Teenage sailor poised for solo world trip

A 14-year-old Dutch girl will set off today on a controversial attempt to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world.

Laura Dekker's ambition of completing the year-long trip has fuelled a global debate over the wisdom of allowing youngsters to take on the tremendous risks of sailing the high seas alone.

The girl who grew up on a sailboat faces a host of challenges - including favourable winds to send her across the Atlantic Ocean from her jumping-off point in a marina in the resort city at the south-western tip of Portugal.

Last night seas were so calm that the ocean looked like a mirror and Laura was still out in her boat, performing last-minute tests on her red-hulled 38ft yacht named Guppy.

Hordes of television crews, reporters and photographers from around the world have descended on Portimao to cover the departure.

Marijke Schaaphok, the director of Masmedia, a company filming the trip with remote cameras mounted on Laura's boat, said the girl was expected to return to port by early today and depart at an undetermined time.

Last month a court last released Laura from the guardianship of Dutch child protection agencies who had tried to block her voyage because of fears about her safety and psychological health.

Yesterday afternoon trip manager Peter Klarenbeek said Laura was ready to go and a ceremony would take place today just before the departure.

"We are testing equipment now and I can't give a departure time, but it will be obvious when she leaves. We'll be on the dockside to say goodbye," Mr Klarenbeek said from the yacht while at sea with Laura.

Portuguese state-owned news agency Lusa quoted an unnamed port authority source saying that Portuguese law did not allow people under 18 to navigate alone.

But a man who answered the phone at the port authority of Portimao said there were no legal barriers for under-age sailors from leaving Portuguese ports as long as they were qualified to sail.

Ms Schaaphok defended Laura's round-world bid, saying she was mature for her age and had proved she could sail Guppy around the world after passing a maritime exam in the Netherlands for a vessel of her boat's size.

She said Laura was uniquely qualified for such a sea venture.

"She grew up with her father on a boat so she's completely different from a normal 14-year-old girl," Ms Schaaphok said. "She's very wise and a little bit impatient, but she's a very nice girl and she knows exactly what she wants."

Laura's first port of call after leaving Portugal will be Spain's Canary Islands or Portugal's Madeira Islands, both far out in the Atlantic. The choice of destination will depend on how the winds blow.

Laura has worked to reduce objections to her voyage since the authorities stepped in last year. She got a bigger, sturdier boat than the one she originally planned to use, took courses in first aid and practised coping with sleep deprivation. She also made a solo trip across the North Sea to England.

The Dutch court ruled that her preparations were adequate and it was up to her parents, who are divorced, to decide whether to let her make the attempt.

In June, American Abby Sunderland, 16, had to be rescued in a remote section of the Indian Ocean during an attempt to circle the globe. Earlier this year, Australian Jessica Watson, completed a 210-day voyage at 16.

But while Jessica remained at sea non-stop, Laura plans to stop at dozens of ports and may even return home to catch up on her studies before resuming her trip.

If Laura completes the voyage, any record she claims would be unofficial and likely to be challenged.

The Guinness' World Records and the World Sailing Speed Record Council have decided they will no longer recognise records for "youngest" sailors to avoid encouraging dangerous attempts.