Maidentrip

by Moris Hoch

Maidentrip is a documentary film that follows Laura Dekker, a 15 year-old Dutch girl on her journey to sail the globe solo and become the youngest sailer ever to do so. We follow her story growing up in Holland, getting her sailing know-how from an early age, and everything else, including overcoming attempts by the government's "Children Protection" to put her in custodial care. What I found moving about this story is the depth of understanding that she expresses, speaking to the camera, during the trip while sharing her thoughts about herself, sailing, nature, and life.



In today's current affairs, on the daily TV or radio, we find non-stop reporting on violent conflicts in Ukraine, Nigeria, Israel-Palestine, Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. There is no "most brutal and cruelest"; any one of these conflicts fits that description. Yet, to some extent, we accept it as necessary, albeit undesirable. The status quo remains thus forever, conflict without end; as if, for Ms. Dekker's trip, she would sail forever with no goal or destination or map.

After viewing Maidentrip, you are transported to another world. You are on Neptune - or in Neptune - the world of oceans, seas, glorious sunlit days and dark stormy nights. Ms. Dekker is no longer a young girl sailing the world to prove herself. No, she is a model of determination and courage and proof that individual truth trumps the truths cherished by the multitudes and that being alone, to think, is the highest pleasure -- not the possessions and privileges that money affords. There is, in my opinion, no greater juxtaposition for the purpose of contrasting today's world in conflict with the world as it could or should be than this. leave comment here