Laura Dekker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Laura Dekker
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Dekker in 2011
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| Born | 20 September 1995 Whangārei, New Zealand
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| Citizenship | Dutch German New Zealander |
| Occupation | Sailor |
| Known for | Youngest person to sail solo around the world |
| Spouse(s) |
Daniël Thielmann
(m. 2015; div. 2017) |
| Children | 2 |
Laura Dekker (born 20 September 1995) is a brave sailor from New Zealand and the Netherlands. She became famous for her amazing dream: to sail all the way around the world by herself. In 2009, when she was just 13, she announced her plan to become the youngest person ever to do this.
At first, some people were worried because of her age. A Dutch court got involved to make sure she was safe. But in July 2010, the court agreed that she could start her journey. Laura finally set sail on 21 August 2010. She sailed her 12.4-meter (40-foot) boat, named Guppy, for 518 days. She finished her incredible trip in Sint Maarten when she was 16 years old, becoming the youngest person to sail solo around the world!
Contents
Early Life and Love for Sailing
Laura Dekker was born in Whangārei, New Zealand, while her parents were on a seven-year sailing trip. Her father, Dick Dekker, is Dutch, and her mother, Babs Müller, is German. This means Laura has citizenship from the Netherlands, Germany, and New Zealand. Her parents separated in 2002, and Laura lived with her father.
Laura spent her first five years living on a boat. After her family returned to the Netherlands, she often sailed with her father. She has owned several boats, and she always named them Guppy. Her first Guppy was a small Optimist dinghy she got for her sixth birthday. She quickly learned to sail it by herself.
When she was eight, she read a book called Maiden Voyage. It was about another young woman, Tania Aebi, who sailed around the world. This book likely inspired Laura even more. By the time she was a young teenager, Laura was already an experienced sailor, taking her own Guppy on longer trips around the Netherlands.
First Big Solo Trip to England
In 2009, Laura started getting her boat ready for a trip around the world. Her father suggested she first sail to England to gain more experience on the open ocean. This was a challenging trip because the English Channel has strong currents and busy shipping lanes.
Laura spent eight weeks preparing her boat. On May 1, she secretly sailed away from her home port. She reached the coast and then crossed the Channel, arriving in Lowestoft, England. She emailed her father to tell him she had made it! Local authorities were concerned about her being alone and young. They kept her in a safe place until her father came to get her. He brought her back to her boat, and she sailed home by herself. The return trip was much faster because of strong winds.
Planning a Global Adventure
In August 2009, Laura shared her big dream with a Dutch newspaper: she wanted to sail solo around the world in two years. Her father fully supported her plan. Laura planned to use a 38-foot (11.6-meter) sailboat, also named Guppy. This boat was specially prepared for long journeys and sailing alone.
Her planned route started from Portugal, heading west across the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean. From there, she would go through the Panama Canal and sail past Indonesia. She planned to make about 26 stops along the way. An advanced tracking system on her boat allowed her family to follow her journey closely from the Netherlands.
Laura continued her schoolwork through the Wereldschool (Worldschool), which sent her materials for self-learning. During her trip, she wrote a weekly column for a Dutch newspaper, sharing her adventures with the world.
Overcoming Challenges and Concerns
When Laura first announced her plan, some local authorities were worried about her safety and age. The Child Welfare Office got involved, and a court temporarily stopped her from leaving. They wanted to make sure she was safe and well-cared for. This situation received a lot of attention from people all over the world.
Laura explained that she understood their concerns, but she felt confident in her sailing skills. 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."
After much discussion, on 27 July 2010, a Dutch court decided that Laura's parents could decide if she could make the trip. This meant Laura was finally free to begin her amazing journey!
During her trip, some people thought she had stopped doing schoolwork. Laura clarified that she was still studying and planned to continue her education after returning home. Her journey was followed by many, and she became an inspiration.
Laura's Amazing Solo Journey (2010–2012)
Laura started her solo circumnavigation from Gibraltar on 21 August 2010. She sailed her boat, Guppy, across vast oceans and visited many beautiful places.
Here are some highlights of her incredible trip:
- She sailed from Gibraltar to the Canary Islands and then across the Atlantic Ocean to Sint Maarten in the Caribbean.
- She passed through the famous Panama Canal in April 2011, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
- She crossed the Equator on 25 April, a big moment for any sailor.
- She sailed for 18 days straight from the Galápagos Islands to the Marquesas Islands, one of her longest legs.
- She visited many islands in the Pacific, like Tahiti, Tonga, Fiji, and Vanuatu.
- In August 2011, she reached Darwin, Australia, after a tough journey through the Torres Strait. Her father visited her there, and they worked on the boat together.
- She then sailed across the Indian Ocean to Durban, South Africa, a non-stop journey of 47 days!
- She passed the famous Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, known for its rough weather.
- Finally, after sailing 5,600 nautical miles (10,371 km) non-stop from Cape Town, she arrived back in Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten, on 21 January 2012. She had completed her full trip around the world at just 16 years and 123 days old!
Her entire journey took 518 days, which is about 1 year and 5 months. A documentary film called Maidentrip (2013) was made about her journey, mostly filmed by Laura herself.
Life After the Voyage
After her record-breaking trip, Laura continued to be involved in sailing.
- In March 2013, the film Maidentrip about her journey was shown for the first time.
- She took part in some Dutch reality TV shows.
- In November 2014, Laura published her book, One Girl, One Dream, sharing her story.
- In 2015, she earned a special sailing license called a Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate, becoming the youngest person to achieve it.
- Laura has started the Laura Dekker World Sailing Foundation. Her goal is to help other young people experience long-distance educational sailing trips. She even got a new 21-meter (69-foot) ship, also named Guppy, for these trips.
The Fate of Guppy
Laura's beloved boat, the Guppy she sailed around the world, was later donated to an organization called LifeSail. This group uses sailing to teach life lessons to children.
Sadly, in August 2018, Laura announced that her original Guppy was wrecked on a reef in the Pacific Ocean. It was a total loss. This was a sad moment for Laura and many of her fans who admired the boat that carried her on her historic journey.
Personal Life
Laura Dekker married Daniel Thielmann in New Zealand in 2015. They later divorced. She is now in a relationship with Sander Vogelenzang, a boat builder. They have two children, a son born in 2018 and a second child born in 2022.
Images for kids
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Yacht Guppy in Den Osse, Netherlands, on 3 August 2010
See also
In Spanish: Laura Dekker para niños
