It seems like people my age are over-protected today, even to the point where a lot of parents refuse to put their kids in the position to make important decisions, to aspire to great things, because they don't want to put them in a position to fail.

When I saw the plane, I was absolutely astonished! Two emotions crashed over me: surging joy and crazy fear.

Terror ripped through me as I was falling, falling, falling toward the sea.

In that moment it dawned on me that everything has to line up perfectly for something to turn out this awful.

On June 10, the worst storm in the series swept across the middle of the Indian Ocean and Wild Eyes was directly in its path.

I wanted to break the record, of course, and become the youngest person to sail around the world solo and unassisted.

If a big wave came at the wrong moment, it would sweep me off into forty-eight-degree water, where I might last twenty minutes. Drowning quickly might be better.