After months and months of getting ready and upgrading the boat and more importantly, mentally preparing for our sailing trip, the moment of truth has finally arrived! Here we are, all 3 of us, with a fully loaded boat, with new sails, a brand-new bimini, a revised engine, and a million other checks and upgrades that I won’t mention (mainly because I do not know them all, Jelle did most of the work )

Libra was loaded in the Netherlands on a special transport trailer that would drive all the way to Koper, Slovenia. From there, we would have to use a crane to unload the boat to the water and install the sails, and the frame, and generally prepare the boat to sail. The loading process was a success albeit the weather was terrible and we even had to take a break from the massive rain! All ended well and our lovely boat arrived in Koper two days after we did. Luckily, Jelle’s father, uncle, and a family friend also arrived in Koper the day before so we had plenty of hands to fix her up and get ready for some real sailing!

In the meantime, Elena and I were busy discovering the nearby beach and the local surroundings. Koper is a mixture of Italy and Croatia and has some cute streets and views but spending a week there was more than enough! Elena had the time of her life, however, eating ice cream every day and playing on the beach so I am not sure she would agree with me 🙂

Finally, on Tuesday 5th of July, we released our lines and set sail to Umag, Croatia. We decided to start with small day trips until Elena gets used to the sailing life and we get used to having Elena onboard. Interested to read how our very first sail in 2022 went? Do not miss our next blog!