Oceans crowded with solo teenagers
by Nancy Knudsen, Cruising Editor on 27 Aug 2009
13-year-old Laura Dekker: the Dutch child protection agency is trying to prevent her departure SW
After Australian Jesse Martin, never having sailed out of his home harbour, sailed around the world 'non-stop and unassisted' in 1999, nobody followed in his footsteps until Californian Zac Sunderland departed from Marina del Rey with little ado, in June 2008, aged just 16, and recently became the youngest circumnavigator (but not non-stop and unassisted).
This seems to have spawned a host of copy cats, with the younger Michael Perham, who set off some months after Zac, just about to eclipse his record in a few days when he gets back to Portsmouth in Britain.
However, there are now not one but three teenaged girls attracting world-wide publicity by promising – just promising - to do their own circumnavigation – our own Australian Jessica Watson, Zac's younger sister Abigail, and now a Dutch girl still aged thirteen, whom the Dutch authorities are trying to prevent.
Where will it all end? Jessica and Abigail have both announced that they will attempt the sailing 'non-stop and unassisted', which means that they must venture into the Southern Ocean where the swell is mighty, the icebergs frequent and any rescue would pose Bullimore sized difficulties.
I am glad to say there's much other news to preoccupy us, and this edition is full of it.
Tasmania is in the news this week, with a great opportunity for Tasmanian sailors to bone up on the latest in weather from weather-guru Ken Batt; there's plenty of time to plan your trip to Geelong for the Wooden Boat Festival; and there's also still time to nominate someone for the NSW Maritime Medal (full details about how are in this issue).
If you're quick and impetuous enough you could still make it to the Barrier Reef to see our own albino whale, Migaloo, who's just made a welcome appearance there.
In world news at least seven yachts are making their way through the melting waters of the North West Passage this season; a mystery yacht riddled with bullet holes has been discovered off the coast of Corsica; and a couple of cruising tales come from different parts of the ocean – from Montenegro in the Mediterranean and Tonga in the Pacific; and there are always some useful practical articles as well.
Read on, enjoy, and...
Smooth sailing
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