Living aboard together

Miguel has been living aboard for a while now, whilst I stayed at the apartment during the week. I have been resisting moving into the boat mostly because the 2 hours travel distance to work. But also because the idea of living aboard seemed a bit uncomfortable to me. Especially in winter, it can be quite cold and the idea of having to walk to the main building for showers does not sound very appealing. Still, Miguel brought up the subject every now and then. Most of the times I rolled my eyes on him and told him we already talked about it, but in my head I kept thinking about it. I need time to process big changes, before I can be enthusiastic.

This summer, however, everything felt like it was fitting into place. Our plans to travel became more serious and with that, the issue of money has been brought up more and more. Getting rid of the apartment was definitely the easiest way to save more money. So I got a job closer to the boat, and moving aboard was now the right thing to do. And whilst it might take awhile for me to get used to the idea of change, after making a decision I can move quickly. In my head I organised the house, decided what we could and want to keep and what had to go; and a lot had to go in order to fit aboard. The hardest part was to sort through the kitchen things. I love to cook and try new recipes so I am used to have quite a lot of different products in the house. However the boat simply cannot store 3 types of rice, 4 types of pasta and 50 spices. Decisions had to be made! Clothing was another interesting process. I ended up making 3 different piles: one for charity, one to keep and one to keep for now but will go when we set off cruising. I managed to get to the point that there is space available aboard for more clothes, which I feel I should use it but Miguel very much disagrees! Now, almost everything we own fits in the boat. My parents are holding my saxophone and a box full of admin and old photo books that I could not throw away but neither could it come aboard.

Now that the apartment is empty, keys are returned to the landlord, and the city of Utrecht is informed we left, I officially moved aboard. Do I like it? Very much so! I never had, but always wanted, a garden or a balcony. Now it is so easy to get out and enjoy the weather. I know it will not always be summer and nice weather, but I will deal with that when it comes. We do have a heater, thermo clothes and sleeping bags, so I am sure we can keep it warm. Plus the idea that we will be able to just take our house and go to another place is great! And as a bonus, for the first time ever I hung my laundry outside to dry! I have never felt so housewifey before, walking around with the laundry basket on my hip, clipping the clothes to the line. Things that I miss? Not really. Although when I have to go to the toilet in the middle of the night, I wished I did not have to pump water in and out. The next few weeks will be to get settled in and see if there are any issues we have to deal with!

Happy New Year!
A lot has happened in 2019. We worked on the boat, we enjoyed the summer by going for sails, just the two of us, and with friends. During our summer holiday, we sailed to Zeeland. We anchored for the first time overnight. We bought a hammock (one of the essentials on a boat). We had parties. We had sad moments. We met new people. We created this website and an Instagram account. Saskia moved into the boat. Family members have been sick, friends got babies. Saskia got a new job. And we still dream. We dream and plan, and our plans are becoming more real. We really want to leave somewhere in 2020. So we hope 2020 will bring us great things. Adventures, rest, new places, new people, new experiences. And lots of sailing hours.
We wish you all the best in this new year and we will keep you up to date about what is happening in our life!

It was the summer of 2009. I was putting the final touches on my Master’s thesis when a friend invited me for a few days at his place in Albufeira – for those who have not been to Albufeira, it is a city on the south of Portugal that gets crowded with young people for its great beaches, parties and bars. Why not, I thought. Orthographic correction plus waiting for the thumbs up from the coordinator can be done with a hangover, under the sun and by the pool! The next day, 5 guys got into a car and started the 6h drive south, from Porto.

At the same time 2.000km away, Saskia and her friend were boarding their flight from Amsterdam to Albufeira for the holiday they had planned. At the end of that day, we were staying 400m from each other without knowing.

Few days passed and finally one night, far from home, in the middle of countless bars and a sea of people, I strike up a conversation with this gorgeous girl, Saskia. After spending the night out, and walking on the beach until dawn, Saskia gave me her number and off we went our own way. The next day, I sent her a message, and she did not reply. Another one, and still nothing. Hum… ‘I may be more into her than she’s into me’, I thought. The day after I returned to Porto, for my brother’s ERASMUS farewell party, while my friends stayed in Albufeira. That night I woke up with a call from one of my friends, saying ‘Miguel, look who I found’ and passes the phone to Saskia. Saskia had given me the wrong number by mistake (or so she says). She says she still has half a week left in Albufeira and wants to see me so I get in the car and go visit her again. This time I had to sleep in the car as my friends had left and I had no money for a hotel. And  worse, I had to share Saskia’s time with her friend. Still, those were some nice couple of days.

The years that followed we kept in touch but it was tricky to see each other again. Saskia returned to the Netherlands while I went around Europe. First Portugal, followed by Romania, England and  finally Scotland. Once I stopped jumping around, we started to see each other a lot more often, and gave this relationship a try.

Humanity’s affinity for water is undeniable. Think “holiday” and you will struggle not to picture a beach. Think of the colour blue and, not only will most consider it their favourite colour, they will also associate it with qualities of calm and wisdom. Go back to the first civilization in ancient Mesopotamia, and you will find Nammu, Goddess of the Sea, who birthed the first gods. Water as a source of spirituality and wellbeing is timeless and nearly universal. And so, it is no surprise that I am so drawn to it. I grew up next to the sea and spent half my young life in the water. Even the memory of the two times I almost drowned, when caught by waves, do nothing but put a smile on my face. 

Unfortunately, I was never able to connect to the water in the way I wanted. Then, about 12 years ago I was thinking about the easiest way to travel to Southeast Asia. “By car, for sure!” I told myself, “but what about diesel, food and a nice place to rest… Hum…”. That is about the time I thought “A boat would solve all my troubles; I will sail with the wind and my house will be with me, so no worries there! Makes perfect sense!”

So I went online and delved into the yachting scene: what is it like, what would be needed, how much does it cost, and all that good stuff. The search was unanimous: owning a boat is a fool’s errand. It can be summarised by the dutch saying “buy a boat and work yourself to death” and the portuguese saying “boat owners only have three happy days: the day it is bought, the first sail, and the day it is sold”. This newly found information paused my search for a boat, but not the dream. Instead I decided to first learn how to sail, which sounds like the most logical starting point anyway! So that is what I did. Got some lessons and joined yacht clubs to get into the scene and prepare for what might be. Some years passed and things were moving at a slow pace when I got a sudden wake up call. I got a message that my cousin, of 30, passed away during the night. This is someone who I grew up next door to and with whom I shared a school desk from kindergarten all the way through highschool. I kept on delaying dreams because of money, while my body could turn on me during the night and that would be that. What a waste. So I decided to find a nice boat and go for it! Done and done!

6 years into owning Saetta, I can better understand all the advice and sayings. Saetta has bankrupt me twice and has been a major factor in my anxiety with all its issues and maintenance nightmares. But then again, it has given me much pleasure and peace of mind; the beauty of sailing, looking up to a clear night sky in the middle of the sea, or sitting at the bow feeling the boat cutting through the waves and listening to the sea against the ship. I suppose it is like any other relationship: you put in the time, sometimes it is good, sometimes it is bad, but you continue moving forward because you know it is right. And it has been so!

Too much has happened for me to write in one go, so I will bring up to date. Saskia (my partner) and I have moved into Saetta while berthed at Amsterdam. We are getting Saetta and ourselves ready for full-time around-the-world cruising life, with planned departure next April 2020.

We are Miguel and Saskia, a young(ish) couple living aboard Saetta in Amsterdam. Since getting the boat 5 years ago I dreamt to swap the comfort and safety of harbour for the adventures and beauty the sea has to offer. Life, however, had other plans. It has been a constant set of trials and tribulations, and a rollercoaster of emotions that pushed each other and the relationship to its limits. But not all is bad as we came out stronger and are planning to become full-time cruisers in April 2020. Join us as we prepare Saetta and ourselves for such an adventure.