Laura Dekker set a steady foot aboard a dock in St. Maarten on Saturday, ending a yearlong voyage aboard a sailboat named “Guppy” that apparently made her the youngest person ever to sail alone around the globe, though her trip was interrupted at several points.

Dozens of people jumped and cheered as Dekker waved, wept and then walked across the dock accompanied by her mother, father, sister and grandparents, who had greeted her at sea earlier.

Dekker arrived in St. Maarten after struggling against high seas and heavy winds on a final, 41-day leg from Cape Town, South Africa.

“There were moments where I was like, ‘What the hell am I doing out here?,’ but I never wanted to stop,” she told reporters. “It’s a dream, and I wanted to do it.”

Dekker claims she is the youngest sailor to complete a round-the-world voyage, but Guinness World Records and the World Sailing Speed Record Council did not verify the claim, saying they no longer recognize records for youngest sailors to discourage dangerous attempts.

 Dutch authorities tried to block Dekker’s trip, arguing she was too young to risk her life, while school officials complained she should be in a classroom.

Dekker said she was born to parents living on a boat near the coast of New Zealand and said she first sailed solo at 6 years old. At 10, she said, she began dreaming about crossing the globe. She celebrated her 16th birthday during the trip, eating doughnuts for breakfast after spending time at port with her father and friends the night before in Darwin, Australia.

The teenager covered more than 27,000 nautical miles on a trip with stops that sound like a skim through a travel magazine: the Canary Islands, Panama, the Galapagos Islands, Tonga, Fiji, Bora Bora, Australia, South Africa and now, St. Maarten, from which she set out on Jan. 20, 2011.

“Her story is just amazing,” said one of Dekker’s fans, 10-year-old Jody Bell of Connecticut. “I can’t imagine someone her age going out on sea all by herself.”

Bell was in St. Maarten on a work trip with her mother, Deena Merlen, an attorney in Manhattan, who wanted to see Dekker complete her journey. The two wore T-shirts that read: “Guppy rocks my world.”

“My daughter and I have been following Laura’s story, and we think it’s amazing and inspiring,” Merlen said.

Unlike other young sailors who recently crossed the globe, Dekker repeatedly anchored at ports along the way to sleep, study and repair her 38-foot (11.5-meter) sailboat.

During her trip, she went surfing, scuba diving, cliff diving and discovered a new hobby: playing the flute, which she said in her weblog was easier to play than a guitar in bad weather.

Dekker also complained about custom clearings, boat inspections, ripped sails, heavy squalls, a wet and salty bed, a near-collision with two cargo ships and the presence of some persistent stowaways: cockroaches.

“I became good friends with my boat,” she said. “I learned a lot about myself.”

Highlights of her trip include 47 days of sailing the Indian Ocean, which left her with unsteady legs when she docked in Durban, South Africa, where she walked up and down the pier several times for practice.

While in South Africa, she also saw her first whale.

“It dove right in front of my boat and got all this water on my boat, and that wasn’t really nice,” she said.

Dekker launched her trip two months after Abby Sunderland, a 16-year-old U.S. sailor, was rescued in the middle of the Indian Ocean during a similar attempt. Jessica Watson of Australia completed a 210-day solo voyage at age 16, a few months older than Dekker.

Dekker had said she planned to move to New Zealand after her voyage, but she said Saturday that she wants to finish school first. If she goes to New Zealand, she said, she’d like to sail there.

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At 08:20:40 GMT (21:20:40 local) on Friday 30 December, the youngest team in the double-handed, Class40 Global Ocean Race (GOR), 28 year-old Kiwi, Conrad Colman and his 22 year-old, British co-skipper, Sam Goodchild, crossed the GOR’s Leg 2 finish line in Wellington Harbour, New Zealand, in first place on their Akilaria RC2 Class40, Cessna Citation after 30 days 22 hours 20 minutes and 40 seconds, netting the maximum of 30 points for Leg 2.

Colman and Goodchild rounded Cape Farewell at the northern tip of South Island at 14:00 GMT on Thursday (03:00 local on Friday), fighting against headwinds. With Cook Strait set for a 40-50 knot south-easterly blast, potentially gusting to 60 knots, the stretch of water separating South Island from North Island was not a location to be caught in. For the two leading, double-handed Global Ocean Race Class40s, Cessna Citation and BSL, there was no option and life became increasingly tough for the two teams. Fleet leaders Conrad Colman and Artemis Offshore Academy sailor, Sam Goodchild, with Cessna Citation tacked hard in 35 knots of south-easterly wind in extremely ugly seas ahead of the main gale, sailing close to d’Urville Island and Port Gore on the northern tip of South Island before they attacked the 14-mile wide wind funnel at the narrowest part of the strait between Cape Terrawhiti on North Island and Perano Head on Arapawa Island in Marlborough Sound at 06:00 GMT on Friday with 18 miles remaining to the finish line.

One hour later, as the wind built to 45 knots, Cessna Citation barrelled through the 2km-wide entrance to Wellington Harbour between Pencarrow Head and the Miramar Peninsular in torrential rain and grey, rolling waves as daylight faded fast. Colman and Goodchild left the partially exposed Barrett Reef to port and crossed the GOR Leg 2 finish line off Worser Bay on the harbour’s western shore taking victory in Leg 2. GOR Race Officials boarded Cessna Citation via the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club’s support RIB, congratulated the co-skippers and swiftly checked the engine seal fitted in Cape Town was still intact and the Class40 continued to her mooring in Queen’s Wharf for reunions and celebrations in the relentless Wellington downpour.

Surrounded by friends and family on the wet, slick, wooden quayside, Conrad Colman was one of the happiest men on North Island: “It’s the legend of the youg’uns!” he laughed. “It’s absolutely fantastic and it can’t get much better than this,” adds Colman. “I’ve been wanting to sail in a race into New Zealand since I was six years-old when I watched Fisher & Paykel and Steinlager 2 match race down the coast, so not only racing into New Zealand, but winning is really something special.” His British co-skipper was relieved to be ashore: “The Indian Ocean isn’t the problem, it’s Cook Strait that’s the issue,” admitted Goodchild with a broad grin. “The last 12 hours have been pretty horrific.”

One of the really remarkable features of Colman and Goodchild’s partnership is their recent acquaintance: “We met each other a few days before the start of the race and pretty much shook hands on the start line,” explains Colman. “We did a lot of things on the fly, but we shared all the responsibilities and it worked really well.” Sam Goodchild agrees: “We come from two different sailing backgrounds with myself in the Figaro Class and Conrad in the Mini 6.50s and it just worked out well,” he says. “I never, ever expected that we’d win and it’s a massive bonus.”

For the victorious young duo, the GOR’s Leg 2 began well and Cessna Citation was among the leaders in the early stages as the five Class40s dropped south immediately after leaving Cape Town and skated along the GOR’s Western Indian Ocean Ice Limit at 42S. However, her uninterrupted lead of the GOR fleet began on 9th December shortly before Colman and Goodchild took maximum points at the Celox Sailing Scoring Gate, running north-south and bisecting the Indian Ocean at 069E. As Cessna Citation crossed the scoring gate 220 miles north of the virtual line’s southern limit at Kerguelen Island, Colman and Goodchild, Campagne de France and BSL were separated by just 30 miles and Cessna Citation and BSL immediately dropped sharply south to 48S before the two boats climbed north to reach the western end of the Australian Ice Limit at 45S.

Clearing the eastern end of the limit, Cessna Citation dropped south once again using perfect positioning in a cold front with 35 knots of breeze setting a new GOR Class40 24-hour distance run of 359.1 miles and building a lead of over 245 miles. Despite running into light airs and watching their lead diminish as they approached New Zealand, Colman and Goodchild held their nerve through the horrors of Cook Strait and kept pushing hard until the finish gun.

Mark Blomfield, one of Cessna’s European distributors and a mainstay of Colman’s GOR campaign will be travelling to rendezvous with the boat in Wellington: “I am very sorry that I’m unable to be in Wellington at the moment to welcome Cessna Citation and a pair of very courageous and skillful young men who make us and Cessna very proud to be their sponsor and supporter,” says Blomfield. “They have won a long and very arduous Leg 2 in the Global Ocean Race against some highly experienced crews and it is worthy of note that they only met five days before the start!” he adds. “Also, our thanks and appreciation to Mike Thrower who is the owner of this fast and very reliable Class40 yacht and who has been a wonderful supporter of the team and the GOR.”

As Conrad Colman, Sam Goodchild and friends and family enjoy celebrations at Rydges Hotel near the GOR Race Pontoons, much of the group’s talk concerns Ross and Campbell Field in second place on BSL who will encounter the full-force of the Cook Strait gale overnight. In the 11:00 GMT position poll, the New Zealand father-and-son duo are 126 miles from the finish line and 12 miles from Cape Farewell where they will turn east and head directly into 40-45 knots for the final, hard miles through the confines of the strait.

GOR leadeboard at 11:00 GMT 30 December:
1.    Cessna Citation 30d 22h 20m 40s
2.    BSL DTF 126 4.6kts
3.    Campagne de France DTL 95 5.6kts
4.    Financial Crisis DTL 363 10.6kts
5.    Phesheya-Racing DTL 451 4.8kts

GOR cumulative Leg 1 and Leg 2 points excluding Leg 2 finish:
1.    BSL: 39 (4 points at the Celox Sailing Scoring Gate)
2.    Campagne de France: 36 points (5 points at the Celox Sailing Scoring Gate)
3.    Financial Crisis: 27 (3 points at the Celox Sailing Scoring Gate)
4.    Cessna Citation: 24 (6 points at the Celox Sailing Scoring Gate)
5.    Phesheya-Racing: 14 (2 points at the Celox Sailing Scoring Gate)
6.    Sec. Hayai: 6 (RTD from Leg 2)

GOR POINTS SYSTEM EXPLANATION:
The time limit at a finishing line (not a scoring gate) will be 12 days after the first boat has finished, after which time any yacht not finished or retired will be scored DNF.
Scoring Gate Points: A multiplication factor of 1 will apply.
e.g With a 6 boat fleet – winner receives 6 points; second place receives 5 points, third place receives 4 points, last place receives 1 point.
Leg Points: A multiplication factor of 5 will apply.
e.g With a 6 boat fleet – winner receives 30 points, second place receives 25 points, third place receives 20 points, last place receives 5 points.

by Oliver Dewar

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Solo teen sailor Jessica Watson says she’s not a hero, but just ‘‘an ordinary girl who had a dream’’.

The 16-year-old was welcomed by thousands of cheering people at the Opera House and on a flotilla of boats crowding Sydney Harbour just before 3pm this afternoon after a 210-day round-the-world voyage.

‘‘It’s completely overwhelming right now,’’ she said as thousands whistled and clapped while others chanted ‘‘Aussie, Aussie, Aussie … Oi, oi, oi!’’.

‘‘There was nothing out there … and there’s absolutely everything now.’’

The harbour was turned into a spectacular reception area, as hundreds of boats crammed into the narrow waters to greet the young adventurer on her small, pink yacht.

She had left Sydney in October, sailing in sometimes difficult conditions through the Pacific, across the equator, past Cape Horn in South America, across the Atlantic, past the Cape of Good Hope, through the Indian Ocean before returning to Australian waters.

Fellow solo sailors West Australian Jesse Martin and English teen Mike Perham helped Watson take her yacht in after she crossed the finish line, as an aeroplane wrote her name ‘‘Jessica’’ in white smoke in the sky.

Fears that Watson would struggle to walk after such a long time at sea were unfounded, as she made her way up a pink carpet to the Opera House forecourt with her family, wearing a broad grin and looking none the worse for her epic voyage.

She was met by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who hailed her as “Australia’s newest hero”.

“You do our nation proud,” he said. “You are a hero for young Australians … and young Australian women.”

But Watson said she had to disagree with Mr Rudd as “I don’t consider myself a hero”.

“I’m an ordinary girl who had a dream. You just have to have a dream and set your mind to it.’’

Confident and relaxed, Watson was even able to throw in a joke or two.  ‘‘It was tough,’’ she said when asked how it felt to leave her yacht.

‘‘Stepping off was so strange, because for the last seven months, I was doing everything to stay on board,’’ she said as the crowd laughed. ‘You can achieve anything’

The Queenslander was quick to emphasise how young people – especially girls – could achieve anything ‘‘if you want it enough’’. ‘‘People don’t realise … what girls are made of,’’ she said.

‘‘When you take away those expectations, it’s amazing what you can achieve.’’

She added at a press conference later that people ‘‘just need the passion to want something bad enough and a way to make it happen’’.

Thanks to Martin Pryor for waiting hours for Jessica’s arrival to get these photos.

 

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See Video Of Jessica Here

 She’s  been at sea for seven months, but Jessica Watson’s incredible journey has just a little longer to go.

After 210 days at sea, Jessica Watson’s boat Ella’s Pink Lady is almost at Sydney Heads, where she will be greeted by thousands of people on the city’s harbour, including Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, the NSW Premier and her family and friends.

 

 

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Jessica Watson has started her world record attempt after being bid farewell by family, friends and many spectators when she sailed out from Sydney Heads on Sunday morning.

Her spokesman Andrew Fraser said Jessica got off to a good start and many people came out in boats and lined the headland to cheer her on when she took off aboard her yacht, Ella’s Pink Lady, from the Spit in Middle Harbour.

‘There is probably about 100 boats out here (seeing her off),’ he said.

Mr Fraser said the weather conditions were good and that winds should pick up once she got past the heads.

NSW Maritime boats escorted Jessica out of the Heads.

The teenager from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and her team spent Saturday ‘fine-tuning’ their preparations and planned to get a good night’s sleep.

Mr Fraser said she was relieved and upbeat to be finally beginning her voyage, after being delayed in Sydney by gusty winds last week.

‘I said: How are you feeling?’,’ Andrew Fraser told reporters in Sydney on Saturday.

‘She said: I wake up tomorrow and sail around the world’.’

Jessica is setting off on her quest despite calls for her to abandon the voyage from the likes of the Queensland government and some of Australia’s most experienced sailors.

Concerns were heightened when her yacht collided with a 63,000-tonne cargo vessel off North Stradbroke Island during an aborted journey to Sydney last month.

But Mr Fraser dismissed the doubters.

‘Let’s have this conversation in eight months,’ he said, referring to the time Jessica is expected to take to sail around the world.

‘It (the collision) may have been a blessing in disguise, to be honest,’ Mr Fraser said.

‘I think we’ve learnt a lot from that experience, (and) Jessica has learnt a lot.’

After leaving Sydney the 16-year-old will head towards northern New Zealand, then to Fiji, Samoa, South America and South Africa, then sail the final leg of 4,000 nautical miles back to Australia.

Her route will be similar to that taken by Australian Kay Cottee, who became the first woman to sail solo, unassisted and non-stop around the world in 1988.

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17 year-old British sailor Mike Perham has become the youngest person to sail single-handed around the world. His 50ft yacht Totallymoney.com  crossed the traditional Lizard/Ushant line marking the start and finish point of his 30,000 mile record-setting in bright sunshine at 09:47:30 secs (local)am this morning – two months inside the previous age record set by American teenager Zac Sutherland.

Aged 17 years, 164 days old the teenager from Potters Bar Hertfordshire, was escorted across the line by Royal Navy guard ship HMS Mersey, a helicopter from 771 Squadron at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, and a small flotilla of press boats that had been on standby overnight to record his finish.

Mike said: “I’ve made it, I’ve made my dream come true and it feels amazing. A BIG BIG thanks to my Dad, Mum, all the sponsors and every one who has helped me along the way.

I can’t believe that the Royal Navy has sent HMS Mersey and a helicopter to witness my crossing the line. I feel very honoured.”

Mike’s Dad said: “Mike is a very special son, he has done incredibly well. He has shown that with determination, you can succeed even in the most adverse circumstances. He has shown the world that he is an extraordinary young man and an inspiration to us all.”

The First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, KCB OBE ADC passed a message to  Mike Perham as he sailed past The Lizard passed on a congratulatory message via Lt Cdr Carl Wiseman Captain of HMS Mersey:

“The Royal Navy offers its sincere congratulations to Michael Perham on his record breaking single-handed sailing circumnavigation. This is a remarkable and inspirational achievement in one so young, another impressive event in the rich Maritime history of this island nation and of the Perham family”.

“Michael’s family have strong maritime connections, with his father having been a merchant naval officer, his grandfather having served with the Royal Navy during World War 2, and his great grandfather as a Royal Marine in the Crimean war.”

“Michael sets a fine example showing remarkable character, grit and self discipline in completing this historic record-breaking voyage and the Royal Navy is delighted to participate in welcoming him back home to the UK as an honoured and much respected fellow seafarer.”

After crossing the finish line Mike was joined by his Dad, Peter to continue sailing back to for a homecoming welcome at Gunwharf Quay at 11:00 on Saturday.

 

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Mike Perham is 600 miles south-east of Newfoundland, doing 11.4 kts.  He has 1,520 nautical miles to the
Ushant/Falmouth finish line.

Light winds last week delayed 17 year-old Mike Perham’s record bid to become the youngest solo circumnavigator. He now expects to reach the Lizard line marking the start and finish point of his 30,000 mile record-setting odyssey sometime on Thursday August 27, still two months inside the current record. He now plans return to Gunwharf Quay, Portsmouth to be reunited with family and friends at 11:00am on Saturday August 29. Mike, who set out from England last November, was 600 miles south-east of Newfoundland early today, his yacht Totallymoney.com speeding on at 11.4knots, after closing to within 2,000 miles of the finish early on Monday.

Mike said on BBC Radio Solent today that he was coping well with being on his own, but is really looking forward to getting home.

Yesterday about 50 dolphins and 6 pilot whales came to visit him. Mike reported: “I was standing up by the mast this afternoon checking a few things and snapping photographs when all of a sudden I heard a great splash. There was this great long line of dolphins all jumping up in the air. There must have been fifty of them. It was an amazing sight! Later, I glanced across the water and spotted six pilot whales having a good look at Totallymoney.com.

Then, while I was sitting on the beanbag, two dolphins suddenly jumped up just a metre away from Totallymoney.com’s stern. They looked really impressive, spray flying everywhere. I guess the sealife around here is used to seeing a lot of yachts! The temperature on board is getting cooler with the influence of the Labrador Current from the north. The winds have gone around to the north as well. Today I had to put my sea boots on; a strange feeling since I have not worn anything on my feet for ages.

A small low-pressure system currently over Newfoundland, should give me some great running conditions by Wednesday. Once this has passed over it looks as if I might be able to hook into one of the big bad-boy low’s trucking it’s way across the Atlantic to the north of us. I’m looking forward to some more “vroom-vroom” moments!”

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Well the boat show here in Sydney has got off to a great start!  The weather is sunny and temps. are up into the high teens. With five exhibition halls and a marina full of boats there is plenty to see and drool over.  ”Spirit of Mystery” is being really well received with loads of people coming on board for the tour and story of her voyage.  We are working hard to try and accommodate all who want to see her.

Next door to us is a very pink yacht indeed!  It is a 34′  Sparkman and Stephens.  Sixteen year old  Jessica Watson will be setting off from Sydney in September in her bid to be the youngest solo circumnavigator.  Her route will take her northeast across the equator to Washington Island in the North Pacific, around the notorious Cape Horn,  below South Africa and the Cape of Good Hope, across the Indian Ocean and up the East coast back home to Sydney.  Jessica hopes to return before her 17th birthday.  I asked her a few questions whilst being shown around on board.

Why?   – The challenge, she has heard the stories and needs to know what it will be like for herself.
Which things are you most looking forward to?    – The milestones, the Horn would be great.
What things are you most dreading?    – The first storm, other than getting that one behind me not anything really.
What will you miss most?    – Friends and family.
How long are you planning for?    – 230 days.
What are you taking with you to remind you of friends and family?    – Pics, mascots, music and a dancing chicken!
What frustrates you most about societies perception of a youngster taking on what you are about to do?      -Not being ready to accept that I can do this. And being classed as a minor on all the forms that have to be signed off.

Jessica came across as a level headed girl who has her sights firmly set on achieving her goal.

We at C&A wish her well and will be following her progress.  For more information on Jessica log onto www.jessicawatson.com.au

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