From Amsterdam to the Open Sea: How Our Sailing Adventure Began
It all began in 2017 when Bel returned to the Netherlands after four years in the US. She was starting a new degree at the University of Amsterdam and, with a little encouragement from a friend, joined the Orionis sailing association. That’s where she met Bart. Fast forward to a weekend in Friesland, and we were chatting, bonding over our love for hockey, travel, and some friendly competition.
We didn’t waste much time—we exchanged numbers, went on our first date, and by January 2018, we made it official. Bart, already an experienced sailor, began teaching Bel how to sail on the small lakes of Amsterdam. First with a Valk, then a Laser. Slowly, Bel started to get the hang of it, and we thought, “Why not take this to the next level?”
The Big Dream: Sailing Around the World
Then came the pandemic, and Bart had a crazy idea: “Let’s buy a sailboat and sail around the world.” Bel, who had never really thought about living on a boat, was immediately on board. She loves exploring new places, and this sounded like the ultimate adventure.
We decided that in 3 to 5 years, we’d set sail. But first, we needed to try it out. So we rented a few yachts for short trips to see how we’d handle being on a boat for more than a day. Spoiler: we loved it. Our next step? Finding our very own boat.
Finding Nimrod: The Boat That Would Change Everything
One summer in 2021, we found her: Nimrod. She was docked in Albufeira, Portugal, which meant a little travel was involved, but that didn’t scare us. We flew to Portugal, stepped aboard, and immediately fell in love. After a few months of waiting, Nimrod was officially ours, and that’s when we went from being a couple to a little family—us and our boat.
Life on the Water: Getting Ready for the Big Adventure
In 2022, we moved into Nimrod in Monnickendam, and life became a whirlwind of boat prep, saving money, and getting ourselves ready for the journey ahead. It wasn’t always easy, but it felt like we were heading toward something big. We learned a lot about the boat, each other, and the kind of life we wanted to lead.
The Next Chapter: Setting Sail
By late 2023, we made the call—next summer, we would quit our jobs, say goodbye to our land lives, and set off on our sailing adventure. It’s been years in the making and now we already on our way for about a year. From our first meeting in Friesland to buying our boat in Portugal, and now sailing in the Mediterranean, this journey has been full of twists and turns, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.
