Zac Sunderland rides the wind

Zac Sunderland, hoping to become the youngest person to solo-circumnavigate the globe, is off to find the trade winds and ride them as far as he can on a 4,000-mile journey to the Marshall Islands in Micronesia.

Sunderland, 16, a high school sophomore from Thousand Oaks, has experienced only minor issues since sailing out of Marina del Rey on Saturday afternoon. But all systems are presently go.

"I am running my fridge, computers, radio and charging Sat phone and iPods and have more than enough power," he blogs. "My power is being generated entirely by solar panels and a wind generator so this is really good news. Have had some trouble with the self steering wind vane. Not sure if it is just me??? Will press on with this."

Meanwhile, his sister Abby, 14, is reportedly very jealous. She wants to follow in her brother's wake and become the youngest female to solo-sail around the world, but Laurence Sunderland, the dad, said in a recent interview he's not ready to turn his daughter loose because of the sharks that exist on land (men), not those at sea.

Marianne Sunderland, the concerned mom, told Zac to feel free to pull into Hilo on the big island of Hawaii if he's feeling he needs a break from the ocean. But chances are Zac will want to keep moving. His adventure is expected to last about a year.

—Pete Thomas

Photo of Zac Sunderland departing Marina del Rey on his 36-foot sailboat, Intrepid, taken by Ringo H.W. Chiu for The Times

For more pictures of Zac Sunderland, visit the photo gallery.