Back on the Boat - Back to Us

After four months on land, we're back on the boat.

And it hit me - just how much I’d missed it, and how scary it felt, too.

There’s something strange about returning to a life you know so well, only to realize how quickly confidence fades at sea. Maybe it’s the long break. Maybe it’s July thunderstorms on the East Coast, rolling in out of nowhere. Or maybe it’s the simple fact that land-life and boat-life are two completely different worlds, and switching between them is not as seamless as we’d like to believe.

What surprised me the most wasn’t the fear. It was the realization of how much I love who we are in this lifestyle. The chaos, the closeness, the rhythm we’ve built together.

After two months of living a "normal" life in Spain, commutes, routines, electricity that always works, being back on Grand Cru reminded me how much we’ve grown. 24/7 together isn’t always easy, but it shaped us. It made us a team.

The boat doesn’t feel quite like home anymore. It’s more like a vacation house we know intimately. We know how to handle it, how to fix things, how to keep her going.

And she always needs something - fuel, AC, a filter, a pump, a sail, a screw. If we don’t fix it, no one will. And if someone else does? Well, it’ll cost us more than we’re willing to admit.

So no, there are no dull moments. But there’s comfort in knowing the drill. We know this boat. We know this life. We’ve lived it for almost three years.

But this time, there’s a timeline. A very clear one.

We have just over a month left. We’re sailing her to Annapolis, where we’ll say goodbye to Grand Cru, again. Hoping to find her next dreamers quickly. Hoping this farewell will be a little gentler than the last.

And yes, as much as I love this life, we’re still going forward with the move to land. This short trip only confirmed what we already knew: we need this change. All of us. Especially the boys.

Still, there’s something beautiful about being back on the water. Something grounding, familiar, and freeing. It’s a chance to rediscover what this life means to us—with fresh eyes and old love.

The boys? They’ve grown so much in just six weeks. Spain gave us a glimpse of what they need next.

And here, on this last leg of our sailing chapter, we’re soaking it all in. Being present. Fixing what needs fixing.

And holding on to every moment while we still can.