Laura Dekker, 13 Year Old Dutch Girl Wants to Sail Around the World Solo: Is 13 Too Young or Can She Handle It?

According to CNN.com, a 13 year old Dutch girl, Laura Dekker, wants to sail around the world solo and her parents agree she should. This week, though, Laura Dekker and her parents were in a Dutch court, while a decision was made as to whether the court thinks sailing around the world solo is safe for a 13 year old girl. What's interesting is 17 year old Mike Perham, from the UK, just finished his solo sail around the world and he doesn't believe the court in the Netherlands should decide. As an accomplished sailor himself, who wanted to be the youngest person to sail around the world solo, he believes the decision should be made by Laura Dekker and her parents.

No matter whether we think it's fair or not, a 17 year old boy sailing around the world and a 13 year old girl are two completely different things. Boys are physically stronger, which means they're more likely able to deal with the myriad mechanical and structural problems that can occur on a boat out on the open ocean. Because of this physicality, they're also more likely to be able to deal with extreme weather conditions, when it comes to battening down the hatches. Plus, the four year difference between 13 and 17 is a time when, emotionally, teenagers grow the most. Better decisions are usually made by 17 year olds than 13 year olds - not always, but usually.

Girls too face other perils boys usually don't. Rape, kidnap, the inability to physically defend themselves from attackers and, at 13 years old, Laura Dekker is less likely to be able to handle any of these potential dangers than a 17 or 18 year old woman might. Plus, don't forget the pirates that range all over many parts of the world's oceans. Capturing a 13 year old western girl would be a real coup.

As a teacher, who has taught many 13 year old girls, I haven't met one yet (even the toughest!) who could handle something like this. Especially as this solo sail around the world is likely to last almost two years, with Laura Dekker stopping off at many different countries on her way.

The opposite side of the coin though is that Laura Dekker was born on a boat. She's sailed solo since she was very young and recently sailed from the Netherlands to the United Kingdom solo. She seems emotionally mature for her age, wants to do this while she is young enough to become the youngest person ever to sail solo around the world, and as her parents say "she wants to learn about the world and live freely".

Also as a teacher, I see too many parents protect their children too much. I've also always noticed that those children who are protected a lot, particularly the girls, tend to grow up being less interesting, less ambitious and less involved in the world. They tend to conform and become just like everyone else. For a girl like Laura Dekker to have parents who encourage her to be different, to explore and grow, and to achieve something with her life - you have to admire that.

To me, life should be lived as much as possible. And, god forbid, if Laura Dekker did sail solo around the world and something terrible happened to her, at least she and her parents would know she was doing exactly what she wanted to do when it happened, and who among us can really say that?

The court in the Netherlands has, meanwhile, placed Laura Dekker under the supervision of a child specialist who will spend the next two months evaluating Laura and then decide if she's capable of sailing solo around the world. It will be interesting to see what decision is made and the rational for that decision.

SOURCES: Time Magazine - Is 13 Too Young to Sail Around the World?