‘We quit our jobs, sold all our possessions and left our life in SG to travel the world on a yacht with our kids’: Expat Family Shares

In 2019 this expat family of four including two kids aged 1.5 and 3 years old, left Singapore to sail the world on a catamaran. They had no prior boating knowledge, but that didn’t stop them. Here’s their remarkable story!

We are the crew from the sailing vessel Long Summer! Ben is from Manchester in the UK, and Emily is from Sydney, Australia. Sullivan (7) and Frankie (5) were both born in Singapore. We spent 8 years living on the East Coast, where Ben was Head of the Asia Region in the tech industry and Emily was a Virtual Assistant. In 2019 we quit our jobs, sold all of our worldly possessions and left our life in Singapore behind to live and travel on a yacht. Oh, and did we mention that we didn’t know how to sail?!

We spent four years planning and budgeting for our getaway (in secret!). Through a combination of savings, investments and hard work we managed to buy our dream boat, the Fountaine Pajot Astréa, a 42ft catamaran. As part of the ongoing financing of this lifestyle, Ben started a remote consulting business upon leaving Singapore. Emily, meanwhile, homeschools the kids.

     Read more: Where to Hire Affordable and Luxury Yachts in Singapore

In September 2019 we picked up our boat, Long Summer, in western France. Since then we have travelled the width of the Mediterranean, slowed down by Covid but by no means deterred! From La Rochelle across the Bay of Biscay to northern Spain, and down the Portuguese coast to Morocco, we spent 9 months wintering and locked down in Tangier.

Once the borders reopened we travelled along southern Spain through the Balearic Islands and on to Sardinia, Tunisia and Sicily. We then hopped along the Croatian coastline all the way up to Venice, before zipping back down through the Adriatic to Greece. Across the Ionian and Aegean Seas we finally made it to Türkiye last year. This summer we plan to travel back through Greece.

What inspired you both to quit your jobs and start a sailing adventure?

When our eldest was born we started discussing where we might move to in the future. We were keen to take a gap year after living in Singapore, but that idea soon snowballed into a full-time travel adventure! Despite having zero boating experience, we thought a yacht would be the ideal way to slow travel for an extended period of time.

How did your children react when you told them about your plans to sail around the world?

They were excited! But it was also a difficult concept to convey, as they were so little at the time (just 3 and 1.5 years old when we left Singapore). We are a very communicative family, so it was something that we discussed openly with them from the day they were born.

What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a family while sailing?

There have been so many! This is by no means an easy life, but it is incredibly rewarding. Weather is usually both our best friend and worst enemy, so one of our toughest challenges came really early on. Crossing the Bay of Biscay and sailing down the Atlantic Coast in October was a far from ideal time to take on these notorious seas, especially on our first voyage.

As our brand new home lurched and slammed through 5m seas, we spent the days with heads in buckets and the long nights on watch. But we lived to tell the tale, and even laugh about it now! Plus the underlying feeling of success never dampened our spirits or made us question this crazy life we had chosen for ourselves. If anything it was an incredible lesson in resilience and commitment.

How have your children adapted to life on a boat? Do they enjoy it?

They have adapted really well! However, they don’t actually know much different, and even find some aspects of land life rather curious. Like any young family we’ve had all the usual daily struggles of parenting toddlers, we just do it in an unusual setting.

The kids really enjoy exploring new places and meeting new people from all over the world. They love hanging out on the bow watching dolphins play under the hulls. And they relish being able to walk out the back door and jump straight into the sea!

What has been your favourite destination so far, and why?

Our summer in Croatia was definitely a highlight. It is a really beautiful country, that is welcoming, clean and sunny. Plus it is very boat-friendly! With over 1,000 islands to explore, we loved cruising up and down her long, jagged coastline. And sharing the season with fellow boat families made it all the more enjoyable!

How do you keep your kids entertained during long passages or bad weather?

When the conditions are unfavourable, watching TV or movies isn’t always an option for fear of feeling seasick. So we listen to a lot of podcasts and audiobooks. We play board games and card games. We build Meccano creations and get lost in a world of Lego. And we sleep. A lot!

Do you homeschool? How do you ensure your kids are exposed to social interactions with others, especially kids? 

Yes, we do homeschool, although it is quite informal. In the first few years we didn’t worry too much about education, as they are constantly learning from the world around us. But now that they are getting a little older we’re starting to think more about what their future education will look like.

If anything, our children have more social interactions than most. We are forever meeting so many different people from all sorts of cultures, backgrounds and age groups. We also seek out other boat families to spend time with. We visit lots of playgrounds. And we take breaks from the boat to spend time with family and friends back home too.

What lessons have you learned as a parent while sailing around the world?

We have learnt patience, humility and perseverance. We’ve learnt that the kids are always watching how we deal with challenges and adversity. We’ve learnt to embrace discomfort and savour the good times. But more than anything we’ve learnt that our kids are only little once and it is a privilege to spend every day with them, despite any challenges!

How long do you plan to continue to travel on your catamaran? Will you eventually settle for the kids’ education – and if so where? 

When we set out we had no end date in mind, and were open to where this adventure would take us. Secondary school age for the kids has always been pencilled in as a crunch point to move back to land, but it may happen sooner than that. Where we will settle is a never-ending debate in our family, and no doubt that’s why we’ve ended up floating around on a boat! When we have the answer we’ll let you know!

There must be so many wonderful lessons your kids are learning as you travel but have there been any downsides?

Although we meet many new people all the time, we don’t get to see friends and family as often as we’d like. But as an international family that will always be an issue for us! Living on a boat is by no means convenient, but the small things we can’t do at sea are all the more treasured when we do get the chance to do them on land. This lifestyle is hard work and took a while to adjust to, but nothing worth having comes easy. The positives have definitely outweighed any negatives!

How has this sailing adventure changed your perspective on life and family?

We’ve always been very aware that life is short and you only get one chance at it, but living and travelling on a boat has really confirmed this for us. “Stuff” just isn’t important to us anymore, and more than ever we prioritise experiences and connecting with others. This experience has reframed how we interact with each other and made us more close-knit than ever.

We’re a family that goes our own way and values enriching life experiences. We have become more tolerant and patient, both with ourselves and others. We are less afraid to fail, and gladly embrace change. We’ve slowed our pace of life right down and appreciate the small things. And in return we hope that all of these things help to make us better human beings.

What advice do you have for other families who may be considering a similar adventure?

If this is the life for you, you will love it! Do your research and speak to others who have done something similar. Find fellow sailors and experience being out on the water. Do your training, get your licenses, be safe and have fun!

This lifestyle is for anyone who can make it happen, but even more modest adventures are worth taking a leap of faith for. What have you got to lose? In the end you’ll only regret the chances you didn’t take. Go for it!

Thank you so much for sharing your remarkable adventure with us Emily, Ben, Sullivan and Frankie. We will be following your Instagram account @the.long.summer to see all the fun you get up to!