The Day the Wind Turned Against Us – A Canal Sailing Adventure.
Every May, we’d always plan something special for Thom. With her birthday on May 1st and two glorious weeks of school break, it was the perfect time for adventure.
And what better backdrop than the vibrant, tulip-covered landscapes of Holland?
The country, awash with colors, looked like nature had gone on a wild painting spree.
Yoni had long dreamed of learning to sail, but after a disastrous attempt in our first year in Holland, he ditched that idea fast.
However, cruising the canals on a boat that didn’t require mastering the wind? Now that was a plan!
So, in May 2009, we rented a small motorized boat for a 10-day DIY canal adventure through North Holland.
No skipper needed. “Easy enough,” they said. “Anyone can do it!” they assured us.
We’d done something similar a few years back for Yoni’s dad, but this time we were leveling up: 10 full days of water-bound freedom.
To keep Thom entertained (and not just stuck with her “old” parents), we invited her friend Eden to join us.
Off we went! The weather was picture-perfect, and life was good.
While Yoni and I soaked in the rare opportunity to relax, Thom and Eden were sunbathing on deck like supermodels, occasionally plunging into the icy lakes for a swim. Evenings were spent grilling dinners, with Yoni mastering the art of the tiny boat grill while Thom and Eden washed dishes in the minuscule below-deck kitchen.
The vacation was pure bliss. Until, well, the last day.
We were happily sailing back, feeling like seasoned boaters, when we noticed something odd—other boats were leaving the lake and heading back to the canal.
Strange, but whatever.
We reached the lake’s entrance, saw a sign that read “7.2,” and thought nothing of it. Big mistake.
Turns out, that number was the wind speed. We were sailing straight into a storm.
At first, the girls thought it was thrilling—the wind, the waves, the adrenaline.
But after an hour of battling winds and getting nowhere, the fun quickly turned into panic.
The waves felt huge, the boat was tipping, and it suddenly became clear: we were in over our heads.
Yoni was doing his best to fight the storm, and I was trying to keep everyone’s spirits up.
But we soon had to get real and explain to the girls what to do if the boat capsized—where to swim, what to grab… it got serious fast.
After what felt like an eternity, we finally saw the shoreline. Relief!
But just before we could reach safety, the boat ran aground on the sandy lakebed.
We had to power through, knowing we were probably damaging the boat (and our bank account along with it).
At that point, we didn’t care. We just wanted to make it to dry land.
When we finally reached the shipyard, the staff was waiting for us, having watched the whole stormy spectacle.
They were so relieved we made it that they gave us a hefty discount on the boat damages. Victory!
Back home, safe and sound, Yoni and I finally exhaled. It had been a beautiful vacation—equal parts relaxing and hair-raising.
It reminded us just how quickly things can take a turn.
And though we may have had a brush with disaster, we also made some unforgettable memories.
