Wairarapa landfall for solo sailor

Whangarei-born sailor Laura Dekker, the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe, will be promoting her book One Girl, One Dream in Masterton on November 6.

Laura Dekker, the youngest person to sail around the world solo, will be visiting Masterton next month.

Dekker will be speaking to Wairarapa college students at St Matthew's Collegiate School on November 4, as well as appearing at Hedleys Booksellers.

The New Zealand-born sailor has written an account of her trip around the world called One Girl, One Dream.

David Hedley of Hedleys Booksellers helped to arrange her visit to Masterton.

Mr Hedley said he hoped Dekker would inspire young Wairarapa women.

"I love people who are achievers and follow their dreams.You have just got to admire people like that who step out of their comfort zone and do stuff."

Born on a boat in the port of Whangarei to Dutch/German parents, Dekker grew up on her father's boats, and began her solo voyage when she was just 14 years old.

By the time she was 16, she had become the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe.

After crossing the English Channel at the age of 13, she announced her intention to sail around the world and was placed in the care of Dutch child protection services.

Her situation sparked international debate, but after a drawn-out court battle with Dutch authorities, she was eventually allowed to embark on her record-breaking journey.

The circumnavigation took almost a year-and-a-half, and by the time she completed the trip her 12-metre yacht, Guppy, was sailing the New Zealand flag.

Since completing that journey she has continued to explore the world -- island-hopping around the Caribbean, and crossing the Pacific via Tahiti to New Zealand.

Dekker, who has New Zealand citizenship, now lives aboard her boat, Guppy, in Whangarei.

She will be available to meet the public at Hedleys Booksellers at 4pm.