Column-Logbook for the Algemeen Dagblad
July 05, 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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Halfway around the world!


Today I has been exactly eleven month and one day that I am on my journey around the world. And also I am feeling completely myself again since I haven't felt sick for three days now. On the first day of my crossing towards Tonga there was just a little wind blowing but then the wind became too strong and blew me in the wrong direction. So I have been busy adjusting the sails and correcting course all day. But now the wind is exactly like I want it, so I can have some rest. This morning I could sit in the cockpit without having to drink salt water all the time and Guppy is going super fast. Via the SSB radio I kept in touch with another boat that was sailing 200 nautical miles ahead of me but now is only 20 nautical miles away. It looks like we will arrive in Tonga at the same time on Thursday I guess. And that means... that I will be exactly at the halfway point of my journey! I should stay there for about
a week and then I will be heading for the Fiji Islands. At that point I will have had circumnavigated the whole world… Well, not exactly all on my own. I went from the Fiji islands to the Netherlands with my parents when I was very young as they were on a four years sailing journey. Of course I am doing it a little faster this time and with a bit of luck I will have circumnavigated the globe by July of next year. I still do not really realize that I have gotten this far already - I am more inclined at looking ahead instead of behind. It feels very odd to look back and remeber abour all the lawsuits of one year ago… Eleven months and one day ago, I did not have a glimmer of hope that I would be at liberty to start on my voyage nor did I have any idea that I would be sailing here, somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, right now. But here I am and this is something I am really proud of.

Until next week!
Regards, Laura