Life is smooth sailing for Abu Dhabi residents Margarita Cejudo-Perdomo and her husband, Dr. Rainer Speckardt, who live out of a posh yacht at the Abu Dhabi Marina. During one scorching summer afternoon, the stylish nautical couple gave TEMPO a tour of the 86-foot yacht, showing not only how to rock the boat, but how do it with class.
TEMPO – What made you decide to live on a yacht?
MARGARITA- There is a number of reasons why we have chosen to live aboard a yacht. Mainly, it suits our personalities. Both my husband and I have an extraordinary relationship with the sea. I was born and raised in the Canary Islands and he is a German sailing champion who has crossed the Atlantic ten times. No doubt the main reason was the opportunity to own a great ‘home’ in Abu Dhabi at the best location as well as the feeling of independence and peace of mind of knowing we could choose to sail away any time. Unobstructed views are important for us and living the ‘marina life’ is also perfect for Collin, our 42 kg Weimaraner Rescue Dog, as his favorite past time is swimming.
TEMPO – Could you give us an example of a normal day of a ‘nautical wife’?
MARGARITA- I adore that term, ‘nautical wife’, it makes me feel like a superwoman. As a female, I am expected to carry out duties around the household in addition to yacht maintenance. It is incredible how much I end up knowing about yacht electronics and mechanics. As far as a normal day is concerned I juggle my responsibilities as an Independent Communications Consultant with the charter requests we receive as the only 86 foot yacht for hire in Abu Dhabi. We often let our ‘home’ for lavish events such as the Abu Dhabi FORMULA 1 Grand Prix. Hosting, whether for business or private reasons, is a big part of our yachting lifestyle and something we certainly take pleasure in doing no matter how much planning ahead required. I also set time apart to exercise with our dog, at least two hours a day.
TEMPO – Do you travel around the world on your home?
MARGARITA- I have not lived on a yacht outside the UAE, however my husband has for more than 10 years and he has the most amazing stories to tell our guests and friends. It is definitely in our future plans to take time off to sail around the world. We would be looking to interacting with the host cultures as much as possible as the real value of the experience.
TEMPO – What are the ups and downs of living on a yacht?
MARGARITA- I believe you will find plenty of positive points in all my answers. The ups definitely outweigh the downs, however living in such a different environment requires a lot of energy and flexibility especially when we go through extensive repairs that can be both time consuming and expensive. They can easily test your patience. Sometimes you take for granted certain basics of living in a house that cannot be in a yacht. You can have issues such us power cuts, air conditioning or water problems. Living on a boat is not for everyone – one must be very discipline passionate and dedicated. At the end of the day, it is a question of attitude!
TEMPO – What is your fondest memory of living on the yacht?
MARGARITA-As I mentioned before, we do a lot of entertaining, we often host plenty of friend get-togethers, dinners, cocktails…so I have very good memories of events and interesting guests we have had on board. Last year we attended a concert by the legendary Spanish Flamenco artist ‘Tomatito’ organized by the Abu Dhabi Authority of Culture and Heritage (ADACH). The after-concert turned out to be an amazing totally improvised second concert party aboard our yacht after the artist and his entourage accepted our modest invitation. Needless to say friends and guests shared an unforgettable night.
TEMPO- How do you balance living at sea and working on land?
MARGARITA- It is a matter of getting used to, however for me it has been easy to balance my activities on land with marina living. My husband and I are both into culture, so attending events is one of the very few good excuses to get dragged out of our ‘retreat’. Keeping up with work is totally compatible with our nautical lifestyle. As a matter of fact you feel like you are on a constant holiday when leaving or returning home.
TEMPO – Does living on a yacht have any impact on your lifestyle on land, and does it give you a different perspective on life?
MARGARITA – Absolutely, it does! It has a very positive impact on our social lives. Friends visit us more often and we even hold business appointments on board as it is the perfect environment to unwind and relax. Living on a yacht certainly makes us look at life from the ‘sea’ point of view, in other words, we share with friends and guests the values of any sailor: hospitality, assistance and good will.
TEMPO – What are the three most important things to keep in mind when at sea?
MARGARITA- A trip into open seas requires a certain degree of planning to ensure a safe and pleasurable trip. We look at factors that are all equally important: security systems, technical check, petrol and oil, weather and sea reports, and navigation systems. Around the UAE it is also crucial to check for shallow waters. My advice is to make sure you are out with an experience skipper to avoid any incidents.
