Posted on 08/21/2010 9:24:05 AM PDT by golux
A 14-year-old Dutch sailor departed in secrecy from Portugal Saturday on her quest to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world, avoiding the media because her manager said she didn't want the attention.
Laura Dekker said goodbye to her father and friends at an undisclosed Portuguese port enroute to Spain's Canary Islands or Portugal's Madeira Island despite almost windless conditions in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Portugal, according to manager Peter Klarenbeek.
(...) The attempt has been criticized by Dutch child protection authorities who questioned the wisdom of a child risking the world's oceans alone.
(...) Laura had been scheduled to depart from Portimao, and photographers and television crews from around the world were at the resort in southwestern Portugal but ended up with no images of the departure.
(...) The girl's website features links titled "My Coordinates" and "Where is Laura," but neither was working Saturday, and a porthole-shaped counter of the days of her voyage stood at zero.
(...) One of the voyage's sponsors, Ferry Dammers, showed up in Portimao with a banner to display on her boat as it left - but he ended up hanging around with the media crowd and never got to mount his banner on the "Guppy."
"I am disappointed, I have the banner here but when I spoke to Klarenbeek he informed me Laura had already set off on her journey," said Dammers, whose company supplied Laura with wax for the hull of her sailboat.
A Dutch court last month released Laura from the guardianship of Dutch child protection agencies who had tried to block her voyage because of fears about her safety and psychological health.
(...) She also used as evidence her successful solo trip across the North Sea to England.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.foxsports.com ...
Sank already?
I remeber a 16 year old sailed solo around the world back in the 60s. He was featured prominently in a series of articles in National Geographic at various points along the way. I think he was 18 when he finished.
Great. More of this nonsense.
Yes. I read the book. The name of the boat - and the book - was “The Dove.”
Oh boy....I can already see crowds of homeowners association types coming out of the woodwork to rant about what an epic dangerous stunt this is.
http://www.bluemoment.com/dove.html
You have a great memory.
LOL
Here’s a hot tip: People are allowed to disagree with your opinion.
So, apparently you do not think that parents have a responsibility to raise their children in a safe manner, and to protect them as best they can from doing idiotic unsafe things?
Call me what you will, but this is one adult who thinks the parents should be arrested for child engangerment.
Sorry, last word should have read “endangerment”.
Maybe her parents have a better understanding than you of her maturity and what she can handle.
14 year olds can't drive, marry or vote but they can sail alone around the world? There's some twisted logic.
Three Year Old Set Adrift In The Atlantic On A Dinosaur Shaped Float Toy, Hopes To Circumnavigate The Globe By Eighteen
You realize it will only be a year or two, right?
And you are mixing apples and oranges. Driving for example involves the lives of others, not just the driver. Voting is about public policy, not personal choice. And historically many people did get married at 14. Moreover in many staes 14 year olds can become emancipated and marry in exceptional circumstances. Exceptionalism is really what this story is about, IMHO. The laws you cite are good guidelines for the vast majority. I certainly don't think the average 14 year old is mature enough to do any of those things, but if this girl has already sailed across the North Sea by herself she is obviously an exceptional young lady. If her parents have decided to encourage rather than stifle her, I would trust their judgement, since they seem to have done a good job so far. As for endangering her, is it any more dangerous than letting a teenager go around by themselves in a big city? Danger is a part of life. IMHO kids being over sheltered is a bigger problem than kids being exposed to dangers.
What a tragedy for this child folks around her are saying she is beyond her years.
“Could somebody ping me when the headline reads… Three Year Old Set Adrift In The Atlantic On A Dinosaur Shaped Float Toy, Hopes To Circumnavigate The Globe By Eighteen”
Good one Seawolf. I agree.
Ohhhhh! I see. As long as she only can kill herself, it's ok. Got it.
As for endangering her, is it any more dangerous than letting a teenager go around by themselves in a big city?
Are there other people in the middle of the ocean to help her should she need it? Talk about apples and oranges. And I wouldn't let a 14 year old wander around a big city by themselves.
Danger is a part of life.
Which does not mean you endanger a child for a useless unofficial record. Although I hear some think it's "brave".
More and more, I'm coming around to John Taylor Gatto's view that our schools are really just disguised prisons for our country's young.
We'll see what happens with this Laura Dekker. So far her writing seems much less sophisticated to me than the others, but she is two years younger than the others and English is only a second language for her. I'm willing to cut her some slack and watch her mature.
ML/NJ
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