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Laura Dekker

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Laura Dekker
Born (1995-09-20) 20 September 1995 (age 28)
Whangarei, New Zealand
NationalityGermany
Netherlands
New Zealand
OccupationSailor

Laura Dekker (born 20 September 1995) is a Dutch sailor. In 2009, she announced her plan to circumnavigate the globe as the youngest person on record. Dutch authorities, however, have opposed this plan in view of her age initiating an international discussion about the rights of the government. In July 2010, a Dutch family court permitted the record breaking attempt to start.

Background

Dekker was born on a boat in the port of Whangarei, New Zealand during a seven-year trip by her parents.[1] Her father, Dick Dekker,[2] is Dutch and her mother, Babs Müller,[2] is German, thus Dekker has Dutch, German, and New Zealand citizenship.[2] Her parents divorced in 2002.[3]

Dekker spent the first four years of her life at sea.[4] At six, Dekker had her first boat, an Optimist, and learned to sail it herself. The next boat she received at the age of ten was a Hurley 700. She named it Guppy and used it for solo-sailing during her multiweek-long summer vacations; her trips included the Wadden Sea and the North Sea.[5] In May 2009, Dekker made a solo-crossing from Maurik, the Netherlands to Lowestoft, England where local authorities requested her father to come and accompany her on her return voyage.[6]

Plan of a global circumnavigation

In August 2009, Dekker announced her plan for a two-year solo sailing voyage around the globe in the Dutch national newspaper, Algemeen Dagblad. If successful, she could be the youngest person to have done it; currently the Australian Jessica Watson is the youngest with 16 years and 362 days. In that case Dekker should finish before July 2012 to be the youngest. Her father supports her; she lives with him after the separation of her parents.[7] Dekker plans to sail seagoing Jeanneau Gin Fizz ketch 38 ft, also named Guppy. The boat will be equipped for long-distance sailing and adapted for solo-circumnavigation. The route is planned to go from Portugal westwards, cruising the Caribbean, go through Panama and past Indonesia. Then she plans either to go past Somalia to the Mediterranean, or around Africa if piracy is of concern. She plans around 26 stops.[8]

At 14 locations Dekker will be met by a support team that follows the same route. It will also help her along difficult spots such as the Panama Canal.[9] An Iridium tracking system onboard will allow a team in the Netherlands to monitor her course closely. She will avoid the stormy roaring forties, and she will avoid the hurricane season during which she'll fly home to study.[10]

Her education would be conducted through the Wereldschool (Worldschool), an educational institution that would provide her with material for self-learning.

Government objections

Although Dekker’s plan was supported by her father, her mother was against it,[3] the local authorities at Wijk bij Duurstede, her residence, objected and got the Child Welfare Office involved. A family court judgment was obtained that placed Dekker in shared parental custody with the Council for Child Care who stopped her departure.[11][12][13] The shared custody was to last until July 2010, but a successful application by the child protection agency saw that extended until at least August of that year.[14]

Dekker's plan and the intervention by the government received extensive international attention.[15][16][17][18] Discussed was, aside from the personal matters, the issue to what degree government has a right to intervene when minors engage in risky behaviour that is parentally supported.

According to the Dutch inland shipping regulations, it is prohibited that a captain younger than sixteen years sail a boat longer than seven meters on Dutch waters; thus Dekker would not be allowed to use the boat for any solo excursions within the Netherlands until 2012.[19] She has still done so, with the effect that the police required her father to come and sail the boat home together with her. The circumnavigation, however, would not start in the Netherlands, thus Dutch naval regulations do not apply to her voyage.[8]

On 18 December 2009 a member of Dekker’s family reported her missing to the police.[11] A farewell letter was left for her father,[7] although her boat remained in the port of Maurik.[20] On 20 December, Dekker was found safely on Saint Martin.[21][22] Two days later she returned to Amsterdam where she was interrogated by the police.[23]

On 26 December it was reported that another court in the Netherlands overruled the objections of the social workers and permitted her to sail alone next year; she is expected to do so in September 2010 when she will be 15.[24]

On 27 July 2010 the Dutch court ended supervision of Dekker, and decided it was "up to the girl's parents to decide whether she can make the trip."[25] Dekker reported that she would depart "within two weeks".[26]

Laura Dekker has later commented the authorities in an interview,[27] where she said "They thought it was dangerous. Well, everywhere is dangerous. They don't sail and they don't know what boats are, and they are scared of them."

Her boat

History
 NetherlandsNetherlands
NameGuppy
OperatorLaura Dekker
RouteCircumnavigation from Gibraltar
BuilderJeanneau
StatusAt sea
General characteristics
TypeKetch
Length37 ft 6 in (11.5 m)
Beam12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)
Draft6 ft 2 in (1.83 m)
PropulsionSails

Dekker had planned to sail the boat she was given by her parents, Guppy, a Hurley 800, with a length of 8.30 metres (27 ft) and a beam (width) of 2.75 metres (9 ft).

In February 2010 she and her father acquired a new boat. It is a French-built 11.5-metre (38 ft) two-masted Jeanneau Gin Fizz ketch.[28]

2010/2011 Solo circumnavigation

Dekker sailed from Den Osse, Netherlands on 4 August 2010 headed for Portugal.[29] This segment was not a part of the solo circumnavigation, as she had her father onboard. It included boat testing and boat training for her. The published plan was going to Lisbon, and starting solo from there. They instead sailed to Portimão, with arrival on 15 August. She sailed with others from Portimão to Gibraltar on 18–20 August, because she was according to Portuguese law too young to be formally qualified to captain her ship.[30]

2010/2011 Solo circumnavigation progress:

  • Laura Dekker started solo from Gibraltar on 21 August 2010.[31]
  • Arrival at Lanzarote on 25 August.
  • She stayed in the Canary Islands for several weeks because of the Atlantic hurricane season. During a week her mother and sister visited her. The rest of the time, she was by herself or together with other Dutch sailors, doing sightseeing on the islands.
  • She left Gran Canaria on 10 November heading for Cape Verde, where she arrived on 18 November.
  • The Atlantic crossing from Cape Verde to Saint Martin—a distance of 2,200 nautical miles (4,100 km; 2,500 mi)—was started on 2 December and finished when she reached Simpson Bay Lagoon on 19 December.[32] Due to calm weather she had to use the engine for two days, to get there in time.[33]
  • She was offered and agreed to be a crew member for 10 days on the tall ship Stad Amsterdam, departing from St. Martin on 5 January 2011.
  • After Saint Martin, she has visited the islands of Îles des Saintes, Dominica and Bonaire.
  • On 16 February, on Bonaire, she got minor injuries, as the car she was passenger in was hit by a truck.
  • From 27 February to mid March she makes a visit to the Netherlands to speak at a boat show and more places. She is given fairly much media attention in the Netherlands. For example the newspaper site ad.nl has a standing link from the front page to a collection of articles.[34]
  • She plans to pass through the Panama Canal in April or May, staying in the Caribbean until then.[32]

Planned route

A plan[35] with 24 stops was published by Laura Dekker before her journey. She has not followed the plan exactly, only approximately, so therefore only a selection of stops is shown here:

She has an alternative plan if the Gulf of Aden is not considered safe enough, and that is sailing around South Africa. This route has more weather problems. A NATO representative has warned Dekker and other sailors from trying to pass the Gulf of Aden.[36] NATO generally rejects requests to protect leisure boats from pirates.[36]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Solozeiler Laura (13): 'Alles is rond'". Het Parool (in Dutch). 2009-08-24.
  2. ^ a b c "Gemeente wil Laura Dekker nog niet uitschrijven". Binnenlands Bestuur (in Dutch). 2009-08-25.
  3. ^ a b Spiegel (2009-09-05). "Mutter absolut gegen Weltumsegelung" (in German). Retrieved 2009-12-21.
  4. ^ "Laura heeft zout in haar bloed". De Telegraaf (in Dutch). 2009-08-24. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "Info on Laura Dekker and Guppy". Website Laura Dekker.
  6. ^ "Dreams scuppered for Dutch sailor girl". BBC News. 2009-08-29.
  7. ^ a b Corder M (20 December 2009). "Dutch teen who sought solo sailing trip disappears". The Washington Post. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |source= ignored (help)[dead link]
  8. ^ a b "Op koers".
  9. ^ Vragen van een lezer aan Laura Dekker - ad.nl 9 september 2009
  10. ^ 'Laura, mag ik met je mee op wereldreis?' - Algemeen Dagblad, 19 September 2009
  11. ^ a b Spiegel (20 December 2009). "Weltumseglerin Laura Dekker verschwunden" (in German). Retrieved 2009-12-21.
  12. ^ CNN (28 August 2009). "Dutch court halts girl's solo sailing plans". Retrieved 20 December 2009. {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  13. ^ "Teen solo sailor Laura made a ward of court". Dutchnews.nl. 2009-10-30. Retrieved 2010-11-19.
  14. ^ "Dutch court delays schoolgirl's round-the-world bid". Google News. Agence France-Presse. 17 June 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  15. ^ Karla Adam (30 August 2009). "Dutch Delay 13-Year-Old's Dream of Sailing the World". The Washington Post.
  16. ^ Whipple, Tom (29 August 2009). "Court bans teen sailor Laura Dekker from record-breaking voyage". London: The Times. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  17. ^ "MainSail Social workers threaten to thwart teen sailor's record bid". CNN. 30 August 2009. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  18. ^ "Laura Dekker, 13, must wait before trying to sail around the world alone". Los Angeles Times. 29 August 2009. Retrieved 7 May 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |hrsg= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ 'Wettekst BPR' - Overheid.nl
  20. ^ Zeilmeisje Laura Dekker vermist[dead link], Omroep Gelderland, 20 December 2009
  21. ^ "Update - BNO News reports that teen Dutch sailor Laura Dekker is found safe on Saint Martin". BNO News. 2009-12-20. Retrieved 2009-12-20.
  22. ^ "Solo sailor girl found on Caribbean island". Dutchnews.nl. 2009-12-21. Retrieved 2010-11-19.
  23. ^ Mike Corder, AP (22 December 2009). "Teenage Dutch sailor Laura Dekker sees life unravel after court blocks dream voyage".
  24. ^ NZ Herald (26 December 2009). "14-year-old given permission to sail around world". Retrieved 30 December 2009.
  25. ^ "Dutch court OKs bid by 14-year-old to sail solo around the world". Content.usatoday.com. 2010-07-27. Retrieved 2010-08-04.
  26. ^ "SpitsNieuws : Laura gaat rond de wereld zeilen". Spitsnieuws.nl. Retrieved 2010-08-04.
  27. ^ "15 Year Old Laura Dekker Crosses Atlantic". Allatsea.net. Retrieved 2011-03-19.
  28. ^ Richard Durham (2010-03-22). "Dutch girl, 14, planning world cruise | Sailing news". Yachting Monthly. Retrieved 2010-08-04.
  29. ^ "Youtube video, departure from Den Osse". Youtube.com. Retrieved 2010-11-19.
  30. ^ Schabner, Dean (21 August 2010). "Laura Dekker, 14, Sets Off on Round-the-World Sail". ABC News. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
  31. ^ "Laura, 14, sails off in secret on record breaking global yacht trip". Daily Mail. London. 22 August 2010.
  32. ^ a b Fitzpatrick, Judy (19 December 2010). "Teenage sailor on solo voyage reaches St. Maarten". Washington Post. Retrieved 19 December 2010.[dead link]
  33. ^ [1], 6-12-2010 "Yesterday I had some wind and finally, after two days, I could turn the engine off.",
  34. ^ "AD Laura's zeilreis". Ad.nl. Retrieved 2011-03-19.
  35. ^ "Laura Dekker De Passaat Route" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-11-19.
  36. ^ a b "Laura Dekker warned to steer clear of the Gulf of Aden". Rnw.nl. 2011-02-09. Retrieved 2011-03-19.

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