Record-Setting Solo Sailor & Motivational Speaker; Youngest to Round Cape Horn Alone; Author of "Unsinkable"
Abby Sunderland Biography
Abby Sunderland is an American sailor and motivational speaker recognized for her solo attempt to circumnavigate the globe at age 16. Sunderland began preparing for her journey at 13, departing from Marina del Rey with the goal of becoming the youngest person to sail solo, nonstop, and unassisted around the world. Her voyage drew international attention as she navigated the challenges of solo ocean sailing, including dead calms, extreme temperatures, and severe storms. Sunderland became the youngest person to round Cape Horn alone, a milestone in the sailing community.
Sunderland's journey ended when her 40-foot sloop, Wild Eyes, was struck by a rogue wave in the Indian Ocean. The incident occurred in high winds and remote waters northeast of the Kerguelen Islands, approximately 2,000 miles west of Australia. After losing satellite phone contact and activating emergency beacons, a 20-hour maritime search led to her rescue by a French fishing vessel. A NASA-developed Personal Locator Beacon played a crucial role in transmitting her distress signal to a Search and Rescue satellite, facilitating her rescue. The event sparked international debate about youth, ambition, and risk in solo sailing, but Sunderland remained committed to her passion for the sport.
Following her rescue, Sunderland shared her experiences through public speaking and writing. She co-authored the book "Unsinkable: A Young Woman's Courageous Battle on the High Seas" with Lynn Vincent and was the subject of the documentary film "Wild Eyes: The Abby Sunderland Story," produced and directed by her father. The documentary received the People's Choice Award for Best Documentary at the Big Bear International Film Festival. Sunderland also visited NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to meet the team behind the Search and Rescue technology that contributed to her survival.
At home, Sunderland addressed media scrutiny and criticism, advocating for young people pursuing ambitious goals in sailing and adventure sports. She has traveled to schools and organizations, encouraging students to work hard for their aspirations despite obstacles. Sunderland's speaking engagements cover topics ranging from adventure and resilience to motivational themes for diverse audiences. She delivered a TEDx talk titled "Rogue Wave," emphasizing perseverance and courage in the face of adversity. Sunderland's message continues to resonate with audiences interested in sailing, youth achievement, and motivational speaking.
Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Abby Sunderland and other top speakers and celebrities.
Abby Sunderland Videos
Abby Sunderland Shares Her 'Unsinkable' Story - YouTube
She set out to sail around the world alone, but her trip was cut short when a wave destroyed her boat stranding her in the middle of the ocean with...
-
How do I book Abby Sunderland to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Abby Sunderland for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Abby Sunderland, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Abby Sunderland or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Abby Sunderland
Speaking fees for Abby Sunderland, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Abby Sunderland are available upon request for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Abby Sunderland, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Abby Sunderland speak about?
Abby Sunderland is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Adventure, Christian, Christian, Extreme Sports, Faith & Religion, Faith & Religion, Non-Fiction Authors, Overcoming Adversity, Storytelling -
Where does Abby Sunderland travel from?
Abby Sunderland generally travels from Alabama, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent. -
Who is Abby Sunderland’s agent?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Abby Sunderland for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Abby Sunderland for your next private or corporate function. -
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Abby Sunderland or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us. -
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
Abby Sunderland is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics. The estimated speaking fee range to book Abby Sunderland for your event is available upon request. Abby Sunderland generally travels from AL, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Christine Caine, Kylie Bisutti, Pam Tebow, Jekalyn Carr and Jordan Romero. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Abby Sunderland for an upcoming live or virtual event.
This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.
All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.
If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.








