You definitely need to come to the Pacific islands. The sailors here are the dedicated, month-without-showers types - we call them “grotty yachties” for good reason. Plus you see things no-one else can, because the only way to reach these places is by boat. I’m not a live-aboard-yacht person (too fond of hot showers, although I can survive with a cold mountain stream to bathe in) but my partner has run boats all over our region and there’s nothing like it.
Wow, thanks for that message, Chakriya! I’m so excited to meet more folks who are approaching it like us. We know they exist! We learned from them in books and YouTube. I’m hoping once we go international we’ll have a bit more luck.
Also, I love a hot shower and I cracked the code on the boat! We have a solar shower bag that we fill up with seawater, lay on deck in the sun, and it gets to 40 degrees C! Then we use shower in the cockpit with soap and a loofa. It’s magical! And thankfully, my skin loves the salt :)
I’m glad I’m not alone! I will now always love Annapolis, because it’s where I started to understand & appreciate my specific quirks as a sailor. I also love DC for the same reason — but more for understanding myself as a human! I used to go to DC for work all the time. I dressed the part and always felt like an alien. But again, it’s where I learned that I’m on a different path than these folks, and that’s beautiful.
So enlightening Cory! You are a true adventurer indeed. I don't think I could do what you're doing but I find it fascinating and am thrilled you're finding your own nomadic journey!
Thanks for reading, Matt! And for the comment. I didn’t think I could do what I was doing either when we started. Before we set sail, I was so nervous about not having a fridge and shower. My husband said it would cost $2000 to fix the fridge, and I said ok we’ll make it work without! Haha. And for the shower, well, we use seawater! But also, it’s just us, so, not as much as you’d think! This adventure has taught me so much about where my needs and norms originated, and it’s not from me — it’s from whatever culture or subculture I’m part of. That’s also one of the truths of traveling: we see that not everyone has the same concepts of comfort and more, and it makes us reflect on our own concepts as well.
Such a great point about learning to examine where our concepts of "needs" vs "comforts" come from! And putting ourselves in situations where we don't have some of the things we think we need makes us realize that they were really comforts in disguise.
Thank you, Michael!! It’s so fascinating, though, how not every sailor is going to be our sort of people in a similar way not everyone from Denver or America would be. I was a bit naive at first, as if we’d have total overlap. I’ve had fellow sailors comment on my Substack and I’m thinking, sorry but your advice is not relevant! And sometimes they stop following me when they realize we’re a bit different. Haha. It was so confusing at first. But I know our tribe is out there, too!
Thank you, Chas!! I’m looking forward to having those experiences and relaying them. Honestly, we’re a bit freaked out about going in the ocean without the refuge of an anchorage for at least 1 day, but it’s also soooo exciting to knock off another first on our list of “Sailing Firsts.” It’s all on the path to being able to go anywhere.
Can’t wait to hear about New York! I love that whole eastern seaboard. I was in Annapolis once, but it was almost thirty years ago now! Yikes! Sounds like you are settling in well to your new life.
Thanks for the comment, Jill! It’s going to feel so satisfying to sail to NYC for a bunch of reasons, and I’m so excited to experience and share them. You’re so right that I’m settling in well to my new life :)
Docking a sailboat in NYC sounds so cool! Just something I would never think about in the city. Seems like Portland ME has a good sailing community if you guys make it that far north!
Thanks for the comment, Steve! Sailing to NYC sounds like such a great way experience it, right?! I’m so excited — including for good pizza. We want to get up to Portland Maine, as well, but we’re not sure how far north we’ll wander. Maybe Newport, Rhode Island. But we’re mostly going north only to avoid hurricane season. And it’s taking longer than we thought at 3-4 miles per hour! So, when we feel we can safely start heading south, we will. We want to leave the U.S. ASAP :)
Thank you Deirdre! I appreciate you reading along. I’m pretty sure that I wouldn’t be able to live with so few things if I was still in my old life. It’s the social pressure — just the normal “fitting in” piece — that made me think I needed so much in the first place. It’s truly amazing to have the opportunity to embrace that nomadic, minimalistic, 1800s-like “camping” life. It really shows what one actually needs. And I’ll keep reporting from the front lines!
I've had that feeling of not fitting in when we hike here and have dinner in South Lake Tahoe.
We're all dusty, sweaty, and scruffy. The people around us are on pretty dates for their summer vacations on the lake.
However, we found our people in Juneau, Alaska. No one there gives a damn about fitting in or looking perfect. We'd finish a long day of muddy hiking and go to a bar in our muddy boots and clothing. Around us would be other people who'd spent the day hiking, fishing, working on the boats or in the mines, etc.
It felt like home, and they feel like my people.
I know you'll find some great people who are living adventurous lives, too. Just being themselves and no pretense.
That sounds like a paradise in Juneau, Larry! I really loved skiing in Lake Tahoe, at Heavenly, but it does give off a wee bit of an elitist vibe. I feel that way in a lot of CA, actually. I grew up in L.A. and never felt quite at home there for that reason. In Portland, Oregon, though! That’s a different story.
I love that that the U.S. seems to have something for everyone. It’s such an interesting place when you actually explore and look for your vibes, people, culture, etc! I gotta get up to Alaska! It’s one of only 3 states I haven’t been to yet!!
I think you'll find more of your kindred spirits in the little ports along the way. That was my favorite way of cruising and exploring, and a lot less expensive ⛵️
I’m hoping you’re right! I was just telling Corey today that the most surprising part about our voyage so far is that we’ve only met a couple likeminded cruisers. But it seems that we’re a couple months behind most folks, and everywhere we go is “offseason” for some reason I don’t quite understand! Thanks for the message of hope, Tania!
Loved this read, as always! I totally relate, I hate how much my environment affects the way I see myself, but it’s something I’ve been conditioned into. I am getting better at brushing it off, but yeah… it still gets to me sometimes. So glad you found some like-minded sailors too! That has to be such a good feeling!
Thank you, Thomas! I’m so glad this resonated. It’s something I’ve always struggled with, and I’ve responded in the past with being a bit of a chameleon. I’ve blamed it on being a middle child, which has made “going with the flow” part of my identity, but I think it’s more simple than that. I just want to be liked. But in this chapter, I’m doing my thing differently, and I’m having some faith that my community will appear. It already has in the sailing community at least once, and heaps on Substack. I encourage all of us who differ from the norm to do the same! The world is a big beautiful place, and there are bound to be many folks who love you EXACTLY the way you are. We just gotta stay true, and stay open to finding them. Thank you again for reading, my friend!
You definitely need to come to the Pacific islands. The sailors here are the dedicated, month-without-showers types - we call them “grotty yachties” for good reason. Plus you see things no-one else can, because the only way to reach these places is by boat. I’m not a live-aboard-yacht person (too fond of hot showers, although I can survive with a cold mountain stream to bathe in) but my partner has run boats all over our region and there’s nothing like it.
Wow, thanks for that message, Chakriya! I’m so excited to meet more folks who are approaching it like us. We know they exist! We learned from them in books and YouTube. I’m hoping once we go international we’ll have a bit more luck.
Also, I love a hot shower and I cracked the code on the boat! We have a solar shower bag that we fill up with seawater, lay on deck in the sun, and it gets to 40 degrees C! Then we use shower in the cockpit with soap and a loofa. It’s magical! And thankfully, my skin loves the salt :)
This is so relatable. Also, I was born and raised in the DC area and Annapolis has that effect on everyone I know. lol
I’m glad I’m not alone! I will now always love Annapolis, because it’s where I started to understand & appreciate my specific quirks as a sailor. I also love DC for the same reason — but more for understanding myself as a human! I used to go to DC for work all the time. I dressed the part and always felt like an alien. But again, it’s where I learned that I’m on a different path than these folks, and that’s beautiful.
Thanks for the comment!!
So enlightening Cory! You are a true adventurer indeed. I don't think I could do what you're doing but I find it fascinating and am thrilled you're finding your own nomadic journey!
Thanks for reading, Matt! And for the comment. I didn’t think I could do what I was doing either when we started. Before we set sail, I was so nervous about not having a fridge and shower. My husband said it would cost $2000 to fix the fridge, and I said ok we’ll make it work without! Haha. And for the shower, well, we use seawater! But also, it’s just us, so, not as much as you’d think! This adventure has taught me so much about where my needs and norms originated, and it’s not from me — it’s from whatever culture or subculture I’m part of. That’s also one of the truths of traveling: we see that not everyone has the same concepts of comfort and more, and it makes us reflect on our own concepts as well.
Such a great point about learning to examine where our concepts of "needs" vs "comforts" come from! And putting ourselves in situations where we don't have some of the things we think we need makes us realize that they were really comforts in disguise.
We loved finding our tribe when we started nomading. I've no doubt you'll find yours as well.
Thank you, Michael!! It’s so fascinating, though, how not every sailor is going to be our sort of people in a similar way not everyone from Denver or America would be. I was a bit naive at first, as if we’d have total overlap. I’ve had fellow sailors comment on my Substack and I’m thinking, sorry but your advice is not relevant! And sometimes they stop following me when they realize we’re a bit different. Haha. It was so confusing at first. But I know our tribe is out there, too!
Great stuff Cory! Really looking forward to reading about your experiences in NYC!
Thank you, Chas!! I’m looking forward to having those experiences and relaying them. Honestly, we’re a bit freaked out about going in the ocean without the refuge of an anchorage for at least 1 day, but it’s also soooo exciting to knock off another first on our list of “Sailing Firsts.” It’s all on the path to being able to go anywhere.
Can’t wait to hear about New York! I love that whole eastern seaboard. I was in Annapolis once, but it was almost thirty years ago now! Yikes! Sounds like you are settling in well to your new life.
Thanks for the comment, Jill! It’s going to feel so satisfying to sail to NYC for a bunch of reasons, and I’m so excited to experience and share them. You’re so right that I’m settling in well to my new life :)
Docking a sailboat in NYC sounds so cool! Just something I would never think about in the city. Seems like Portland ME has a good sailing community if you guys make it that far north!
Thanks for the comment, Steve! Sailing to NYC sounds like such a great way experience it, right?! I’m so excited — including for good pizza. We want to get up to Portland Maine, as well, but we’re not sure how far north we’ll wander. Maybe Newport, Rhode Island. But we’re mostly going north only to avoid hurricane season. And it’s taking longer than we thought at 3-4 miles per hour! So, when we feel we can safely start heading south, we will. We want to leave the U.S. ASAP :)
I've driven that bridge must be so cool to sail under it.
I am in that place of wondering how many comforts I can live without. I so appreciate you sharing the camping-like parts of your journey.
Thank you Deirdre! I appreciate you reading along. I’m pretty sure that I wouldn’t be able to live with so few things if I was still in my old life. It’s the social pressure — just the normal “fitting in” piece — that made me think I needed so much in the first place. It’s truly amazing to have the opportunity to embrace that nomadic, minimalistic, 1800s-like “camping” life. It really shows what one actually needs. And I’ll keep reporting from the front lines!
I've had that feeling of not fitting in when we hike here and have dinner in South Lake Tahoe.
We're all dusty, sweaty, and scruffy. The people around us are on pretty dates for their summer vacations on the lake.
However, we found our people in Juneau, Alaska. No one there gives a damn about fitting in or looking perfect. We'd finish a long day of muddy hiking and go to a bar in our muddy boots and clothing. Around us would be other people who'd spent the day hiking, fishing, working on the boats or in the mines, etc.
It felt like home, and they feel like my people.
I know you'll find some great people who are living adventurous lives, too. Just being themselves and no pretense.
That sounds like a paradise in Juneau, Larry! I really loved skiing in Lake Tahoe, at Heavenly, but it does give off a wee bit of an elitist vibe. I feel that way in a lot of CA, actually. I grew up in L.A. and never felt quite at home there for that reason. In Portland, Oregon, though! That’s a different story.
I love that that the U.S. seems to have something for everyone. It’s such an interesting place when you actually explore and look for your vibes, people, culture, etc! I gotta get up to Alaska! It’s one of only 3 states I haven’t been to yet!!
You guys would love Juneau
I think you'll find more of your kindred spirits in the little ports along the way. That was my favorite way of cruising and exploring, and a lot less expensive ⛵️
I’m hoping you’re right! I was just telling Corey today that the most surprising part about our voyage so far is that we’ve only met a couple likeminded cruisers. But it seems that we’re a couple months behind most folks, and everywhere we go is “offseason” for some reason I don’t quite understand! Thanks for the message of hope, Tania!
Loved this read, as always! I totally relate, I hate how much my environment affects the way I see myself, but it’s something I’ve been conditioned into. I am getting better at brushing it off, but yeah… it still gets to me sometimes. So glad you found some like-minded sailors too! That has to be such a good feeling!
Thank you, Thomas! I’m so glad this resonated. It’s something I’ve always struggled with, and I’ve responded in the past with being a bit of a chameleon. I’ve blamed it on being a middle child, which has made “going with the flow” part of my identity, but I think it’s more simple than that. I just want to be liked. But in this chapter, I’m doing my thing differently, and I’m having some faith that my community will appear. It already has in the sailing community at least once, and heaps on Substack. I encourage all of us who differ from the norm to do the same! The world is a big beautiful place, and there are bound to be many folks who love you EXACTLY the way you are. We just gotta stay true, and stay open to finding them. Thank you again for reading, my friend!
Insightful 🙌 we talk of the same stuff so you are recommended to any one who subscribes to me!!!!👌let’s spread the word of the good
Amazing! Thank you Paolo! I’m so excited and grateful to have met you, too! Thanks for the huge endorsement!