Column-Logbook for the Algemeen Dagblad
September 28, 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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[Near East Timor]
Sometimes it can be quite boring at sea

Arghh... I am bored. Sometimes even sailing around the world alone gets to be a dull thing. Three days ago I sailed out from Darwin with some wind blowing but it came from the wrong direction so it wasn't very helpful. And now there is no wind at all. If I hadn't started the engine I most probably would have slowly drifted back to Australia. There hasn't been anything much to see around in the last few days but for the odd cargo ships or sailing boats... and nothing else! The reception on the SSB radio I use to talk to other sailors is crackling like crazy so it is impossible to chat for now. But then it does not make much sense to bore you all with that. Still, there are some positive sides to this quietness - there is almost no swell so I can sleep at night without worrying about being thrown out of my bed and I can have my Hagelslag sandwiches for breakfast [a spread made from granulated chocolate] without everything flying inside the cabin. I can even read a book without the letters dancing in front of my eyes and having to search for the right line over and over again. And lastly and not without its importance, I can focus on my favourite activity: cleaning up! Yesterday I cleaned inside my fridge. While sailing I cut the power off to it so it saves the electricity for the Radar and the GPS. Well yep again! I forgot that there was still some food inside it. The last time I had forgotten a cucumber that looked more like a piece of dung when I found it and this time I had left a pack of ham slices that was starting to really stink. Yucky... Anyway the fridge now smells all fresh and fruity and I can concentrate on nicer things like reading, playing a little guitar, looking at the waves and begging for a little bit of wind. But I have a feeling that I might have to wait for another week for that to happen!

Regards,
Laura