a large flotilla about a mile off the breakwater and escorted him back into the marina. Dozens of other crafts of varying sizes, including a couple of water-canon-equipped Sheriff's Dept. vessels whose job it was to keep most of us at a safe distance, a Coast Guard boat or two, buzzing media helicopters from CNN, ABC and many others, all joined the party. It was an interesting day, and a safe and happy ending to a long journey.

Welcome home Zac!

Here's a link to Zac's blog if you're interested in more information: http://www.zacsunderland.com/blog/