When I was 16 years old, if my ancient brain remembers this correctly, I was trying to avoid homework in order to find more time to hang out with my pals.

Like 15-year-old Jordan Romero who has climbed peaks on all seven continents, teenager Laura Dekker was a bit more ambitious in what she wanted to do with her time. The  girl, who is 16 years and four months old, just finished sailing solo around the globe. Since the Guinness Book of World Records no longer includes a category for youngest solo sailor, Dekker doesn’t own an official record, but her trip unofficially marks her as the youngest girl to complete the journey.

Dekker and her 38-foot yacht Guppy departed from St. Maartens on January 20, 2011 and arrived back in the port nearly a year to the day on January 21, 2012. She cut six months off the previous mark, which was held by Australian teen Jessica Watson, who was nearly 17 when she finished her circumnavigation of the globe. The young Dutch girl survived storms and dangerous reefs while successfully avoiding pirates and leaping whales.

Dekker’s trip created quite a controversy in Holland, as the government tried to intervene due to her young age. She originally wanted to start the trip when she was 13, but two years worth of court cases delayed her journey and at one point caused her to run, or in her case, sail away from home.

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