Dutch girl, 14, leaves to sail around world
AMSTERDAM — She's not afraid of pirates. She's packed plenty of school books. And she's going to miss her family and her dog.
Fourteen-year-old Laura Dekker hopped onto her boat today and sailed off from the Netherlands hoping to become the youngest person to make a solo voyage around the world.
About 100 supporters waved as Laura and her father Dick left the southern Dutch harbor of Den Osse in her 38-foot (11.5-meter) yacht Guppy, bound for Portugal where she plans to leave her father and begin her circumnavigation attempt.
Last week, Laura won a legal battle when a court released her from the guardianship of Dutch child protection agencies. They had blocked her initial plan to depart at age 13 over fears for her safety and psychological health during the trip, which will likely take about a year.
"I can be sailing now, and that's great!" she told reporters today, sporting a skull-emblazoned black T-shirt.
Laura hoisted the black Jolly Roger-like flag of The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society above her red twin-masted ketch — the same image she wore on her shirt — before sailing out.
