Laura Dekker was only 14 years old when she sailed around the world alone. Elizabeth Tyler was much older when she challenged herself and, after the sudden death of her husband, decided to single-handedly continue sailing the sailboat that her husband had mainly managed. Peter and I listened to two fascinating stories of female solo sailors yesterday during the All for the Sea event at the Stockholm Fair.
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ShareAround the world at age 14
Perhaps you have heard of Laura Dekker from New Zealand and her unlikely feat? Yesterday she was interviewed on one of the fair's stages by reporter Kim Nordlund, from "På Kryss". Kim started by asking "How crazy do you have to be to sail around the world at the age of 14?". Laura laughed and answered "crazy".
At the age of eight, Laura decided that one day she would sail around the world, and at 13 she felt ready. So why wait, she thought.
Today she is known for her achievement, and of course she will continue to sail. She lives in her sailboat in New Zealand and plans to start an organisation where young people can go on short or long sailing trips together.
Being one of the female solo sailors in the world
Elizabeth Tyler, who grew up in the UK but lived in Sweden for a long time, is an artist and used to sail with her husband. The roles were clear: Elizabeth's husband did the technical stuff and Elizabeth painted watercolours.
One day, when they were sailing off Greece, the man became acutely ill. With great difficulty, Elizabeth managed to get him ashore in a rubber dinghy, and he was transported to Athens for treatment. It turned out that a virus had infected his brain, and he died in Sweden shortly afterwards.
Elizabeth told me about the heavy grief and about a time when, for the first time in her life, she could not even paint. Her friends in Sweden wondered if she would sell the boat that was in Greece. But that didn't happen!
One day, Elizabeth saw a picture that visualised that you can choose to look at the dark or the light in life. Elizabeth chose the light! She thought "there are lonely old men sailing, so why can't a lonely lady sail?". She travelled to Greece, launched the boat and learned to solve one tough problem after another. She also started painting again. Truly inspiring to listen to!
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Lena - good for the soul says:
Wow, what stories. I had heard of the 14-year-old. They were certainly exciting to listen to both of them.
Hug Lena
05 March 2017 - 7:23
Helena says:
Like you, we had heard about Laura Dekker before. But the second story was also fascinating, and very powerful. Not as dramatic sailing perhaps, but just as transformative and courageous in other ways!
05 March 2017 - 8:48
Deciree says:
I would never dare ... sail alone ... when I have problems going over in a large ferry with the motorhome in cargo :)). Fun and tough women. Hugs
05 March 2017 - 7:44
Helena says:
No, me neither... But I am fascinated by those who do!
05 March 2017 - 8:49
Pernilla says:
What inspiring stories! Guess it was even more powerful to hear in person.
05 March 2017 - 8:03
Helena says:
Stories I will not forget!
05 March 2017 - 8:50
Ninny says:
Wow, really brave women! Must read more about them.
05 March 2017 - 8:36
Helena says:
Isn't it? Soooo fascinating with people who stubbornly fight towards the goal and don't give up!
05 March 2017 - 8:51
Camilla says:
Fascinating! Talk about making active choices! Though I'm glad my own 14-year-olds don't have a long-distance sailing trip coming up... 🙂 ...
05 March 2017 - 8:55
Helena says:
Haha, I would be happy about that too if I had 14-year-olds at home 😉.
05 March 2017 - 8:58
Diana says:
Awesome, looks like you have a great fair hugs!
05 March 2017 - 9:00
Goatfish says:
Must have been awesome to listen to these women, admirable 😀.
I've thought a lot about what a 14-year-old can do. I have children and grandchildren. Right now a girl is 14. I can't imagine her sailing around the world.
I took the bus and train myself to Germany, when I was 14, but that was then. 😀
05 March 2017 - 9:08
Helena says:
I believe that children and young people can often do more than we think. If they get the chance. Then, sailing around the world is an extra course, which most people should NOT do... 😉.
05 March 2017 - 14:25
Ditte says:
Very interesting stories, both of them. and fun to listen to.
I remember when Laura Decker as a 14-year-old made her circumnavigation and it was and is absolutely incredible. also exciting with Elizabeth Taylor's story and nice to see it all in a positive spirit eventually. Great!
I had always wanted to sail around the world and many years ago got the offer but chickened out when it was getting close .... But no problem because the waiting list was long. The Mediterranean and the Swedish/Finnish/Aland archipelago have been "just right" for me to sail in.
05 March 2017 - 9:25
Helena says:
You have almost travelled around the world anyway, in different stages! 😉 Yes, both stories were fascinating. Real challenges, in different ways. If you fight for something, you can get far. Inspiring!
05 March 2017 - 14:27
JoY says:
What a tough 14-year-old. Would never go out solo, not even to be two, on the big sea. The Stockholm archipelago is perfectly ok as you can see land all around.
Good choice by the woman to continue sailing after what she went through.
Hugs
05 March 2017 - 9:26
Helena says:
Firstly, you have to be good at sailing. But even if you are, it feels very challenging to sail so far, and on such open seas, all alone!
05 March 2017 - 14:29
Matts Torebring says:
I was 15 years old when I became a "self-employed" lumberjack. I travelled on a moped to the forest, with two chainsaws on the carrier, sometimes several miles away and far from any buildings. Why didn't anyone tell me that it was dangerous?
But! Sailing around the world as a 14-year-old, now I feel that I am far down the scale of entrepreneurship and challenges. Is it possible to sit down, don't you have to stand up, when listening to such a person? Fantastic!
05 March 2017 - 9:42
Helena says:
You have worked hard all your life Matts! Not many 15-year-olds would do that today, I think ... But certainly, Laura's round-the-world sailing beats most things!!!! Absolutely incredible!
05 March 2017 - 14:31
Husis blog says:
Here the owners are "in lee". Impressive to be 14 years old, but also to go out on big seas alone at all. Here it should be googled and read about this. Must have been very interesting lectures!
05 March 2017 - 9:56
Helena says:
Those were two very fascinating lectures! As you say, sailing around the world is impressive no matter who does it. But to do it alone when you are 14.... wow!
05 March 2017 - 14:33
Mr Steve says:
Fascinating and impressive! Two tough guys who have chosen their own paths to self-realisation. True inspirations.
05 March 2017 - 10:20
Comsi Comsa says:
Shaking and touching! Stories like this show that anything is possible!
05 March 2017 - 10:28
Helena says:
Isn't that right? That's how I feel too! If they can do that, then I must be able to take on various other smaller challenges!
05 March 2017 - 14:37
BP says:
Unbelievable! To sail around the world at the age of 14 - WOW! Laura must have had extremely understanding parents!
Elizabeth is living proof that anything is possible if you want it to be!
Fantastic!
05 March 2017 - 14:27
Helena says:
I guess they knew what she was up to ....!
05 March 2017 - 14:38
Ruth in Virginia says:
Daring, of course, and foolhardy, too, but she must have had a
stable support system, I would think. No responsible parents
would allow his 14-year-old to sail around the world, without knowing himself
very confident in the availability of a safety net. But it was at least
proof of strength to deal with "tackle and train" (I think it is
called) and also an iron will to implement what she has decided.
for. You have to admire young people like that.
Became interested in reading about female solo skippers and found the
Sara Dilys Outen from England, who was the first to row alone.
across the Indian Ocean from Freemantle, Western Australia, to Mt.
Muritius. It took her about 124 days.
05 March 2017 - 14:56
Helena says:
Courage and recklessness can often be very close together! Sure, I think there was some kind of support, but at sea she was still alone and there are no guarantees. I'm deeply impressed, but wouldn't recommend any 14-year-old in the world to try to do it again! 😉 Interesting to hear also about Sara Dilys Outen!
05 March 2017 - 21:35
Cathinka - On the move! says:
What awesome cool girls! It shows that anything is possible if you want it bad enough!
05 March 2017 - 17:05
Helena says:
Right? And it is very inspiring! 🙂
05 March 2017 - 21:36
Henny says:
Wow, what exciting women and what stories. Too bad I wasn't able to go down to the fair. Fortunately, you are there and can convey in words and images.
05 March 2017 - 20:05
Helena says:
Right? It was really fascinating to listen to them! It's nice to be able to pass on the stories 🙂.
05 March 2017 - 21:37
gun says:
Women can do much more than they think:)...
It must have been very interesting to hear their stories.
Sometimes you miss boating... but sailing....
alone around the world well I don't know if I would have done that!
gun
05 March 2017 - 20:40
Helena says:
It was very interesting and moving to listen! I don't know how to sail, but even if I did, I wouldn't want to sail around the world alone... but I can still be fascinated! 😉
05 March 2017 - 21:39
Monica says:
Laura was 15 years old when she left and this was preceded by a lot of fuss from the authorities in the Netherlands where they lived. She was supposed to be taken into care but ran away, was only 14 at the time, had withdrawn the equivalent of 36 000 euros from a bank account and was found in the Caribbean. I can't believe that she did all this without the help of an adult. Then the following year she left, probably with a lot of support. She has a blog here: http://www.lauradekker.nl/English/News.html
Mentions that she is going to Stockholm:-)
I also think that many people do their circumnavigations, some of them arrive by their own power and a lot of will, others don't because you can't stay in the middle of the ocean. I also think that Matts Torebring did his as a 15-year-old and maybe even younger.
05 March 2017 - 23:46
Elizabeth Tyler says:
Thank you very much for the article and the nice photos of both of us! It was also an experience for me to be there and listen to Laura.
I hope they are OK, I have posted a link to the page on Facebook.
06 March 2017 - 8:48
Helena says:
We are the ones to thank for letting us listen!!! Glad you enjoyed the article! Of course you can share on FB! 🙂
06 March 2017 - 9:18