Why are we still in the USVI?

You might have noticed we haven't quite followed through with our >>plan of returning stateside<< to get back to the working world... Because as the old salty saying goes, a sailor's plans are written in the sand at low tide. Things change!

You see, we're rounding out two full years of solid non-income generating sailing aboard Wanderlust, a whole year longer than we'd originally planned, or budgeted for. But, our original "quit date" came and went in a blink of an eye. Time flies when you're having fun, eh? At the 12 month mark, it was clear to Ben and I that our journey wasn't over, and we were going to figure out how to make it work. And we did. The budget got thinner and thinner, and we kept thinking of ways to stretch our dollars and cents just a little further. We couldn't sail forever. It's not that we have a lot of daily expenses, but we do have basics like a phone bill, feeding this dog-horse (>>Meet Ruca<<) we keep on board, attending happy hours (essentials, people), and maintaining an aging 40 year-old boat that is our beloved Wanderlust, AKA Wandy (>>The Boat<<). The unfortunate truth is that cruising and living aboard require money, and money doesn't grow on palm trees... damn, I know. I'm bummed about it too.

We have to start looking for positive cash flow... a J-O-B... the dreaded j-word. Originally the plan was to head back to the states to jump back into our careers, where previously Quinn was an IT consultant and Ben was a fraud auditor. But en route north, we've stalled here in St. John, USVI, our favorite island on the planet, and it seems we've been a bit (ok a lot) dissuaded from our original plan.

What's caused this course alteration, you might ask? Well have ya SEEN it here?

The US Virgins are absolute paradise, with wonderful beaches, diving, sailing conditions, and culture. US citizens can legally work here. There's great nightlife (you may not have known that Ben is a karaoke fiend!), friendly people, and a small-town, slow paced vibe we love. Ben and I got married on Trunk Bay in 2012, and have always visited every chance we got. Plus, Quinn's twin sister, Whitney, and her family live on island and we get to hang out with our sweet'n'spunky island nephews all the time... >>St. John<< has always kind of felt like home.

However, it's become quite clear there's no need for IT consultants or internal auditors here in the VI. So, what about the dreaded j-word?

We're broadening our horizons! Ben's well on his way to earning a US Coast Guard Captain License to hopefully find a job on the water in the thriving charter industry. I've been researching remote work, getting certifications for crewing positions, and considering earning my captain's license as well (although I keep telling Ben my true calling is stay-at-home pup mom.). We're meeting locals, making connections, and brainstorming what our long term futures might look like. It won't look like our old lives with a big house, new cars, and corporate salaries, but that might be ok with us... Life is about having happiness, not things, right?

So could this work? Could this place become our home? We don't know yet, but thousands of people live here, with successful careers, families and live fabulous lives. We're willing to try! Wish us luck!

Thanks for reading,

Ben, Quinn and Ruca

#USVI #lifeaboard