We are Toine and Mira, now 59 years old and early retired from early 2025.

Toine is the skipper of the SeaQuest. From an early age he could be found in falcons on the Frisian lakes. In daily life he worked as an IT manager mainly in the financial world. Toine's specialty is everything to do with technique; of course sailing technique, but also the electrics, engine and ICT on board is his hobby. He can spend hours fixing things that break down and continuously improving things for more convenience or to prevent them from breaking down. For example, he himself has replaced the entire electrical system, newly installed the navigation network and installed water-based central heating. Toine also does the annual engine maintenance himself.

Mira is the second skipper of the SeaQuest. Not only sailing but, in particular, visiting new destinations has her interest. In daily life she worked as a program manager at a large insurance company. Mira's specialty is everything to do with planning; making travel and trip plans, performing weather analysis and taking care of boat supplies and cooking. And creating this website. As a hobby, she reads many sailing blogs which gives her a lot of knowledge of sailing destinations with associated challenges.

Our daughters Eline and Marinthe are 'out of the house already' and are students/working with their own lives. But regularly they come 'home' and enjoy sailing with us.

What draws us to life on and travel by sailboat? Since the beginning of our relationship (in 1997), it has been clear that we would like to travel on a sailboat for an extended period of time, without a concrete plan.
This becomes more concrete when in the fall of 2005 we decide to buy a boat after several years of chartering, mostly in the Caribbean. So in 2006 we buy the Brandaan and then immediately make the plan to travel with our family for a year in 2009/2010 for a tour of Atlantic. Our daughters will be 8 and 10 by then. We like that immensely and taste for more 😊.
In 2014, we will exchange the Brandaan for the SeaQuest. With the goal of travelling with it for a longer period of time when we retire early, as well as making beautiful sailing trips during vacations with our daughters.

In 2017/2018 we have the opportunity to live in Florida for a few months and take the boat with us. On the trip back home from Florida through Canada, it again becomes very clear that we really like the migratory life with a sailboat. We get along very well and have plenty of each other. We don't mind having family and friends at a distance for a while. We greatly enjoy visiting unknown and somewhat more difficult to reach areas.

The plan will take another step further when we sell our house and live on the boat in early 2021. Now there is not much stopping us from "leaving" 😎. Now in early 2025, the time has come when we can start following our passion as early retirees 😊.

So where do we go from here? That too is an open plan and I'm sure will change frequently. The first year we are going to Norway and Svalbard. For the further future, Patagonia, Alaska and New Zealand are high on the list 😊. All in life we always say.

During all these years of sailing, it is clear that we are true touring sailors. Safety and comfort at sea comes first. Maximum speed is not important. Sailing is not an end in itself but always a way to reach a beautiful and special next destination. We do not shy away from sailing through the night. Even in calm weather we don't mind the engine as long as it serves the purpose of reaching a beautiful destination in time. The boat is for us a means to travel in a pleasant way to beautiful areas and late anchor bays. Naturally, we also enjoy sailing at sea, especially for several days and nights in a row. But we focus on comfort and a conservative trim of the sails.