Column-Logbook for the Algemeen Dagblad
Thursday, October 7, 2010

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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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'Sailors are very easy people'


"I was busy doing my first chemistry experiment. Using a test tube, water and a filter paper, I had to analyse the flammability of natural gas. Difficult, so it is good just to take a break to write another one of my logbooks. More and more sailing ships are coming into port, that are also preparing to do the big crossing soon. Most of them stay here only for a short period before going to anchor in a different place. It is nice to meet the crews from all those yachts. Sailors are very easy going people anyway. We are all sailors, so there is always something to talk about and we exchange our experiences sailing. If someone is planning to go somewhere, often I can go along, or I am asked wether I need anything. I recently met a family that is living here who organize dolphin-excursions. I joined them on one of the tours to see the jumping dolphins and that was really nice. I have permission to use their "mooring" - a sort of anchorage - after they leave the harbour. There are not only sailors around here so I am constantly meeting new and nice people. A few days ago I went to the local Netherland Club with people who spend the winter here. We celebrated 'Leidens Ontzet' [Liberation of Leiden, see note below] with herring, white bread and hotpot. It was very strange to do this at a 25 ° Celsius as the outside temperature. Stranger still: I heard that Gran Canary had been Netherlands territory for about one week in ancient times! Also I have been given lots of fruits. I am drinking banana milkshake every day and I now have a problem: plenty of mellowed bananas. Maybe the time has come to share with others. So yes, that is right, I am not idle and there are plenty of nice things coming. This week I will start with my Diving qualification. The day before yesterday I did my very first dive here. It was cool to see all the creatures that live deep under the water surface. I have seen an octopus, squids and many other kinds of animals. It really was different from the dar and eerie inland waters of the Netherlands, ha ha... I am going for another dive now and then I have to learn some theory.

Until next week, Laura"


ZLD Facebook Note:
Re: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hutspot

Leidens Ontzet (Liberation of Leiden): In 1572, the city sided with the Dutch revolt against Spanish rule and played an important role during the Eighty days war.
Besieged by the Spanish, Leiden was saved by breaching the dikes, thus enabling ships to carry provisions for the inhabitants of the flooded town. Yearly on October 3rd, the end of the siege is still celebrated in Leiden. The legend tells that after the expulsion of the Spanish besiegers a pot of carrot stew (hutspot) was found in their camp. And so the city population could have a decent meal after a long period of starvation. This is why this meal is served in all the restaurants on October 3rd, every year.