Dear Readers,

For days we read it big in the media - the Hamburger Abendblatt she has even made it onto the front page: Laura Dekker wants to sail around the world alone. Her parents support and encourage them to, but the Dutch authorities are at right angles. I'm currently questioned repeatedly by newspapers and radio stations, what I think, since I also dreamed at a young age from such a trip and then with 19 I finally made true. In the course of my internship at the Yacht I follow naturally anyway all very excited.

Now, The basic software requirements were at that time for me to 13 Years, similar. Also, I wanted to as quickly as possible circumnavigation, but for me it was not the state, of the bars in front of my child's ideas pushed, but my parents! If an instance lower, but then the more emphatic: “Before I take the Flex and make small, manageable pieces of the barge…” This for me was the subject ate a couple of years. I had understood, I was too young for such a journey. Yesterday I spoke with my father about it and he told me, But just how much I am in the one year between 13 and 14 have developed. I was with 13 not easily arrived, did not yet, Who I am, Who wants to be me and where I belong. I know today whether the, be put there 😉 You can't generalize that, because there are 13-year-old, The young have been in the old are more mature, than others with 19. The fact is, however,: For my part, I was then a real child.

I come from no sailing family as Laura (which is grown on a boat in New Zealand) and then would simply not get the chance, through with such a thing. And I'm thankful, because I (to me 13 measured) think, that we have at this age, neither the right judgment for such a journey, properly assess all the dangers at sea, have the necessary mental strength, come up with the long loneliness clear. I personally found myself back in a maturation process, was a lot of contacts with friends and role models for very influenced my life.

Later on the lake I was alone at sea almost always easy, But I know, that not all men shall pass, and can think, that with 13 still has a bit more to create, I with 19.

The competent court in Utrecht Dutch family has this morning withdrawn from the parents custody of their daughter - at least as far as the circumnavigation. As can be seen from the media, Laura seems not to care. She wants to keep trying. You've got to be her: A strong fighting spirit she has!

Greetings from the train between Hamburg and Kiel (with which I commute every morning since March),

John

What to Listen:
– The Germany-culture radio interviewed me, what I think of the story (Click here!)

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