Laura Dekker: 16-year-old teen who completed solo world tour

Many people made their ways in order to get that ‘huge’ recognition all over the world, and that is to beat previous world records! But would you dare to have a solo tour around the world? Un(–foul word(s) removed–)isted?

I guess so, but there’s this one person who bravely did sail around the world. Laura Dekker, a 16-year-old Dutch sailor became the youngest sailor to complete a solo circumnavigation of the world, a year after going to court for the right to try.

Wikipedia says that Laura announced her plan to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe single-handed last year 2009, but a Dutch court stepped in, due to the objections of the local authorities, and prevented Dekker from departing while under shared custody of both her parents.

In July 2010, a Dutch family court ended this custody arrangement, and the record breaking attempt finally began on 21 August 2010. Finally, Dekker successfully completed the solo circumnavigation in her 11.5-metre (38 ft) two-masted ketch Hurley 700 boat named Guppy, arriving in Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten, on 21 January 2012.

It’s not usual for Dekker, because she herself is born as a sailor. She was born on a boat in the port of Whangarei, New Zealand during a seven-year trip by her parents, and she spent the first four years of her life at sea, and earlier at the age of six, Dekker owned her first boat.

In a press conference she had right after she went home, the young sailor shared her life experiences at the sea.

“I can’t really take in what I’ve done, sometimes I’ve asked myself what I was doing,” she said. “The sailing was always nice… I often saw dolphins. I enjoyed it a lot and I’m very happy.”

“I’ll spend the next few days cleaning the boat,” the 11.5 metre-long (about 38 feet) ketch, called Guppy.

The previous record holder was Australian Jessica Watson, who achieved it in May 2010, three days before she turned 17. But unlike Watson, who circumnavigated non-stop, Dekker sailed from port-to-port and was never at sea for more than three weeks.

According to some reports, Dekker’s achievement will not be entered in the Guinness Book of World Records however, as it has refused to recognize records by minors which are considered “unsuitable.”

Although it is, surely, what she did will not be forgotten because it is truly amazing!