It’s been a year now since we set sail and moved aboard our boat. A year of adventure, of learning, of freedom and yet also, a year of searching for connection. While life on the water is filled with movement and ever-changing surroundings, I’ve come to realise just how important social connection is to us.

We’re surrounded by boats, by interesting individuals each charting their own course, literally and figuratively. I often find myself wondering: What’s their story? What drives them? But at this time of year, many people are simply enjoying their holidays. And while there’s always room for friendly chats and neighbourly help, forming deeper connections can sometimes be a challenge.

For Philou, I’m constantly on the lookout for playmates, on social media, via apps, ideally other liveaboard kids. Nationality doesn’t matter much; a cheerful playdate is always a win. On our way towards Greece, we had a few lovely encounters, though they were often bittersweet, most were heading in the opposite direction, and our time together was short-lived.

It’s the same for us adults. I’ve come to see how much I value meaningful conversations and human connection, the kind that goes beyond small talk about the wind, the next anchorage, boat maintenance, or provisioning. Of course, we’re lucky to have a strong network back in the Netherlands and we stay in regular contact. But still, there’s something special about sharing a cup of coffee with someone who understands this way of life, someone who shares a similar outlook and philosophy.

Now that we’ve reached Greece, a new kind of network is beginning to take shape and it’s made all the difference. We’ve joined a group called Scabby, originally founded by a few boats who met in Portugal in 2023 and were heading towards the Med. It’s now grown into a worldwide community of nearly 100 boats, all with children on board. There’s a real effort to reach out and connect and already we’ve had a few lovely meetups.

Meeting people who’ve been doing this longer than we have is inspiring. They understand the rhythm, the highs and lows, the freedom and the loneliness. For Philou, it’s been a little adjustment in terms of language. Most of the kids we’ve met speak English, so she’s having to find her way. But she’s not letting that stop her: DuoLingo for kids is back on the radar, and she’s learning that sometimes, you don’t need words at all to play and have fun.

It’s a learning curve for all of us. Now that we suddenly find ourselves surrounded by other families and potential friendships, we’re figuring out how to balance that with the practical side of boat life, like the fact we’ve just run out of gas and are in serious need of a proper grocery run, while we would love to hang out again.

And I’m also asking myself: What do I expect from these new connections? How much energy am I willing to invest? Because as wonderful as it is to meet new people, it also takes effort. Building relationships, getting to know each other, it doesn’t just happen overnight. Not everyone will be your person, and that’s okay. But the potential is there. And it’s exciting.

In truth, maybe we’ve been missing that contact beyond our little family bubble more than we realised and all of a sudden there is loads of opportunity.

So here we are, Scabbies, ready to be part of the tribe!

Written by: Mirjam