Please select your home edition
Edition
Henri-Lloyd Dynamic Range

Laura Dekker, Christmas alone brings an 'amazing' present

by Nancy Knudsen on 28 Dec 2011
Guppy at sunset SW
Laura Dekker, 16-year-old solo sailor currently on her way from Cape Town to Sint Maarten in the Caribbean on the last leg of her circumnavigation on her 38ft ketch Guppy, may be an amazing little sailor and full of sensible seamanship, but she's still a sixteen-year-old and spent Christmas Day delighted that she didn't have to put up with the Christmas obligations at home:

'... a simple Christmas is a great Christmas to me. This way I don't have to go visit the family and be sooo kind to everyone, I don't have to eat dinner, even a good one, if I don't feel like it just to be polite and what about all that talking, talking... Here Guppy is a very good listener and she never contradicts me ;-) , I can eat whatever and whenever I want, and I don't have to go for visits anywhere, but here with my little Christmas tree with its lights on, my Santa Claus cap and the Christmas garlands and all that is the perfect Christmas ambience for me anyway.'

So with a beam sea making life fairly uncomfortable and only squids and flying fish for company, she is happily sailing towards her goal - the Caribbean, a mere 4000 nautical miles away - which will see her finish her much longed for circumnavigation.

A welcome Christmas present:
Still Laura had an excellent Christmas present of sorts. A mere five days before she had passed the longitude of the Netherlands, meaning that she has passed all the world's lines of longitude, so could be said to have already circled the earth.

'...today Guppy came in line with the Netherlands' longitude [5° E], which means that I have now crossed all of the earth longitudes ... that's pretty amazing.'

Yes, it's pretty amazing Laura, and you may have another 40 days or so to go, but there's every indication that you are having the time of your life. Fair seas!

If you want to read the detail of Laura's life at sea, simply go to her http://www.lauradekker.nl/English/Home.html!website, but otherwise, just keep reading Sail-World Cruising and we will keep you up to date with the latest - not only on Laura, but on everything that relates to the cruising sailor.

MarkSetBotHenri-Lloyd Dynamic RangeSelden 2020 - FOOTER

Related Articles

2025 IKA Youth Worlds at Praia da Vitoria Day 3
Gusts, glory and the comeback kid Day 3 of the Formula Kite Youth Worlds in the Azores delivered a punishing mix of gusty winds, gear disasters and gutsy performances with France's Nell De Jahamm among those impressing in the demanding conditions.
Posted on 30 Oct
2025 Optimist Asian & Oceanian Championship day 3
Omani sailors deliver strong performances Omani sailors delivered strong performances on the third day of the 2025 Optimist Asian & Oceanian Championship, organised by Oman Sail in collaboration with the Oman Maritime Sports Committee and the International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA).
Posted on 30 Oct
IOM Worlds 2026 at Datchet Build-Up
Dinghy and Keelboat sailors could learn a lot from radio sailing Datchet Radio Sailing are hosting the biggest event of the radio sailing world in May next year, the IOM World championships. Competitors from 20 plus countries will participate and the spectacle of the best in the world racing is not to be missed.
Posted on 30 Oct
Last chance to get a free entry or free jib
2026 Fireball Worlds Expression of Interest Closes midnight Friday Pay £50 and you will be put into a draw to take place on 1st November 2025. The first non-UK boat drawn will receive a free entry to the UK Nationals and the Worlds, whilst the first UK boat drawn will receive a jib kindly donated by P&B.
Posted on 30 Oct
17th Transat Café L'or Day 5
Into the Blue While the ULTIM race leader Tom Laperche and Franck Cammas (SVR Lazartigue) are opening distance all the time on their pursuers, now into the trade winds and averaging 31 knots this afternoon, not far behind them are the Ocean Fifty class.
Posted on 30 Oct
CXr - A new generation of Code furlers from Seldén
Enhanced with several new features of which a patented ratchet design stands out 15 years ago, as a response to a growing demand for convenient headsail handling, Seldén broke new ground by introducing their CX and GX furlers for Code 0 and flying down wind sails.
Posted on 30 Oct
Sailing roles available in Dubai
Dubai Offshore Sailing Club is recruiting! Dubai Offshore Sailing Club (DOSC), one of the Middle East's most established and internationally recognised Sailing Clubs, is inviting applications for the role of Chief RYA Cruising Instructor, Racing and Events Manager, and RYA Cruising Instructor.
Posted on 30 Oct
Fantastic Ensign show specials extended
The Pittwater Sail Expo was a great success! The recent Pittwater Sail Expo at the RPAYC on the weekend was a great success, and it was fantastic to see so many of you there! It was a great 3 days of sharing stories, experiences, and talking all things sailing.
Posted on 30 Oct
GWA Wingfoil World Cup Abu Dhabi day 1
Reigning FreeFly-Slalom world champions suffered mix fortunes in defence of crowns on first day The current FreeFly-Slalom world champions, Italy's Francesco Cappuzzo and Spain's Nia Suardiaz, got off to slow starts in Abu Dhabi as each looked to close out their third successive titles.
Posted on 30 Oct
Manly 16ft Skiff SC Short Course Pointscore Day 3
The sailing class delivering on its promise Thirteen-footers have been around since 2002. It was a slow burn for a while, with Manly Skiff Club doing a lot of the heavy lifting early to ensure fleet numbers stayed at a respectable level. Now it's exploding in popularity.
Posted on 30 Oct