July 1st marks a significant moment in our lives: the day we officially moved aboard our boat. Not our departure day, as that came nearly a month later, but the day we brought the last of our belongings, mostly clothes, on board, and I shut the door of our beloved family home behind me for the last time. It was the beginning of the adventure we had planned for so long.

The journey to our new home was an emotional one, filled with excitement, uncertainty, and plenty of hurdles. As I look back now, it’s clear that I left our home feeling much more stressed than I realised at the time. Officially, I was still working until the end of June, and Philou had two more weeks of school with a full schedule of activities. It was also the start of her well-deserved summer break. Meanwhile, the boat, which was to become our new home, was far from ready. We were still packing up, saying our goodbyes, and preparing to let go of everything familiar.

On top of all of this, as many of you know, we had just lost my father the month before. The emotional toll of that loss, combined with the stress of preparing for such a huge life change, left me feeling completely overwhelmed. I look back and can honestly say I was not in the best shape to move into this new adventure. And I really feel for Edwin, who took on the lion’s share of the work, ensuring our house was ready for renting while keeping his focus on the technical side of getting the boat ready.

On July 1st, we officially moved aboard, but the boat was still a work in progress. In fact, it was still at the shipyard, where we faced setbacks with the final stages of the work. There were even rumours of the shipyard’s impending bankruptcy, which made us fear that our boat might be seized. But with no other choice, we pressed on, knowing that if we didn’t complete the work, we couldn’t leave. Our trust in the process was tested, but somehow, after moving in, we managed to set sail, even if the boat wasn’t fully ready.

We were able to relocate to Veerhaven in Rotterdam, a dream location for us. We had planned to spent the next two weeks living aboard the boat in the heart of Rotterdam’s historic city centre. We would bring Philou with our soon to be sold ‘bakfiets’ (cargo bike) to school, we would enjoye coffee at Loos, and we would have the chance to say our goodbyes while soaking in the joy of our new home. But little did we know, those two weeks would turn out to be the most stressful yet. Despite all the above, the boat was still in disarray, as the shipyard had made errors in the work they’d done. The engine mounts were incorrectly placed, which meant we needed specialist help. With the help of a good friend and some sheer luck, we managed to get the assistance we needed, but in the meantime, the boat was still a mess. We had daily visits, and the temperature was pushing 30°C, all while we were preparing to leave.

Realising that our planned departure on July 14th was no longer realistic, we decided to push it aside. We kept Philou’s birthday as our departure marker and celebrated it in grand style, but after that, we told everyone that visits were off. The goodbyes were over, and we focused entirely on getting the boat, our home, and ourselves ready for the big departure.

And then, the moment finally came. The ropes were cast off, and we set sail. It was unforgettable, a moment that will stay with us forever. But I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel exhausted. The euphoria of setting off was immense, but it wasn’t until later that I realised how much I had taken on. The emotional weight of everything, combined with the physical exhaustion of the move, was more than I had realised at the time.

Sometimes, you have to climb mountains to get to where you need to be. It’s been a journey of both joy and challenges, but being on the water now offers an incredible space to heal. The peaceful surroundings of the sea have provided the perfect environment for slowly recovering and finding my balance again.

As we look ahead, I can honestly say that although it was tough, it’s been worth every single step. And I wouldn’t change a thing.

Written by: Mirjam