Can a 13-year-old sail the world alone?
Laura Dekker was born on a yacht while her parents were sailing around the world and she has been on shore as little as possible since. Now, at age thirteen, she wants to become the youngest who has ever sailed solo around the globe by going on a two-year expedition with the 8-meter boat 800 she calls Guppy.
She recently told the Dutch kids news show Jeugdjournaal that her parents originally opposed the idea, but she convinced them to support her. Dutch social workers, however, are doing what they can to prevent Laura from setting sail in September. They claim her going away for two years is a breach of the Dutch law of compulsory education for those under 16, but say they are also concerned about her development, away from her parents and peers, and the dangers at sea.
The child protection agency has now taken her parents to court to (temporarily) strip them of their parental authority. If the agency has custody of the girl, it can halt the trip.
But because Laura was born off the coast of New Zealand she also has a passport from that county – as well as Germany, where her mother is from. She now wants to deregister from the Netherlands and formally live in New Zealand to avoid the interference with her record-breaking ambitions. Her municipality said it will take her request into consideration after the court’s ruling on Friday.
Should the girl be stopped because she is too young and the journey to dangerous, or is it up to her and her parents to decide? We are curious to hear what our international readership thinks about this.
Wednesday 26 August 2009, 21:14
as long as it isn’t mine daughter, why not. her prents tink it’s okay, Laura herself wants to, she is practically born on a ship, a yacht I gather.
alas we are no islands, everyone including me wants to opiononate something or another. hell, what is freedom all about, anyway: to do and go as you please without harming others. age doesn’t count, experience does. no, it’s the world out there, not meaning the waves, sharks, cyclones what not, no, it’s the world of fishermen, pirates and other loners out there that bother me: young girl, on her own, home alone, for grabs, free of charge, no questions asked.
so before she sets sail so to speak let’s chip in and buy her some shotguns and a few missiles, handgrenades, hell no, let us be generous and surprise her with the USS Nimitz.
Wednesday 26 August 2009, 23:55
If she has indeed been on a small boat in the open ocean with her parents, and seen bad weather and seas, and her parents believe she has the physical and mental toughness, judgment, and skills to persevere and survive this, then the State should get out of the way. As a parent, I am appalled and wouldn’t dream of letting my children drive across the United States at the age of 13. They may be able to competently drive across the country without endangering themselves or other people, but it’s when they are not driving, and exposed to the uncontrollable, that is, the weather and human beings, that I mistrust and fear. But in this realm, it should be up to the parents, not the State, to determine that their children have the judgment and the skills.
Finally, there is a global network of live-aboard sailing families one hopes their parents have joined. They’ll keep an eye out for her. Small comfort when her electronic navigation gear break down in a storm off a lee-shore, but even with parents aboard she might face that risk.
Thursday 27 August 2009, 12:38
She’s a child. It’s too risky. What does her mother think about all this? You read about the father but nothing about the mom’s feelings.
How about letting the parents each go it solo in the same kind of boat with the same kind of equipment, etc., etc., one after the other (so that one will remain behind to care for Laura) and when they return, see how they feel about it all. By then, she’ll be at least 16.
Thursday 27 August 2009, 18:58
No 13-year-old should be sailing around the world alone. Her parents have obviously abdicated their parental responsibilities, so I hope that the State intervenes.
Friday 28 August 2009, 0:48
Laura seems to have a very good relationship with her parents. Also a very healthy response from her parents that if they can not discourage her then better to help her be prepared to fulfill her dream. There are no signs of rift between Laura and her parents which means that she has not been abandoned to decide for herself. If the parents decide to let her do the challenge, no one should come in between. The state should concentrate on juvenile crime in the streets of cities in NL.
Friday 28 August 2009, 11:47
She seems incredibly tough, courageous and mature – if she thinks she can cope with her education, growing up, physiological changes on her body and all that stuff – why not? (I sincerely hope, though, that her parents would follow her on another boat all the way, just in case.)
I was only 23 when I first sailed to another country; she is the real life Pippi Longstockings.
Go for it, Laura!
Friday 28 August 2009, 12:49
Have some adults involved with this taken leave of their senses? My son is also 13 years old, like Laura is. While he shows all signs of being independent physically and mentally, he doesn’t have the maturity nor the life experience to deal with the unexpected.
More importantly I would not put him in harm’s way. No matter how capable he seems at driving a car, I would not let him drive by himself. No matter how knowledgeable he is about guns, I would not let him bear arms. Unless I wanted him to prove himself by putting his own life on the line.
No matter how much Laura loves to sail, or has shown she is capable of sailing alone, are the adults here making the right decision to bet her life on it?
Friday 28 August 2009, 16:46
13 is just a number and has no bearing on her maturity.
SS- child protection and so called experts are clueless to the 21st century children coming to Earth at this time.
I had similar experience as a girl growing up in Ireland- but I still lived my dream.
Then when my own children were considered too intelligent by child protectors and in need of Electric Shock Therapy to normalise them- then i woke up to reality as to why the Corporate Parent wants to remove children to its care and brainwash them to keep them under its control.
Sail FREE young lady.
Come to think of it – in American Indian culture all girls had to prove themselves as women at around this age many moons ago- and it was accepted as normal.
Mother Earth needs strong young women like Laura.
I will be with you in spirit Laura- you are never alone.
It is only the adult fools who think like that.
Friday 28 August 2009, 17:21
The parents in this case are clearly showing their lack of common sense and judgment. We are parents to protect and educate our children and bring them to adult age with intelligence and balance, not to live through them our own failures or frustrations. I’m very curious to see here, which ambitions are served the best, the ones from that girl or her father? Of course that young lady would like to sail the world, skip school for 1 year or 2 and be in the Guinness Book, it belongs to the parents (and to the Child Protection Agency if those failed) to keep that young person in a secure environment until she understands truly by herself all the implications of going solo in the open sea, and until she has the abilities to do so.
Friday 28 August 2009, 18:26
@Susanna Viljanen.
At 23 you were fully grown and adult. Laura is 10 years younger and only a child. I don’t know how old Pipi Langstocking is supposed to be, but she has superhuman strength. She can lift a horse above her head and defeat a whole army of pirates by herself. Not typical of 13 year old girls.
Do you allow your children to follow the example of fantasy characters? I remember a children’s series from my childhood called ‘The flying nun.’ A girl who was inspired by this jumped off the roof with a nun’s cap, but to her surprise she did not fly, like on television. She fell to her death.
Go for it?
Friday 28 August 2009, 21:26
Go for it! All her life she has bin at sea, I belive her parents know what they are doing,,,
Saturday 29 August 2009, 2:09
Any time you take a boat out and expose it to the elements you take a risk. People who have sailed solo are very lukky to come back in one piece.
The weather is unpredictable and all the fish that are looking for food and just like to play.
Any body with the right kind of mind will not go out by them selve to take a risk.But if that what some people want to do let them, to me you only prove that you have been lucky when you come back alive.
Eliza
Sunday 30 August 2009, 10:22
I have a 14 year old daughter who is mature like most 17 year old boys. So the question is, from a parental/state point of view, if a 17 year old boy rom the UK can do it, why not a 13-14 year old girl? I was 15 first time my parents let me sail our family yacht alone, and although I made tons of mistakes, I learnt even more.
If she is physically and mentally capable, the state should stay out of it.
Would I let my daughter do it? I think she would miss Twitter to much!
Monday 31 August 2009, 11:04
To those parents who think it’s a blast and are encouraging Laura to do it, let me just remind you – in Yemen, they marry off 10-year old girls to adult men. Some consenting parents justify that their 10-year old girl is precocious and already menstruating. Therefore she is “mature for her age”!
Which of the free-thinking mothers here are prepared to give your 10-year old to me as a bride? I promise to treat her as an adult…
Thursday 3 September 2009, 14:03
This is what happens when parents allow their children to be children. This is what happens when parents adopt the “vrijeopvoeding” style of raising kids.
The feeling of ‘entitlement’ that today’s children are raised with produces responses like Laura’s. Just because she feels or thinks she can sail around the world by herself – is astonishingly – good enough for her dad. Unbelieveable but only here in NL.
It is parents, such as Laura’s, that bring their kids to “adult only” parties or allow their children to cry unendingly while waiting in line at the grocery store or while shopping.
13 yr. old girls or boys (for that matter) can’t do everything just because their parents have faith in them. There is nothing worse than instilling a false sense of security/safety in your children.
Friday 4 September 2009, 8:03
laura”s case has been well covered in New Zealand newspapers and as many of us know the oceans can be a dangerous place.Nobody leaves NZ shores without a full inspection of all safety equipment on board!It is then left up to the person[s] in charge to depart,age is not a consideration.If Lauras parents believe she is up to it then the authorities should not interfere.There are far more riskes on land,drugs alcohol.crossing the street, etc.not to mention extreme sports!Laura needs to be well informed of the risk she takes,and all we can do is hope for the best outcome.
Friday 4 September 2009, 15:26
Police has fired 10-20 rounds into a crowd of 25 thousand of which 20-80 individuals were interested in rioting. 1 person was killed.
Police Commissioners have been relieved of duty & the mayor is in a very tight spot.
That is news & will be for weeks/months.
The sailing story is already added to the annals of history.
Friday 4 September 2009, 18:21
The State should stay out of parental rights decisions. If the parents support Laura than what right has the State to overrule their decision.
The law states that minors up until the age of 16 are required to follow mandatory education. The law should not apply when the individual in question is not in the country. If parents live outside Europe with minors, does the Dutch State impose the education law in the foreign country?
I am fully in support of the decision Laura parents make. Laura’s parents, and only Laura parents, have a say in the development and education of her. If they see her fit, mentally and physically, to chase her dream I’d say—Go for it!
Saturday 5 September 2009, 13:36
There’s a sad development in this story. The Newspaper De Volkskrant, and after that, the newspaper NRC Handelsblad, have chosen to publish an interview with the mother of the child. In that interview, the mother gives away something Laura had said to her in private: a threat. I think that it is very un-ethic, for newspapers, to publish about private conversations between mother and child, especially when the child had no chance to approve of this. And even if it did, it is not done. Privae conversations are private, but what 13 year old says to heir mother in private, should be even more protected. Court hearings about family matters are also done behind closed doors. It’s not for the public. There’s a reason for that.
Saturday 12 September 2009, 4:28
Though her navigational skills and level of seamanship may be exceptional, mentally and physically a thirteen-year old simply is unable to cope with the challenges of such a trip. Period! In my opinion, she should be stopped before she ends up dead or worse. Really, I’d hate to be the one then to say to the parents, “I told you so!”
Saturday 12 September 2009, 6:07
As a free spirit go for it. As a parent, ‘hell no’, not at 13. But if she does make the journey I’ll be behind her 100% just be sure to stop here in Belize we’ll have a welcoming party for her.
Monday 21 September 2009, 17:18
What if…Should we than finance the rescue operation? Which country will pay that bill? Sorry kid, you are too young. Stupid parents.
Friday 9 October 2009, 21:55
Sorry young lady, but I think you are far too young to be making this trip. Enjoy your life first as a teenager, have fun, go to school, go to college…
If you still feel that you want to sail around the world when you have done all this, then go ahead, do it and enjoy it with everyones blessing.
Monday 12 October 2009, 18:45
If I were her, I would wait until I am 16 to make this really big solo trip. Should she not be, just be in school, for now, just like other young people of her own age?
Thursday 15 October 2009, 9:06
I think parental responsibilities should be practiced on a different level, just look at all the teenagers with questionable morals yet living with their parents, sitting in schools waiting to enter a boring life. Involvement of her parents is understandable but what does it have to do with any court or organization? Let her do what she wants, explain the possible consequences. Life is worth losing for an adventure like that.
Tuesday 3 November 2009, 19:32
No 13 years old should be sailing around the world alone, just as no 13 years old is allowed to drive a car, nor to drink alcoholic beverages, nor to smoke and so on… This girl has to go to school at this age and no exception should be made, she is too young to decide what she wants to do.