Man at sea

A homeschooler aims to become the youngest person ever to sail around the world alone | Mark Bergin

Hans Gutknecht/Zuma Wire West Photos/Newscom

From a satellite phone in Majuro, the capital and primary port city of the Central Pacific's Marshall Islands, the steady voice of 16-year-old Zac Sunderland crackles through the line. Two months into an epic journey around the globe, the understated sailor seems unmoved by the 4,200 nautical miles already covered in his quest to become the world's youngest solo circumnavigator. His words are calm, his emotions quiet, his thoughts directed forward to the 20,000 nautical miles yet to come.

"The squalls are pretty intense out here," he says, as though describing the daily grind of a typical teenager. "But I'm keeping it under control."

Sunderland, whose trek began June 14 from his hometown of Marina del Rey, Calif., grew up with sea legs. A bunk on a 55-foot sailboat served as his first bedroom. And thanks to homeschooling, he spent his youth on family cruises to Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Mexico, one such trip extending three years.