The Beginning!

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So how do you do it? How do you finally make up your mind that you are going to leave behind everything you know and have spent years acquiring, sell up and sail off to distant lands…

Anyone who knows us well will know we have been discussing a change in lifestyle for a while; much to the amusement of family and friends we've always got some project on the go; running a pub or fish restaurant, doing up an old cottage in Lyme Regis, moving to the East coast of America, buying a place in Crete or Dartmouth are just a few things we have explored. But I guess it was the family holiday in the British Virgin Isles in November 2007 that really made up our mind. We chartered a 38ft yacht, just the four of us, and despite some pretty rough weather, we just wanted to keep on sailing. Having done jobs that required long hours and significant responsibilities and being part of the corporate world with all that that entails, the sense of freedom that sailing gives us is enticing enough to overcome the obvious downsides eg no hairdryer.  When we came back we decided to stop talking and dreaming  and make it happen. I'm not sure how many of our friends thought that this plan was any different to all the others we have 'shared' with them over the years but here we are in March 2008, almost ready to go. 

Is it the right thing to do? Will it be everything we hope it will be? Is it the right time? We honestly don't know, we have both always acted on instinct and to date we have regretted few decisions, further if we waited for the right time we would not do anything, there are always  reasons why now is not the time. We have thought about the kids education, the health of elderly parents (for whom Dave is an only child), the cost and doubts about how we would cope living on board, as well as the obvious risks involved with what we are planning; all of these and more have made us wonder if now is the right time, but is there ever a right time to do something like this.  Last year we lost two good friends to cancer, both of them still had a lifetime of dreams to fulfil. Losing Sarah in particular was really hard, we were very close and shared our lives, including sailing together. The only positive thing to come out of losing her was that it helped put life in perspective.  You only have one life and you have to make the most of the opportunites you have, at this moment in time we are lucky enough to have a healthy family and the opportunity to take time out, buy a boat and see what the rest of the world looks like. Creating this website is our way of sharing what we are doing, letting you know we're ok and is a small attempt to try and take you with us.