We’ve been living on board Salty for past 2.5 years, we’ve had highs and lows living our adventure. In this short time we have sailed roughly 18,000 nautical miles, now I’m not a seasoned sailor but hooly dooly that’s a lot of miles. We’ve sailed the Bahamas, New England, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Caribbean, Greenland, the Northwest Passage and Alaska – in that order.
I’m not ashamed to say that we’re tired. Tired of the constant moving. Tired of not seeing friends. Tired of planning meals around the weather conditions. And tired of not having a toddler friendly backyard. Don’t get me wrong, the beach and sea are great for young kids but you always have to be on your toes when it comes to kids under 5 and the water. Crew is not yet 2 years old and into EVERYTHING, we find that one of us has to be within 2 feet of him at all times. It’s exhausting.
So it’s come to this. We are dreaming of some land. Land in which we can open our back door and let the kids discover without constant adult supervision. I know there are still dangers outside for them but nothing like living on a boat, one ear always open for that dreaded scream and splash of one of our mini me’s falling overboard. The kids want bikes, pets and friends. Hell I want a bike too!
Are we buying a house and becoming landlubbers? Not yet, but we are at a turning point in our travels. Like many cruisers we 
have exhausted our funds, our cruising kitty is sick.
We have some big decisions to make that not only affect us but our kids and extended family. We are living a life in limbo.
We’ve been exploring Maine and checking out properties to see if it would be something that would fit our family, our whole family…. including Salty. In this plan I would head up to Maine with the kids and the Beaver, Carl would fly back to Alaska and prep the boat to take her back through the Northwest Passage. Salty would be flipped from a family friendly boat to an adventurous high latitudes charter boat.
In the coming weeks we will need to make a firm decision of land or sea. We could always head back to Alaska and hope that Carl could land a job for the summer then head south at the start of winter, but finding temporary employment doesn’t bring in big bucks for future sailing plans. How do people sail and support a family of 5? Can it be done?
Another idea is to head back to Alaska straight away and cruise south aiming for a Pacific crossing come April 2016 but this would have us sailing in rough winter seas landing us in Australia dead broke, if we even make it that far.
Ahh the sleepless nights of tossing and turning thinking about the future. I’m sure there are other cruisers out there that struggle with the same emotions as we are. We love sailing and traveling but we keep coming back to: is this the right time for us? Maybe if we give it another couple of years, wait for Crew to be 4 and give the live aboard thing another go. But we have the boat NOW, will we be shooting ourselves in the foot in a years time?
we have met the enemy and he is us – Walt Kelly
If anyone has some slick ideas about how we can keep cruising and afford to buy a sensible amount of chocolate along the way please let us known. As for now we’re looking outside of the the box but not yet giving up the dream.
I wish I had magical money making advice for you, for whatever path your family decides to follow. It has been lovely traveling along with you for the past couple of years. I found your blog just as you were heading out and took lots of notes.
I moved my family aboard at the start of the summer onto our sailboat in Boston Harbor. We have lots of plans for New England for the summer and Caribbean starting next fall. Wish us luck?
It is a great lifestyle Joy and you will have such a fabulous time! Don’t let us discourage you. So you plan on wintering on your boat? The Caribbean is a fun place for kids and great for meeting other cruising families, just really expensive. Best of luck with your plans and maybe, just maybe we’ll find ourselves in the same anchorage as you someday.
This winter is close living quarters in Boston harbor but next winter will be warm and tropical. It’s certainly an adventure and makes us look at our previous land life in a very different way.
I would consider moving to Maine. I live on an island in the middle of penobscot bay called Islesboro. It’s charter sailboat heaven here and very cheap to live. Check out maine mls islesboro or the surrounding area.
Funny enough we did notice a few places for sale on Isleboro, not too sure if we would want to be constricted by ferry times to get on and off the island. It is a beautiful area. We are checking out the Belfast area.
Start making a weekly video. And have an account on patron. You will make enough money to support your life and dream.
Not to hijack the thread, but what is patron?
Deb
SV Kintala
http://www.theretirementproject.blogspot.com
yeah I googled it, not too sure what it is either.
https://www.patreon.com
It’s basically a donation site often used by creative people. If you have good content and popular content, preferably with lightly clad nubile girls, you might generate noticeable income.
But in the end, creating the content is work too and the quality must be good to get noticed.
That is a great idea. If the house deal doesn’t work out we may look into something like that, can’t really see why people would want to donate money to us thou.
Have you considered Piracy? A toddler can fit through small spaces.
We sail in what we feel are safe areas, we are very aware of our cruising backyard. We have young kids and keep them close at all times, even on deck they are constantly watched. Our older two know our firm rules when it comes to being on deck and our youngest never ventures out alone. Thanks for your concern.
Dear Carly you,Carl and your children have had a truly amazing adventure. You might enjoy being in the one place for a couple of years. Just thinking of what you have done is mind boggling and exhausting. Have a rest. You will be busy enough raising three children. What have they said about settling in one place. I guess Capri will be thinking of school and in eighteen months Calling too. You have a lot of great moments to look back on. Have a break, best of luck whatever you decide
Thanks Tess. We hope to be land bound just for a couple of years then maybe get another boat or start cruising Salty again. We haven’t spoken a lot to the kids about getting a house, if Capri hears us talking she does get a little upset but I’m sure she would thrive in a house. Cali I don’t think really gets it and as for Crew I’m sure he doesn’t care either way. At the moment I think we plan on still homeschooling which gives us the freedom to travel in the winter. Merry Christmas to you and Brian! xxx
No bad choices here, just working out what’s best for your family! We’ve been there too: it’s hard. But on the other side of a tough decision is a great life for you and your family, regardless of the path you take. xx
Thanks Behan, I’ve always looked to your family for a bit of guidance, I really don’t know how you guys have done it for so long. I think we’ll try for a land life for a couple of years then maybe back to cruising again. Life would be easier on board if the kids were that little bit older and more independent. Good luck with your big sail back, a lot of miles in a short time. 🙂
Carl & Carly, Florida is a great place to live & raise kids. & when you decide to adventure, l would be happy to look after your land home. Done it before for Carl & Kathy years ago & would be happy to help again. Jobs in Florida are coming back & even though it’s not the Caribbean it sure is a great place to live. Lots of water & boating opportunities. & things are starting to boom, developing & construction is in the billions of dollars.
Anyway, the northeast & Maine are great areas, wish ya’ll all the best in deciding where your going to hang Your hats, winter snow is great for a while,but sunshine is great all the time. Good luck with your decisions. ” make decisions quickly & change them very slowly”.
Thanks Dave, you’re too kind. We love Florida but were looking more for 4 seasons. I’m sure after a winter we’ll be wanting some sunshine 🙂
Hopefully you can find a place on land for your family. One idea is renovating an house and selling it for a profit? Have to have bouyant house prices for that. Try to find somewhere where you can maybe grow a few vegies or fruit and have some chooks (don’t get too large scale though – too much work), and this helps with subsidising living expenses. A wood burning stove or fire for heating? Not too far from shops so that you don’t spend a whole lot commuting. Do keep in mind that cruising is easiest before the kids go to high school, but like you say, once Crew is a little more independent. Hope you are able to find the ideal balance.
Exactly what I’m thinking Catherine. Small place, off the grid, vege garden and all. We have our eye on a place but not too sure if we’ll get it, it’s a foreclosure. We thought a couple more years then everyone would be able to get dressed, out of diapers and maybe even make me a cup of tea!
The dilemmas you face now are dilemmas that you will. . . Gulp. . . face for your lifetime. Sorry, but the decisions and options will remain endless. The hope is that you can enjoy the decision-making processes as well as the daily living. After all, it’s all part of the journey, yes?
Money: it will take care of itself eventually. Worry, yes, but trust me, it’ll work out.. (Hey, I’ve seen Carl in action!)
Location: pick a place that has the best hope for kindred spirits. I/we have always valued the people we’ve gotten to know along the way and it is the people that make the place. (Mind you, good weather is a “plus”, too.)
I’m getting philosophic I think, turning 70 soon, having lived aboard and abroad for many years myself and all the time wondering what and where and how. But, too, I write this from the sunset deck overlooking the Caribbean Sea from our small home in Nevis, W.I., because, Carly, as you will find, things DO work out. Fear not and press on!
PS: please tell Capri that her picture still hangs in my office at the marina. I think she should start selling artwork!
Skip, Capri has improved a lot with her art, next time we’re in the area we’ll be sure to at to your “collection”! Thanks for the wise words. I often tell Carl that it will all work out but he likes to be in control of everything. We probably wouldn’t worry too much about the money part but it’s harder now that we have a family relying on us. Got to keep up with the nail polish demand. If we head down your way we’ll drop by and say hi 🙂
Hi Salty Crew,
We have been following your voyage and living every moment of your adventures with you! Thanks for sharing!
We can certainly understand that your exhausted. Parenting 3 kids is exhausting. Sailing 18000 miles in 2.5 years is exhausting. Completing the NWP is exhausting. Doing all three at the same time is super-human! 🙂
We lived on a boat (pre-kids) near Seattle for 4 years and spent a lot of time exploring the Puget Sound, San Juan Islands and Desolation Sound. Then we sailed down the Pacific Coast and explored Mexico before crossing the Pacific.
I don’t have a solution to the cruising kitty (’tis a voyagers perpetual dilemma), but what I can ensure you is that you have some of the MOST AMAZING waters, islands, beaches and people ahead of you to the south. Going *slowly* from Alaska to Vancouver could be an amazing journey. It’s only a short sail (compared to your other passages!) from Neah Bay to San Diego, and then you have all of Mexico ahead of you.
I know that it is dark and cold now where you are, but the air, water, beaches and people in Mexico are sunny and warm, and a dream-come-true for kids. And with the present Peso-USD exchange rate, Mexico is very affordable. Did I mention that the food and people are also spectacular!?!?
As a previous author wrote, you have no bad choices here. Good luck with your decisions! 🙂
Eric & Angela
Thanks Eric and Angela and thanks for following us all this time. We know that south of us is AMAZING and hope to head down there if this Maine idea doesn’t work out. Still have to figure out the money problem, if only everything could be paid with a smile 🙂 Merry Christmas to you both.
Just remember that boxes are for Christmas presents, not ideas. Good luck. We will pray you find the wisdom to do what is best for your family and your dreams
Ideas are cheaper than gifts 😉 Merry Christmas to the Tobey family!
I am sorry to hear that this chapter of your life is coming to an end for now for selfish reasons! I love reading your blog. I admire your honesty among other aspects and I love your courage. And that includes sharing the fact that this chapter may have ended. It does not mean it will not be reopened at a future time, but for now you are making the decision that is right for your family. I really admire that you are willing to share that. To show that what is right for now was different last year and may change again next year. But you have the courage to change and to share it. You guys will be fine. Money is always a harder issue. But in 2.5 years you have done more than most in their lifetimes.
If it is “just” (and I put that in quotations because just and money do not really go together) the financial aspect there are options. You could try things like patron and publishing on Amazon, but I find they are supplemental for a long time before they accumulate enough money behind them to support you. Have you thought much about splitting your year between work and cruising? It is our plan to live off of savings for 2 years and then make the assessment if we want to split our year into working ad cruising. But we plan on keeping that option open until after the 2 years and see how our family responds to sailing.
At the same time it sounds like money is a factor but not the main one. Things come in cycles! I loved our overland motorcycle adventure but at the end of the year I was ready to go back to Germany. Others go for 7. Some never come back. More important is that you figure out what is best for you. And it sounds like you are doing just that. Sometimes the best decisions are the hardest. Be it quitting for now or throwing all caution to the wind and sailing for broke to Australia. You know your family and what you need right now. Either way thanks for sharing that. I think those posts inspire people more than ones written where the authors refuse to acknowledge that they are still very human in their adventures!
Keep us posted!