Making History: Teenager Sails Solo Around the World

Dekker, who is 16 years old, took the title from Australian teenager Jessica Watson. Watson was days away from her 17th birthday when she returned to Sydney harbor in May, 2010 to become the youngest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world.Dekker said she learned a lot during her time at sea."I learned better sailing and ocean sailing, definitely. I became good friends with my boat. I learned a lot about myself -- how to feed myself. Just other little things that you have to learn eventually, I learned in this one year I lived and traveled alone,"Dekker departed from the southwestern Netherlands on August 4, 2010, and headed initially for Portugal with her father to complete her final preparations. She then began the official solo part of her journey from there, leaving Portugal on August 21, 2010.Dekker, who is 16 years old, took the title from Australian teenager Jessica Watson. Watson was days away from her 17th birthday when she returned to Sydney Harbor in May, 2010 to become the youngest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world.Dekker said she learned a lot during her time at sea."I learned better sailing and ocean sailing, definitely. I became good friends with my boat. I learned a lot about myself -- how to feed myself. Just other little things that you have to learn eventually, I learned in this one year I lived and traveled alone,"Dekker departed from the southwestern Netherlands on August 4, 2010, and headed initially for Portugal with her father to complete her final preparations. She then began the official solo part of her journey from there, leaving Portugal on August 21, 2010.