Teens sailing solo around the globe: Children at Sea

 

...teens risking their lives for the thrill of the ultimate adventure!

 

In 2012, Laura Dekker, a New Zealand-born Dutch sailor, became the youngest person to sail solo around the globe at the age of 16 years, 123 days. Surviving 27,000 nautical miles and 17 months at sea, she arrived at the Caribbean island of St Maarten to a rapturous welcome and a relieved family. Pipping the previous youngest, Jessica Watson, an Australian, who sailed solo around the world, arriving in Sydney in May 2010, three days before her 17th birthday. In June 2010, Abby Sunderland, a 16 year old sailor from the US, was rescued in the Indian Ocean after breaking her mast in an attempt to do the same. It was back in 2009 that a 17 year old British boy, Michael Perham, held the record.

 

Guinness World Records will not verify any of these claims, saying they do not want to encourage minors to take on dangerous challenges!