Chapter Two

Meet Laura Dekker ...

 a very young woman of  a certain age

  

Laura was literally born sailing.  Her mother gave birth to her while she and her husband were on a seven year trip around the world.  For Laura's first five years she lived on that same boat. Then, when her baby sister was born, her family moved to Holland, bought a house and tried to be land lovers.  It didn't work. Laura's parents divorced and she chose to live with her father because of their mutual love of the sea.

She learned to sail at six and at ten she owned her own dingy. By eleven she had earned enough money doing odd jobs that she purchased a small yacht. It was a wreak but she and her father worked on it every day for months, making it seaworthy.  She named it "GUPPY" because when she is out in the vast ocean that is how she feels.

Laura had a dream.  She wanted to be the youngest person to ever circumnavigate the globe solo. At 13 she thought she was ready but the Dutch government stepped in and stopped her.  She and her father fought a legal battle for a year.  At one point the government tried to make her a ward of the state and determined her father negligent for thinking of letting her go. After what she calls, a horrible year, the courts decided in her favor and she was free to make her own choices. She set sail on August 21, 2010

 THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

Her voyage started from Portugal westwards. These were her main ports...
Gilbralter (start)
Canary Islands
Cape Verde Islands
St. Marteens
Panama Canal
Crossed the equator
Galapagos
French Polynesia
Tahiti
Torress Strait
Darwin Australia
South Africa
St. Marteens  (finish)
In all she made 14 stops, riding out the hurricane season on land and doing her school work while on board. She rounded South Africa in a terrible storm, a feat most experienced sailors wouldn't attempt.

HER DOG SPOT

Spending that much time alone in the middle of the ocean allows for a lot of self reflection. Laura always knew she  loved the sea but after her voyage she knew it was her lifelong passion.
She had to come to terms with loneliness, boredom, frustration and fear.  She thought she would go insane when she lost the wind in the Indian Ocean. There was nothing she could do but wait.

She made friends in unexpected places and found strength in her inner self. When she finished her 5,600 nautical mile journey on January 21, 2012, she was 16 years and 162 days but her self-reliance, and determination rendered her much older. Pleased with her accomplishment she re-located to New Zealand where she "navigates" a whole new life on and off the ocean. Her next goal is to be a skipper of a large ship. 

Her advise to other women... "Follow your dreams"

Laura filmed her entire experience and it has been made into a documentary. It is captivating!   MAIDENTRIP available through Amazon.