My husband and I decided to combine our love of sailing with our desire to live simply. In February of 2013, we put a plan in motion that involved selling our home, our cars, and nearly all of our possessions. We would save our money, buy a boat, and quit our jobs. In June of 2016, we, along with our two daughters aged 3 and 4, departed from Beaufort, SC on board “All In,” our Hunter Legend 37.5 monohull sailboat. Our home became 37 feet of wood and fiberglass, disconnected from the convenience of the land-based electrical and fresh water utilities. We aren’t “off the grid” but we like to think that we live on the edge of it.
The cruising life allows us to focus on our children and our relationship, while learning the skills and gathering the knowledge that will maximize the amount of time that we’re able to live this way. There is great satisfaction in developing self-reliance, particularly when it involves your own home. If the toilet malfunctions, you don’t call the plumber. The electrical system works because we maintain the battery banks and circuits. There are no roads or traffic lights or street signs to help us arrive at our destination safely.
We are still very early in our cruise, but we already know that it has changed our life forever: the way that we eat, our goals and desires, our communication with each other, our ability to overcome difficulty, understanding the importance of seizing the moment, and our sense of purpose in the world.
You can follow our adventure on Facebook here and on our blog here.
