Abby Sunderland Reunited With Brother

In a bittersweet reunion today, 16-year-old Californian sailor Abby Sunderland hugged her brother Zac as she teared up and defended her family against criticism that she had been too young to try to sail around the world alone. "I knew what to do. I was well-prepared for anything that could have happened," she said, flanked by Zac, 17, who flew to the French island of Reunion off east Africa to meet her. "I was on an adventure. You can only plan so far," she said.

She said criticism of her family "is ungrounded." "They have put up with a ton of stuff to help me follow my dream," she said. She blanched and didn't answer, however, when asked whether she would try another solo circumnavigation of the globe soon. Her parents stayed in California, where her mother is soon to give birth to her eighth child. And for now, Abby's most looking forward to getting home. "I hope to have a new brother soon," she said. "And I look forward to seeing my dog."
(More Abby Sunderland stories.)