Please select your home edition
Edition
Hyde Sails 2024 - One Design

Keeping track of Laura Dekker- Happy Birthday!

by Nancy Knudsen on 24 Sep 2010
A shy wave from Laura after arriving in the Canaries SW
Laura Dekker, the 14-year-old Dutch sailor who has started her planned solo circumnavigation of the world, and is berthed in Marina Rubicon on the island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, has turned fifteen!

Most parents would say that they would worry for their fifteen-year-old spending her birthday alone, unsupervised, far from home and with no family around, but Laura - and her family - seem to take it in their stride.


But then this is no ordinary teenager, and an analyst might say that Laura's yearning to be at sea is not a yearning to challenge herself or confront danger, but a longing to return to her most secure memories. She was born on a bluewater cruising boat, did half a circumnavigation before she was six.

She gravitated, as a child does, to imitating what her parents do, and she's been sailing her previous Guppy, a 28-foot Hurley 800, on her own in the English Channel and North Sea since she was 11.

Below is her latest blog entry from the Canaries:



Yesterday was my birthday, thank you very much for all the congratulations. It was a very fine day for me.I awoke this morning to a phone call from my mother and my sister, followed by a call by my father and the rest of my family.
Later when I was busy doing my schoolwork the first gifts arrived, given by the Dutch people I have had dinner with. Then I received a fancy cake from the people of Marina Rubicon themselves.

The day before yesterday I went for a walking-tour of the volcanoes. That also was very nice, and afterwards we had
dinner where I tried Calamari. Actually I didn't like the taste too much. But I tried it. Still with one of my Dutch friends I
went snorkelling today. It was incredibly beautiful. I saw different species of fisheswith all kinds of colors. And those underwater rocks are admirable too (even though I actually don't like them that much, because you have to beware of them with
your boat).
After that we went to eat something. When I returned to my boat in the evening I found another gift for me. Given by someone from the island I have had a chat with earlier.
I also received greetings cards and things from some other people. In short: It was a great 15th birthday.
Today I will head for Gran Canary, leaving Lanzarote, Marina Rubicon and all the beauty here behind me. On towards new things and meeting new people.



Laura now sails a Jeanneau Fizz ketch 38ft, also named Guppy. The boat is 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.

Her planned voyage is pretty much 'the Milk Run' for cruising sailors - not for her the challenges of the Southern Ocean or the solitude of months and months alone. The longest she will probably be alone, all going well, is for three weeks at a time, and that is most likely to be on a Pacific leg, in the tropics, sailing from Galapagos to the Marquesas in French Polynesia.


This is not to underestimate Laura's voyage. The risk of colliding with a ship or running aground is much larger near land than on open ocean. Also the risk of being a crime victim is larger in a port city than on the sea.

Laura will still have to cross the big oceans. On the other hand she will avoid the stormy roaring forties, and she will wait (as she is now) to avoid the hurricane seasons which otherwise makes latitudes 20-30 dangerous.

Her education is to be conducted through the Wereldschool (Worldschool), an educational institution that would provide her with material for self-learning. During hurricane seasons, Dekker plans to fly home to study there

Laura will have more than the usual help in ports. 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. An Iridium tracking system onboard will allow a team in the Netherlands to monitor her course closely.

Sea Sure 2025Doyle_SailWorld_728X90px_GP BOTTOMAllen Dynamic 40 Footer

Related Articles

NTG Global Graduate Program
Shape your career and propel yourself into the world of innovation North Technology Group, a global leader in advanced composite technology, is offering an exciting and dynamic graduate program that will shape your career and propel you into the world of innovation.
Posted today at 3:00 pm
Cape 31 UK Nationals at Cowes
Tight racing, standout performances, and top-class prizes mark another memorable championship The 2025 Hamble Yacht Services Cape 31 UK Nationals concluded on Sunday after an action-packed weekend hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron.
Posted today at 2:47 pm
Northern Light presents renders of new Offshore 34
Opening up new perspectives in the sustainability of high-impact sectors nlcomp's vertical brand combines offshore design and sustainable materials to revolutionise offshore sailing. Launch in autumn 2025.
Posted today at 1:14 pm
GBR IRC Championship continue into Autumn & beyond
Attention now turns to the second half of the season With the first half of the GBR IRC Championships successfully complete, attention now turns to the second half of the season, running from July to the end of the year, with events spanning the East Coast, South West, Channel Islands, and inland waters.
Posted today at 10:25 am
Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour Trapani day 2
In Trapani, the Royal Madras team was 1st in the offshore race. The Royal Madras team was the first to arrive in Trapani and win the offshore leg, followed by the Verein Seglerhaus Am Wannsee and Aeronautica Militare teams.
Posted today at 9:01 am
Tough start for Lanzarote Calero in Marstrand
An intense day on the water, marked by gusty winds and a series of incidents The Lanzarote Calero Sailing Team began their participation in the 44Cup Marstrand with an intense day on the water, marked by sunny conditions, gusty winds, and a series of incidents that impacted the day's results.
Posted today at 8:15 am
Introducing Ocean Legend
Vaikobi's range of lifestyle clothing Introducing Ocean Legend; Vaikobi's range of lifestyle clothing inspired by the stoke and the stories of those who live and breathe ocean sports.
Posted today at 4:37 am
ILCA 4 Youth Europeans overall
Fantastic sailing conditions marked the final day in Puck, Polan Fantastic sailing conditions marked the final day of the 2025 ILCA 4 Youth European Championships & Open European Trophy in Puck, Poland. Strong winds ranging from 14 to over 20 knots enabled all seven fleets to complete three final races.
Posted today at 4:22 am
WASZP brings the heat at Foiling Week 2025
Four epic days of classic Ora conditions Malcesine turned it on once again for Foiling Week, with four epic days of classic Ora conditions and a record 131 WASZPs hitting the start line - the biggest WASZP fleet ever at the event!
Posted today at 4:11 am
Aussies Break into Top 10 at Kieler Woche
Put to the test from light air to heavy breeze The first half of Kieler Woche has wrapped up in Germany, with Australian sailors putting themselves to the test in five Olympic classes. Kiel delivered a complete spectrum of conditions for athletes to sharpen their racing skills.
Posted today at 4:03 am