Are we crazy? Why We’re Sailing 1,000+ Miles the “Wrong Way”

After a year of sailing from Split to Spain, you’d think we would continue exploring new waters. But no — in true Luna style, we’re doing the opposite. We’re sailing all the way back to Croatia, retracing our route in reverse. And yes, we are fully aware of how ridiculous that sounds!

This new chapter began with a big decision: we are continuing the boat life and going all in. That means preparing our home in the Netherlands for sale and saying emotional goodbyes to family and friends — something that felt harder this time because our family bonds have only grown stronger.

Kay flew ahead to Spain to prepare Luna, while I stayed behind to pack up the house and then flew with our dog, Ollie. Traveling with a dog in the cargo hold is never easy, but with tracking and preparation, we made it as comfortable as possible for him.

Once reunited, it was time to get Luna moving again. But why Croatia?

There are two main reasons:

1. A proper boat repair: During our time in Naples, the water inlet for our watermaker broke. Although we sealed it temporarily, the hull became wet on the inside. To repair it properly, Luna needs to be lifted out of the water and fully dried — Croatia is the right place for that job.
2. A new project for Kay: Kay has been developing a yacht automation app and needs to return to Croatia for the next steps in the project.

So we are sailing from Segur de Calafell to Split, with a few stops along the way. Luckily, we won’t be alone. From Spain to Sicily, we’ll be joined by Dick and Wim — and their presence brings knowledge, experience, and a lot of laughter.

In this first part of the passage, we travel to Menorca, take some time to explore (at perfect, crowd-free hours), and enjoy some beach time with the kids. Beau continues to show his passion for sailing, happily taking the wheel whenever he gets the chance. But the sea keeps us humble — the temporary repair fails, leaving us with an actual hole in the boat. Thankfully, we made the right call by heading back.

This is only Part 1 of the journey. In the next episode, you’ll find out if we make it to Palermo — and if Luna stays afloat!