A successful family trip

The story of a remarkable week

03-07-2020 | It was special, in many ways. The first holiday that was possible again, after the reduced Corona measures. For the Van der Zel family, it was the last holiday before the baby of daughter Eva was born. 'We were able to go for the last time.' Skipper Richard of the Sybaris was over the moon: finally sailing with guests again. His life and joy.

Keep dreaming

We speak to Elly, the grandmother-to-be. 'I had forwarded the BoatBoatBoat newsletter to my daughter, who was expecting a baby, and she immediately responded. I have always loved boats. After our sailing holiday, I dreamt every night for a week that I was still sailing. I don't know what that is. I just love it. You see the world from the water in a different way. It is a different kind of dynamic. The atmosphere on board the Sybaris was also so lovely and nostalgic. A really beautiful historical ship; totally different from one of those shiny things.' 

An endless week

The family chose a varied program. The trip started in Enkhuizen, where the eager Sybaris set sail for the beautiful Wadden Sea. They set foot ashore every day to do some last-minute shopping or dining. 'We stopped off in Medemblik, Harlingen and Makkum. Sometimes we cooked ourselves. That's really easy to do onboard. We dropped anchor on the Wadden Sea and the rest of the group walked across the mudflats. I stayed on board. It was such a special experience to see your family walking on the bottom of the sea. There were seals in the distance. We were really away from it all. A holiday that seemed to last longer than it did. Very enjoyable, especially with the crew.'

Caring

Elly is happy with the good care of the crew. 'Richard told us a lot and always came up with nice ideas. We knotted a ship's mat and bracelets, played games and he even made a swing. It felt like being a child again, floating over the water. Just like lying in the jib net, which is also a wonderful thing. Of course, we also helped with the sailing. Suddenly, there I was, wearing a captain's hat, behind that mighty helm. My daughter had some trouble sleeping because of her pregnancy. Hup, there was Richard with an inflatable cushion. She was free to take it home as well.'

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