I just watched this amazing documentary on Netflix called Maidentrip. It’s about a girl named Laura Dekker who is the youngest person to sail around the world alone. Her trip lasted two years, starting in 2010, when she was 14, and ending in 2012.
All of the footage aboard Laura’s boat was shot by Laura, making it kind of an autobiography (or selfie-film, even). It basically gives this beautiful, introspective account of a teenage girl who’s going through all kinds of issues that come along at that age, but with a protagonist who’s also this extraordinary role model of teen girl power. Every bad review of the film I’ve read so far complains that it was too boring or focused too much on Laura’s ~teen angst~ and personal issues. Isn’t that the point, though? I loved the honesty that Laura so vulnerably recorded, and loved that the film didn’t included any unnecessary drama (like every. single. other movie that’s set at sea). There also wasn’t a single mention of doubtfulness about the fact that Laura should take on this challenge as a girl. Laura and her parents fought a long court battle against child welfare organizations in Holland, but that was due to concerns about Laura’s age. She also home-schooled herself during her journey, and wrote a weekly column for a Dutch newspaper.
During many weeks spent sailing alone, Laura faced many questions about her national identity, her independence from her parents, and her connection to her friends. We get to watch her goofing off on her boat in a santa hat, making pancakes, and playing her recorder, and a few scenes later she’s battling a storm off the Cape of Good Hope “that most seasoned sailors would sit out.” It’s incredibly inspiring to watch her take on such a challenge, and grow into enjoying her time alone on the ocean more and more.
