20 Read the article and check the topics that are mentioned. 1. Zac's parents' opposition 2. His attitude about his boat -3. His boat's facilities 4. Dangers he encountered -5. Descriptions of places 6. His future plans Seventeen-year-old sailor realizes dream O n July 16, 2009, when Zac Sunderland sailed back into Marina del Rey Harbor in Los Angeles, California, he was welcomed as the youngest person to ever sail solo around the world. Zac, who was 17 years of age at the time, spent 13 months and two days alone at sea. sea. This was not the first time Zac had spent long periods at (1.) As a child, his family sailed to Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Mexico. In Mexico, his father, shipwright and yachtsman Laurence Sunderland, bought a 16 meter (51 feet) Aleutian sailboat that he and young Zac fixed up to make suitable for family life. The Sunderland family then spent three years on the boat cruising around California's Channel Islands, the Baja peninsula, and mainland Mexico. His time sailing and an encounter with a book about a trip around the world gave him his dream: to sail solo around the world, and Zac was convinced he would achieve it if he really focused on it. When he turned 16, Zac began to train himself both mentally and physically by racing, navigating, and repairing yachts. (2.) Finally, he was able to purchase a 12 meter (36 feet) yacht that he and his father prepared for the solo voyage. He christened the yacht The Intrepid. He chose the name because he felt that in order to make the journey, he needed a boat that was "resolutely fearless, dauntless, brave, courageous, and bold" to carry him around the world. His voyage would be even harder because Zac planned to continue his education on the boat. Before setting sail, Zac reported that he had all his school books with him and that he would send his assignments by email home to his mother for grading. (3.) If his mother helped him study, he was sure he would do well. He departed from Marina del Rey on June 14, 2008 to make his way around the globe. He initially planned to make about 30 stops along his journey, beginning with Micronesia. (4.) He changed course and set sail for Oahu, Hawaii where he could stock up on provisions and do some surfing. Although he was the only person aboard his boat, Zac was not completely alone. In addition to having the best safety and communication equipment with him in case something went wrong, he also stayed in touch with family, friends, and the world at large through his blog. Zac documented his CLEM experiences with a video camera. At times he felt scared: "If I live to see this thing through, everything will go well," he said to a video camera he used to record his personal diary during the journey. Before returning to California, Zac's eventual route contained 20 stops, which included places such as The Marshall Islands, Australia, Mauritius, South Africa, Panama, and Mexico. (5.) One of the high points of his journey was when he met the President of the Marshall Islands, Litokwa Tomeing, who personally welcomed him to the island of Majuro. Low points included being chased by pirates off the coast of Indonesia, and having his boat badly damaged in a huge storm at sea. However, he said the biggest obstacle to overcome had been sleep deprivation, and the hardest part of the journey may have been in the days just after launching 13 months before. But he was never discouraged enough to quit. You will not find his name among a list of World Record holders, though. In a somewhat controversial move, the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC), the world sailing authority, refused to grant him the record as the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the globe solo. The WSSRC stated that although Zac Sunderland had sailed more than 28,000 miles, he had not sailed along an approved route. If he had only sailed around Cape Horn, his route would have been approved and he would have received the record. Zac is not disheartened. What are his plans now? To finish high school and to compile his writings and videos into a documentary. For Zac, it looks like smooth sailing ahead.​