Part of me is afraid for Laura Dekker, but part of me is looking forward to her effort to become the youngest person to sail around the world alone.
I guess that's because I've grown accustomed to following these types of odysseys since Zac Sunderland set sail at 16 in the summer of 2008, launching a teen adventure spree that so far has produced three successful solo-circumnavigations, and one unsuccessful voyage.It was Abby Sunderland's aborted trip -- caused by a violent rolling and crippling of her 40-foot boat -- that underscored the danger aspect of high-seas adventure and spawned a heightened level of criticism directed at the Sunderland parents.
The Dutch sailor would have departed a year ago had a court not intervened and placed her under the guardianship of a child welfare agency. But the court released her from state guardianship last week and the spunky Dekker proclaimed on her blog:
"After a one-year 'battle' I am allowed to go!"
Dekker's parents are divorced. She lives with her father, who is the biggest supporter of her adventure. Her mother, Babs Mueller, initially was against the journey, but has changed her mind.
That doesn't mean she likes the idea. "Of course no mother on earth likes it if her daughter goes to sea alone," Mueller said in a letter published in a local newspaper. "I will have sleepless nights from the worry, but this is about Laura and how I can help her."
Dekker's latest blog post is next to a photo of the schoolbooks "that are all ready for my journey," she wrote.
Though it's mandated that she keep up with schoolwork, chances are the real education will come from the ocean and its whims, and from the people she meets along the way.
Here's hoping the ocean and the people are kind to the girl.
-- Pete Thomas
Graphic and photo courtesy of Laura Dekker
Haha I would agree with that too. She'll never be at the route without some weapon to defend herself for scary phenomena. Lols. But I truly had fun going through your interesting adventure.
Posted by: White water rafting trip | Feb 21, 2011 at 05:50 AM
Ryan, if she has an alternate route planned then where is it on the map?
I would think going through these waters, the Guppy and Laura would be safer riding on an American aircraft carrier.
I cringe for her life on this route; sounds like a suicide mission instead. I wonder if she pays attention to the news from this area.
Posted by: Mark | Aug 03, 2010 at 01:09 PM
She has an alternate route planned that avoids that place, but yea, i wouldnt go into the gulf of aden without an automatic weapon and sniper rifle
Posted by: Ryan Wine | Aug 02, 2010 at 02:02 PM
Yikes for the planned eastward route she's taking, especially through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Aden. I hope the Dutch Navy will escort her through these waters - the most violent on the planet. I can only imagine what the Somali pirates are thinking when they see her.
Posted by: Mark | Aug 02, 2010 at 12:51 PM