MAIDENTRIP – The Review

Review by Kathleen Kaiser

Many of us may remember hearing in 2010 via nearly every media outlet nationwide, that a 14 year old Dutch girl by the name of Laura Dekker, was trying to become the youngest individual to sail solo around the world.

I am sure that I was not the only mother, or father, or sensible human being for that matter, that was thinking this young lady, much less her parents, must have lost their minds. Even the Dutch authorities thought this to be true, as they fought to keep her from embarking on her unthinkable voyage and tried to have her removed from the custody of her own parents.

When the authority’s quest on both accounts failed, and with the blessing of her father and the sponsors she secured to fund her trip, Laura set out to make her dream come true, and to prove that she knew exactly what she was doing.

Producer Jillian Schlesinger brings to life her latest Adventure Documentary, Maidentrip, made through actual footage of the two-year voyage filmed by Laura herself, and the people she engaged along her way.

Reminiscent of Robert Redford’s latest film All is Lost, this film takes you through Laura’s day-to-day trials and tribulations – from her becoming homesick just weeks into her voyage, to not being able to eat for days at a time, to having to weather many a storm in her small 40 ft. sailboat named Guppy. You will want to “baton down the hatches” as this film takes you right into the boat with her, experiencing it all. As you make this journey with Laura, you begin to understand the reasoning behind her determination in taking this solo voyage, bringing a deeper understanding to the driving force within her.

Even though I know that neither of my daughters would ever be allowed to embark on such an adventure by themselves, and at such a young age, Maidentrip does bring more sense to the craziness behind Laura Dekker’s BIG ADVENTURE, and allows for the viewer to realize that for some people in this world, adventure is all there is!

3 out of 5