We didn’t set out to buy a motor yacht.
That feels a little strange to say, even now, six months into owning one. For the past ten years, sailing was the way we moved through the world. It shaped our plans, our patience, our weather windows, and, honestly, a good chunk of our identity.
But life afloat has a way of reshaping our ideas.
We've left the inland waterways for the North Sea, motoring along the coast of Belgium and setting ourselves up for our first big crossing aboard UNDRA. And we can't help but compare, contrast and contemplate what this new way of life has in store for us.
Our first real ocean crossing will be the English Channel. It’s a short hop by nautical standards, but it feels like a meaningful one.
And the funny thing is, cruising is never as much about movement as it may seem.
After a decade of living on boats, one thing has become very clear, most of boat life happens at anchor. Ninety percent, give or take. The passages matter, of course. The vessel needs to be safe, capable, and trustworthy. But the real test is whether we can live comfortable and self-sufficient in the places we've worked so hard to reach.
UNDRA was not the obvious choice for two longtime sailors. But she may be the right tool for where we want to go next. Higher latitudes, fjords, mountains, and sometimes ice. A very different kind of cruising from the tropical waters we’ve known so well.
We're still wrapping our heads around the shift.
Because this next chapter doesn’t look the way we imagined. But for the first time in a long time, it feels like we're on the right path.
And that's exactly why we're following it.
