30th December 2020
The sea remains very calm so even though the wind sometimes drops, Guppy is able to continue sailing nicely. Today was spent reading, playing games and […]
29th December 2020
The promised 14kn of wind came and Guppy is sailing along very smoothly on a relatively calm sea. The sun also decided to come out, so it […]
28th December 2020
We got up bright and early but don’t rush to leave, I am still a strong believer that good preparation is one the biggest keys to […]
26th December 2020
After a good full night of sleep we head back into Palmeira to clear out and try to find some fresh fruit and veggies. In the […]
22nd December 2020
During the early hours of another amazingly clear warm night we start to see a few lights on the horizon and as we get closer the […]
21st December 2020
For the last two days we have been sailing through a bubble of many different shades of blue. The days and nights are incredibly clear, we […]
20th December 2020
With a good breeze from behind we nicely sail along at 7,5-8 knots. The waves have build a bit, so Guppy is being tossed around a […]
19th December 2020
We leave La Gomera around 3pm while a good wind is funneling through the islands, but soon the nice wind is gone and we slowly roll […]
15th December 2020
It’s still dark with just the slightest tint of pink behind us as we enter through the piers of the marina from Las Palmas. It’s a […]
13th December 2020
After a nice walk into the village Playa Blanca and a successful score at the car rental place we make our way back to Guppy to […]
6th December 2020
After a short visit in La Coruna where our young crew has visited an old fort we jump on the next weather window and depart the […]
3rd December 2020
No longer the need for gloves and hats at night. Smooth sailing and the quality of food made by our young crew is improving every meal […]
2nd December 2020
We had another lovely warm calm day. Periods of calm sailing with sometimes motoring in between. Reading, writing, watching dolphins and a beautiful moon rise and […]
29th November 2020
Written bij Guusje (16) Departure Wednesday 25 Nov 2020 The departure went like this, Laura, Sander, Leonie, Annabelle, Babs and I were awake to leave. The […]
21st November 2020
Written by Babs (14) Thursday: We started sailing at 8 o’clock in the morning, because we had a weather window. After we left people came upstairs […]
16th November 2020
Written by Annabel (15) The start of our Atlantic crossing:At 11am all the participants came on board. After all family members and friends left, we had […]
11th October 2020
The last months we have been working really hard to get Guppy in good shape and ready for our Atlantic Roundtrip starting in November 2020. After […]
27th August 2020
Our upcoming Atlantic Roundtrip starting in November with a group of teenagers between 12 & 16 years old is coming closer fast, we’re not sitting idle, […]
27th April 2020
We have some exciting news! We are incredibly grateful and happy for a yacht that has been made available for a period of time to the […]
8th January 2020
What makes a boat seaworthy? You’re out shopping for a blue water cruising boat and people keep telling you it needs to be seaworthy, but what […]
25th December 2019
17th December 2019
Is a small boat much more dangerous to sail around the world’s oceans? This is a question I have been asked many times. There is the […]
30th October 2019
We still need to raise a large proportion of the required funds to build GuppyXL. We have received some generous donations from sponsors and individuals – […]
22nd August 2019
We are really excited to welcome a new sponsor and a partnership established with Victron Energy. On my round the world voyage I also had Victron […]
7th August 2019
It was just around midday when we stood in line waiting for the security check of the airport. Tim was sitting happily with Sander in the […]
26th May 2019
Besides working on the project and raising a little crawler I am also still doing motivational speeches and presentations all over the world. Even though I […]
13th May 2019
This last year has been crazy, so much has happened yet in some ways I felt like I was standing still and not getting anywhere. I […]
30th March 2019
I have heard that people go through big changes about every 7 years in their lives. I don’t know if that’s true but it did kind […]
30th March 2019
I was sick of all the lies, twisting of the truth and the back and forth of accusations and writings of blogs. So I decided to […]
6th February 2019
BOOT Dusseldorf has been over for a while, but life continues at full speed. There has been a lot of interest in the project and I […]
1st February 2019
Everyday I get lots of mail, And of course also lots of nice mails, that really make me smile. This is one of them, I remember […]
19th January 2019
We had a great first day on BOOT Dusseldorf, lots of visitors and great talks. Big thanks to the Handling Company & Your Identity for the […]
18th January 2019
After two long days of working we are very happy to present our stand at the upcoming BOOT Dusseldorf, I’m super excited to be telling all […]
24th December 2018
I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and an amazing New Year! We will be sailing for Christmas this year 🙂
21st December 2018
12th November 2018
We want to invite you to have a look into our goals and step in to become a part of it. Our goal is to have […]
9th November 2018
The first steps are made. We are officially a trust now & have been able to accept our first donations ( big thank you to […]
9th November 2018
8th October 2018
It’s been two months since Guppy’s stranding, not a day goes by that I don’t think about her being smashed up and down on the reef […]
11th September 2018
Picture’s from three weeks ago.. by now she is fully submerged and confirmed a total loss :'(
31st August 2018
Initial Damage Report of Guppy’s grounding in Manihiki Isl. Based on information gathered from different sources. Vessel Particulars when leaving Whangarei Harbour May 2018 Build in […]
30th August 2018
Place of initial stranding. Guppy having been thrown further unto the reef after another squall – the place of initial stranding is drawn into the picture. […]
24th August 2018
17th August 2018
Dear followers, This last week has most likely been one of the saddest times in my life so far. My dear Guppy, my first home, my […]
1st April 2018
To follow some of the work I’m doing in Mallorca over the next week with the Trofeo Princesa Sofia go to: https://www.facebook.com/TrofeoPrincesaSofia/ Or https://www.youtube.com/user/Trofeoprincesasofia Laura
17th March 2018
Hello Everyone, It’s been a while since the last update, I didn’t write because for my standards I haven’t been on a crazy awesome adventure lately. […]
6th January 2018
Drawing, designing, making plans – the project is evolving Minicats ready for a sail Because I sail almost everyday I leave the minicat inflated, stored with […]
25th December 2017
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone! I wish that you will get the best gift of all: The company of people you love, […]
4th December 2017
Sometimes it’s good to let go of things and start with something new. And this is one of those moments. I’m ready to let her go, […]
6th November 2017
Dad up his mizzen mast, getting ready to hang in another stay: Putting boats up the yard for winter. With Dad & Spot in the forklift […]
22nd October 2017
Had the honour to sail singlehanded on a Mini 6.50 for the last week – was so much fun! 😀 Little boat – huge mast 🙂 […]
9th October 2017
Yesterday we visited an old Dutch friend I met along my circumnavigation. I had last seen him in Darwin, so 6 years ago! It so great […]
28th September 2017
9th September 2017
Life on the famous side & Lessons I’ve learned Lesson 1,The Pressure More and more often I see young people striving to be famous, posting every […]
8th September 2017
I just got back online after two beautiful weeks of sailing trough Holland, showing some family & friends my sailing life and why I love it […]
16th August 2017
Here are some nice video’s from our Minicat Meeting in Italy last June. Mum, dad, and I drove from Holland and spent the weekend with 50 […]
15th August 2017
Another super exciting thing happened last month. Havorn finally became a sailboat! Her masts are stepped! And even though it’s without booms, gafs and only thin […]
8th June 2017
A new adventure Over the past years I have had many people ask me “Whats next?” – probably expecting me to start with some other adventure […]
22nd February 2017
Beautiful early morning start – Great Barier Isl. in the distance. Hiking up to Mt Hobson views from the top of Mt Hobson Kim’s game day […]
22nd February 2017
We go ashore the following day to hike to the peak of Mt Hirakimata which – with 627m – is the highest point on Great Barrier […]
20th February 2017
Taking dad on a big hike on his birthday 🙂 Not sure if this was a great birthday present as hiking isn’t one of his favourite […]
20th February 2017
Once home again we got busy hosts – Dad and some friends from the US flew in to visit us over Christmas and New Years which […]
18th February 2017
Imagine my surprise when I was checking my mails this morning and read in a newspaper article that Guppy has been sold?! It took me a […]
31st January 2017
Approaching Jervis Bay. Beautiful sunset above the heads of Jervis bay. Filling up with fuel in Ulladula. Crossing a sleepy Tasman sea. found Tasmania! 🙂 On […]
31st January 2017
Along the way dad sends us weather-updates via satphone text. It’s looking like we are going to get some very gnarly weather soon. 30-40 knots of […]
18th January 2017
guadalcanal island Kids paddling around the shores in front of their villages. Big pig cooling off in a muddy pool next to the road. Not sure […]
18th January 2017
It’s about beginning November as the doors of the plane open and Honiara’s (Capital of the Solomon Islands) humid heat warms me instantly. I finally meet […]
3rd November 2016
A lot has happened since I arrived in Portland three weeks ago. Lots of presentation requests came in while I was already in the area. I […]
2nd November 2016
View of Washington state from Victoria Going for a walk, don’t worry there are no more trains driving on these tracks. Victoria, Goldstream park Crazy growing […]
10th October 2016
So about a month ago I left New Zealand on my own for a little tour around the world, by plane this time though.I stopped in […]
27th September 2016
26th September 2016
Interview BNR radio (Dutch) https://www.facebook.com/lauradekker.worldsailingfoundation/ https://www.facebook.com/lauradekker.worldsailingfoundation/videos/vb.1380334081994373/1397279046966543/?type=2&theater
14th July 2016
Chantal flew back home to Germany shortly after the end of our road trip. ‘Normal’ life kicked back in for us, finding little jobs to do […]
10th July 2016
Roadtrip Part II We soon arrived in Stratford which is at the foot of Mt.Taranaki. Thinking that it would be fun to spent the night at […]
7th July 2016
10 days later we picked Chantal up from the airport and escaped Auckland’s highways asap – heading for the Coromandel. Explorations there took us into its […]
10th May 2016
NZ summer was coming to a slow end: high time to take Guppy out for a sail again! …and besides that, it was a good opportunity […]
19th April 2016
Last week has been a very busy one – our days are usually filled with little adventures of some sort and sitting still doesn’t happen very […]
31st March 2016
Back home! Our last two weeks in Europe were as always to short to do all the things that we wanted to and we never get […]
25th March 2016
I just came across this lovely poem again written by John Masefield. A woman read it to me last year before the start of a presentation […]
4th February 2016
Josefien was released from the hospital and we all drove back together. Much rest and sleep were ahead for her, but quiet the opposite was awaiting […]
3rd February 2016
Making the feet from the spreaders around the construction for the stays and terminals. Bit by bit, day by day, the pipes are transforming into masts. […]
31st January 2016
So far Europe has been cold, wet, busy but also very nice. Well most of it anyway.. We spent New years eve at a rather […]
16th January 2016
On the 23-24th of January 2016 I can be found on the stand of Minicaton the Dusseldorf Boat show to present the Laura Dekker minicat edition
23rd November 2015
After 2 years in the water, it was time for Guppy to get a serious manicure done. We hauled her out and worked like crazy for […]
1st October 2015
I want to start with saying thanks for all the lovely birthday wishes. I had a great day together with friends here in Whangarei. Daniel and […]
4th August 2015
Last weekend I had a presentation in Twizel which is on the South Island. Daniel and I both got to go down and have a few […]
25th July 2015
Radio interview Next big thing radio ep. 23 (61 min.) Wenn not working on your pc trythis link an older one: Next big thing radio ep. […]
14th July 2015
Sorting and checking Guppy’s anchor gear. A gorgeous sunset accompanies us while sailing trough the bridge on our way out. Last weekend Daniel and I […]
26th June 2015
Here are a few picture’s of some sailing lesson’s I did a few weeks ago with some girls from Whangarei Girls High school. They are doing […]
29th May 2015
The days are getting shorter, darker and wetter. Winter has arrived and this year I am not escaping it. Since Daniel’s accident we have been staying […]
9th May 2015
I took on a delivery from Bluff to Whangarei on a Wharram catamaran. Well, that trip was ehm, interesting.. I flew down the day before the […]
20th March 2015
Here’s a beautiful article about the restoration of my sextant, done by Bill Morris. He has done an absolutely fantastic job. http://sextantbook.com/2015/02/ For all my […]
8th March 2015
Well,.. lets see what I can write about this time. I kind of feel like those days at sea, where there was always so much happening, […]
30th January 2015
Check out some pictures of our latest sailing adventure Here Excuse me for being so slack with my blog! I just realized that I didn’t even wish […]
10th December 2014
USA radio interview. http://nextbigthingradio.net/?podcast=conversations-episode-3 Starting at 3.50
27th November 2014
Another interview http://dailytravelpodcast.com/around-the-world-alone-at-16-with-laura-dekker/
5th November 2014
radio interview, http://podcast.radionz.co.nz/ntn/ntn-20141105-1006-teenage_round-the-world_solo_sailor_laura_dekker-048.mp3 or, http://podcast.radionz.co.nz/ntn/ntn-20141105-1006-teenage_round-the-world_solo_sailor_laura_dekker-00.ogg or, http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/20156041/teenage-round-the-world-solo-sailor-laura-dekker
18th October 2014
The last 2 months I have been busy with some presentations and visiting family. Time in Europe flew by. I went to Spain where I was […]
31st July 2014
On the 31st of July we left New York and headed to Frankfurt with a stopover in Paris. I had decided that I actually wanted to […]
20th July 2014
The last couple of days before flying to Europe, we stayed with old friends of Daniel. They live in Pennsylvania and have two kids. We spend […]