Column-Logbook for the Algemeen Dagblad
May 19, 2011
Translation for Zeilmeisje Laura Dekker on Facebook
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Each week in her column-logbook for the Algemeen Dagblad Laura Dekker will relate her journey around the world aboard her sailboat Guppy on her attempt to become the world's youngest circumnavigator.
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A wounded foot


I still don't really know exactly how it happened. I was standing at the cabin's entrance when I was suddenly hit by a big wave. I fell backwards and hurt the underside of my foot. But where? I have no idea but it is for certain that there now is a big wound in it. Maybe I should not go into too many details about it. Happily I didn't need to suture the wound and did a good job with dressing my foot and the dressing clips. The wound is heeling very well but I cannot stand on my foot yet but I can perfectly tiptoe around. Until now going across the Pacific Ocean is easier than it was for me to go across the Atlantic Ocean. Of course that is because it had been only my third big crossing ever – after sailing two times to England and back – and the weather was terrible. At the time we went through a strong storm half the way in, which I realized that it was just a few days later when I was told by a cargo ship that we had had force 9 winds. Right now the sun is brightly shining. Up until yesterday I had the very best winds blowing my way but they are now coming straight from astern so I am busy adjusting the sails all day to make sure they don't get all tangled up. Besides that, I don't have much time to do anything other than eating and sleeping. From time to time I manage to read 'Rosie', an exciting book about Rosie Swale who sailed around the world with her husband and her daughter...We are still going at a good speed and there are just 1130 nautical miles left to go to French-Polynesia where I should be in eight or nine more days. So I have plenty of time to think about what route I'll be talking later through the Gulf of Aden or around Africa... Maybe I'll know next week.

Regards,
Laura