Woman Will Resume Solo Sailing Trip

A Snohomish, Wash., woman headed to the Falkland Islands on Tuesday to resume a solo sailing trip around the world.

Karen Thorndike, 52, began her voyage last August in San Diego but had to interrupt her trip when she fell ill with a bad case of the flu. She was rescued Feb. 2 by the British navy after she reported suffering chest pains, fatigue and dehydration.

At the time, her 36-foot boat, Amelia, was being battered by 50-knot winds and 25-foot waves about 350 miles northeast of the Falkland Islands.

Doctors cleared her to go back to sea after extensive medical tests, including an angiogram, since her return home.

“They ran all the tests and they came out fine, no heart disease or blockage of the arteries,” said Cathy Main, a spokeswoman for Thorndike.

Main said the sailboat was taken to the Falklands and moored by a British crew after she was rescued.