Reunion Island, France:
Sixteen-year-old Californian sailor Abby Sunderland was reunited with her brother on Saturday, after her solo around-the-world journey ended when her boat fell apart in a southern Ocean storm.
Abby Sunderland said she's "really disappointed that things didn't go as planned."
She spoke to reporters after coming to shore early on Saturday on the French island of Reunion off east Africa, brought by a French patrol boat.
Sunderland was rescued by a French fishing boat 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometres) west of Australia after her boat capsized on June 10.
Her boat was struck by a three-storey-high wave which snapped her boat's mast.
Speaking to reporters, the teenager said she was aware of such risks and had been prepared for any eventuality.
She said, "The past few months have really been the best months of my life. I've enjoyed almost every minute of my time out on the water. We're all really disappointed that things didn't go as planned, but I was on an adventure and you can only plan so far in an adventure."
Her brother Zac, who himself set a brief record by being the youngest person to sail around the world last year at age 17, flew to Reunion to meet his sister early on Saturday as she came into shore on the French patrol boat 'Osiris'.
Zac Sunderland was the only family member to greet her because Sunderland's mother is about to give birth to her eighth child.
Sunderland has had regular satellite phone and e-mail contacts with her mother from the 'Osiris'.
Sunderland's young age as she sailed off to her perilous journey has sparked controversy, with some observers suggesting the family was seeking media attention.
During Saturday's news conference, Sunderland criticised what she called the "extremely unfair and offensive criticism" levelled at her family.