'We feel her presence in the water': Girl, three, is laid to rest after falling off 'hippie' family-of-13's yacht and drowning - as clan reveal they can't live on their boat anymore
- Zeinboiyah 'Zobbie' Soetekouw tragically fell off the family's home yacht
- The three-year-old girl could be not be revived and died on July 9
- Toddler was laid to rest at a waterside ceremony last week, mother says
Zobbie Soetekouw was laid to rest at a private ceremony near the water last Friday
A three-year-old girl who drowned after falling off her the boat her family of 13 lived on has been laid to rest at a 'beautiful and perfect' private memorial.
'We can feel Zeinobiyah’s presence in the water, now,' the girl's mother, Beccie Soetekouw, said in a blog post.
Zeinboiyah Soetekouw, three, fell off the back of the family yacht, the Sumbawa, as it cruised the Hawkesbury River, north of Sydney, on July 9.
The blonde toddler in a little red dress, better known as Zobbie, was recovered by water police but could not be revived.
In her post, Ms Soetekouw thanked family, friends and funeral workers for helping the self-confessed hippy clan say their goodbyes at a ceremony near the water last Friday.
She revealed the family cannot live on board the yacht, presumably because of the police investigation.
The Soetekouw family (above) of two parents and 11 children were living on board the 13m yacht, Sumbawa
'We are looking forward to getting back onto the water but we are unable to get back on Sumbawa,' Ms Soetekouw said.
'So we are not sure how we will get back there, but we are actively looking for ways to do that.'
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Zobbie was found in the water about 100 metres from her family's yacht
The family sold their Tasmanian farm to instead live on the yacht and travel around Australia.
Ms Soetekouw said her children want to get back sailing soon as being on the water, near Zobbie, was 'very, very healing to us'.
The family's memorial service was funded by a wave of donations from friends and strangers who donated more than $6000.
Zobbie is survived by her parents Beccie and Steve and ten siblings Natasha, 15, Blade, 14, Ryan, 12, Nakita, 11, Alec, ten, Hunter, eight, Amlayah, seven, Yasha, five, Azanyah, four, and Shakirah, one.
To mark her second birthday last year, Ms Soetekouw wrote of Zobbie's 18-month life on board the yacht.
'Zeinobiyah has learned to sit, crawl and walk on the boat,' she said.
The family began sailing around Australia from when she was just six months old
'She has been to a few different ports, seen dolphins, whales and the beauty of the Ocean.
'She says things are at the bow or stern. She knows if her life jacket goes on, we are either sailing or going in the dingy.
'She has started swimming around the boat in her life jacket as well.'
NSW Police was approached for comment. A report will be prepared for the Coroner.
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