Whoa, major sponsor ticked off, not good!
After sending her a can of this stuff then being snubbed, I'd be upset too. That's an expensive can of wax............
Price: $16.94
Posted on 08/21/2010 9:24:05 AM PDT by golux
A 14-year-old Dutch sailor departed in secrecy from Portugal Saturday on her quest to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world, avoiding the media because her manager said she didn't want the attention.
Laura Dekker said goodbye to her father and friends at an undisclosed Portuguese port enroute to Spain's Canary Islands or Portugal's Madeira Island despite almost windless conditions in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Portugal, according to manager Peter Klarenbeek.
(...) The attempt has been criticized by Dutch child protection authorities who questioned the wisdom of a child risking the world's oceans alone.
(...) Laura had been scheduled to depart from Portimao, and photographers and television crews from around the world were at the resort in southwestern Portugal but ended up with no images of the departure.
(...) The girl's website features links titled "My Coordinates" and "Where is Laura," but neither was working Saturday, and a porthole-shaped counter of the days of her voyage stood at zero.
(...) One of the voyage's sponsors, Ferry Dammers, showed up in Portimao with a banner to display on her boat as it left - but he ended up hanging around with the media crowd and never got to mount his banner on the "Guppy."
"I am disappointed, I have the banner here but when I spoke to Klarenbeek he informed me Laura had already set off on her journey," said Dammers, whose company supplied Laura with wax for the hull of her sailboat.
A Dutch court last month released Laura from the guardianship of Dutch child protection agencies who had tried to block her voyage because of fears about her safety and psychological health.
(...) She also used as evidence her successful solo trip across the North Sea to England.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.foxsports.com ...
Sank already?
I remeber a 16 year old sailed solo around the world back in the 60s. He was featured prominently in a series of articles in National Geographic at various points along the way. I think he was 18 when he finished.
Great. More of this nonsense.
Yes. I read the book. The name of the boat - and the book - was “The Dove.”
Oh boy....I can already see crowds of homeowners association types coming out of the woodwork to rant about what an epic dangerous stunt this is.
http://www.bluemoment.com/dove.html
You have a great memory.
LOL
Here’s a hot tip: People are allowed to disagree with your opinion.
So, apparently you do not think that parents have a responsibility to raise their children in a safe manner, and to protect them as best they can from doing idiotic unsafe things?
Call me what you will, but this is one adult who thinks the parents should be arrested for child engangerment.
Sorry, last word should have read “endangerment”.
Maybe her parents have a better understanding than you of her maturity and what she can handle.
14 year olds can't drive, marry or vote but they can sail alone around the world? There's some twisted logic.
Three Year Old Set Adrift In The Atlantic On A Dinosaur Shaped Float Toy, Hopes To Circumnavigate The Globe By Eighteen
You realize it will only be a year or two, right?
And you are mixing apples and oranges. Driving for example involves the lives of others, not just the driver. Voting is about public policy, not personal choice. And historically many people did get married at 14. Moreover in many staes 14 year olds can become emancipated and marry in exceptional circumstances. Exceptionalism is really what this story is about, IMHO. The laws you cite are good guidelines for the vast majority. I certainly don't think the average 14 year old is mature enough to do any of those things, but if this girl has already sailed across the North Sea by herself she is obviously an exceptional young lady. If her parents have decided to encourage rather than stifle her, I would trust their judgement, since they seem to have done a good job so far. As for endangering her, is it any more dangerous than letting a teenager go around by themselves in a big city? Danger is a part of life. IMHO kids being over sheltered is a bigger problem than kids being exposed to dangers.
What a tragedy for this child folks around her are saying she is beyond her years.
“Could somebody ping me when the headline reads… Three Year Old Set Adrift In The Atlantic On A Dinosaur Shaped Float Toy, Hopes To Circumnavigate The Globe By Eighteen”
Good one Seawolf. I agree.
Ohhhhh! I see. As long as she only can kill herself, it's ok. Got it.
As for endangering her, is it any more dangerous than letting a teenager go around by themselves in a big city?
Are there other people in the middle of the ocean to help her should she need it? Talk about apples and oranges. And I wouldn't let a 14 year old wander around a big city by themselves.
Danger is a part of life.
Which does not mean you endanger a child for a useless unofficial record. Although I hear some think it's "brave".
More and more, I'm coming around to John Taylor Gatto's view that our schools are really just disguised prisons for our country's young.
We'll see what happens with this Laura Dekker. So far her writing seems much less sophisticated to me than the others, but she is two years younger than the others and English is only a second language for her. I'm willing to cut her some slack and watch her mature.
ML/NJ
But where do you draw the line for a useless, unofficial record? Age 13? Age 12? 10? They quit accepting these trips because this is what they were afraid of, children trying it and dying in the trying. It IS dangerous. And it's not like she's riding into danger to deliver an important message. There has to be a line in the sand as to age. Will it be drawn only if there's a tragedy?
Whoa, major sponsor ticked off, not good!
After sending her a can of this stuff then being snubbed, I'd be upset too. That's an expensive can of wax............
Price: $16.94
I don't draw a line anyplace. It's not up to me. Some people thought I was crazy to let my daughter go off on her own to Florida when she was seven; or to first take her to the Opera when she was eight. She first went to Europe by herself when she was 11. Waiters have been pouring wine for her since she was 13, and before she was legal she knew more about Bordeauxs than most adults. Some kids are little adults and its up to their parents to recognize this and give them their rope.
The dangers aside (which are not inconsiderable, especially for the route this Dekker girl is planning - pirates are the worry I think) it's pretty clear to me that the kids who are able to try this learn a hell of a lot more as they do than if they just stayed in school.
ML/NJ
No matter their "maturity", they are children.
it's pretty clear to me that the kids who are able to try this learn a hell of a lot more as they do than if they just stayed in school.
Unless they end up dead. She's 14. ONLY 14.
One of these days a kid is going to die trying this. And for an unofficial record. No justification will excuse that.
ML/NJ
We can't compare our children and our times with life 250 years ago. They are not the same.
Why is that? Is it because we saddle them with the ball and chain of government schooling? Is it because of TV? Is it because it wouldn't be fair to the others to let a few excel? What?
ML/NJ
Because we have saddled them with not having to work at the age of 10. We have saddled them with longer life. We have saddled them with childhoods.
longer and much easier childhoods...and lives...just like u said
childhood is easier now even than it was for me just 45 years ago
It's no longer a question of what these children can handle but rather can their vessels of choice withstand the unpredicted and frequent harsh rigors that the ocean will throw at them...........
As evidenced by the last child that attempted the parent driven odyssey for stardom, her equipment failed her. Her parents should thank God every day of their remaining lives that her electronics didn't..
It's amazing what parents today are willing to sacrifice for fame, stardom and glory.....in this case it's their very own child.
14 years old, may God watch over her and give her the protection that is being denied by her parents.......
I was a little one in the 50's and I think that I had it easier. However the 60's with drugs and free sex made up for the non-stressful childhood of the 50's. The 60's were crazy. But I believe it's harder today for kids. They are bombarded with temptation and it's touted as acceptable.
So when are the South Park kids going to set sail? That should make for a good show. (Or have they already done it? I actually don’t get to watch regularly.)
Laura’s greatest accomplishment on the water seems to be a North Sea crossing... Hardly proof she’s ready for a solo circumnavigation. The story suggests her departure was somewhat disorganized, as well. She may be a ‘rogue’, and she may have simply sailed off in a suprise manner in order to avoid “unwanted attention,” but in any case, disorganization and confusion are not the hallmarks of successful sailors or sailing teams. I am concerned for her safety, and hope this will not end up with her death or disappearance, or a multi-million dollar mid-sea EPIRB-launched rescue. I do hope, and expect, she has SSB and knows how to use it.
“It’s no longer a question of what these children can handle but rather can their vessels of choice withstand the unpredicted and frequent harsh rigors that the ocean will throw at them...........”
There are good boats and bad boats, rigs which fail and rigs which don’t, but in the end a boat is as good as her skipper. EXPERIENCE with different boats and in different seas and weather is what makes a competent skipper.
Failures teach. The more time, the more failures and problems, the more teaching, the more experience.
I don’t believe that at her age she can be sufficiently experienced to be called a true offshore sailor.
i meant harder like less convenience and having to do more chores just to take care of stuff or no AC...no water at grannies..that sorta thing
but yes...temptation is far worse....no morals and a fear to speak out
We had AC in the 50's. LOL
Do I have ten? Ten years old, asking for ten years old....
Heck, just computerize everything and put a newborn in there.
Oh please! Are you a school "teacher"?
People live longer now because of medicine, not because of public schools!
I don't know about you, but I taught myself the stuff I was interested in years before they got to it in school. (They didn't exactly accuse me of cheating, but I was asked if I had seen the test before that they gave me in 7th grade to get into the 8th grade Algebra class.) I didn't get interested in the other stuff (history literature, music, art) until I was ten years out of college.
Some responsibility might have been good for me when I was ten.
ML/NJ
People live longer now because of medicine, not because of public schools!
Excuse me? WHERE did I say such a thing? I did not.
Believe me, we are done!
I have a 45 year old friend who IS a competitive off shore racer and now makes his living doing the same. We had a discussion a few weeks back about that American gal who failed in her attempt and he was very vocal about the ignorance of the parents who would allow their daughter to even attempt such a folly..........
Specifically, the boat was totally beyond her novice ability to sail despite the fact that she had already spent months on it. It was only a matter of time before weather conditions surpassed her ability to control it...........and it was only the electronics on board that saved her.
You:Excuse me? WHERE did I say such a thing? I did not.
Actually you didn't say it. I did. You implied that kids live longer now because we box them in schools for 13 years.
I suggest you look at post #29 on this thread Pal.
ML/NJ
I suggest you look at post #29 on this thread Pal.
I am not your "Pal". And we are done.
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