Maidentrip (2014)

One Girl, One Dream: Teenager Laura Dekker recounts
her around the world adventure in "Maidentrip."

Laura Dekker, the diminutive, sandy-blonde adventurer from New Zealand, achieved world acclaim by successfully circumnavigating the globe by herself aboard a 38-foot long sailboat. She became the youngest ever to accomplish the feat, beginning the quest in August of 2010—one month shy of her fifteenth birthday—and finishing more than 500 days later in January of 2012.

Directed by Jillian Schlesinger, “Maidentrip” is the inspiring, fascinating documentary of Laura’s controversial and remarkable journey, with many scenes shot by and featuring the teenager herself, all alone on board Guppy, her ruby-red vessel, talking about the voyage and sharing what she sees and feels. The movie is an extraordinary video diary of the event.

Born in New Zealand but also a Dutch citizen, Laura (who alternates between Flemish and English during the film) grew up around sailing, learning about the sport through her father, also a sailor, whom she remained with after her parents divorced. The patriarch, a hard-working, typical blue collar-type, supported her dream despite objections from those who felt she was too young. The journey begins only after a court decision is reached by the Netherlands allowing the teenager to sail solo.

Laura makes several stops during her trip to do things like restock food and water, make boat repairs, see friends and also do some sight-seeing. But aside from other essential breaks—we learn she paused wisely in the Canary Islands for many weeks to wait out the dangerous Atlantic hurricane season—the young mariner is out alone on the ocean, sometimes for weeks at a time.

We learn a lot about Laura, an amazing sailor but also a regular teen, fun-loving and bubbly. She can be stubborn and sarcastic, fiercely independent and a fiery challenger of authority; but she is also intelligent, fearless and resourceful. Out on the water, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, she is preternaturally cool and calculating. At one point, we see her studying maps and equipment, cautiously taking steps to steer clear of pirate territory while traversing the Indian Ocean.

When most girls her age are experts on little more than texting and gossip-mongering, Laura is an expert on sailing and global navigation. At a time when childhood obesity has reached alarming levels around the world, she is an athletic poster girl for teenage health and fitness. These are not good times to pluck role models out of the sports world, but “Maidentrip” proves Laura Dekker is one heroine worth looking up to.