Life After Cruising - Learning to "Adult" Again in the USVI

"There are two terrible things for a man; to not to have fulfilled his dream, and to have fulfilled it." - Bernard Moitessier, >>The Long Way<<

Ben, Ruca and I, aboard our 40 year-old boat Wanderlust, have completed a positively life changing adventure. From absolutely zero experience, over the course of the last two years, we've sailed over 5,000 nautical miles, made landfall in 13 countries/territories, and navigated everything on the spectrum of doldrums to disasters. We've changed, to the very core of who we are as people, for the better, we think. This trip was a catalyst in our lives, a change agent that pivoted the course of our future, from cubicles and mortgages to... err...well... truth be told, the details of what's next for Wanderlust are still undecided.

Here's a little peek into what we've been up to in recent months, trying to find where we belong in "civilized society," and figuring out how to best navigate the transition into "life after cruising."

Coming Down from the Wanderlust High

When our grand sailing adventure came to an end earlier this year, we were a bit lost. Kind of like waking up from a long drinking bender, disoriented and full of questions. Where did the last year and a half go? Did I really spend all of my money? Do I actually own a presentable pair of pants? Wait, what month is it? What are we doing with our LIVES?

Little things seemed so troublesome at first, like setting an alarm, having meetings, brushing our hair, and running errands. I can't tell you how many times we've gotten to shore to do something important and realized we forgot our shoes... again. Going back to the "real world" felt a bit like land sickness; when you've been at sea too long and your brain can't remember how to walk on solid ground.

We're coming down from an 18 month travel-induced inebriation, full of stress free days and new experiences... and the withdrawals are tough. Our hearts want to be roaming sea gypsies forever, screaming at us to up anchor and move out to a new anchorage, where our only worry is where best to drop the hook. But our brains know it's time to chill, take a breather, and recoup for a while.

For now, we've decided on St. Thomas as our new home, and we'll continue live aboard Wanderlust in the lovely US Virgin Islands while we re-join the workforce. It helps that there's a white sand beach is just around almost every corner. When the real world starts to feel monotonous, we jump in the dinghy, zip on over to the beach, and go for a hike or take a swim. There's nothing like the great vastness of the sea to put our menial dilemmas back into perspective, and we remember how lucky we are to be here.

Refilling the Piggy Bank

Generating a positive cash flow has been our focus the last few months on Wanderlust, which sounds as fulfilling as a faceful of sand. But we're approaching the j-word with a newfound clarity.

This adventure has given us time to reflect on what is, and what isn't, acceptable in our careers. We've learned to put importance on happiness, not just on the bank balance. On one hand, of course we need to make money, but on the other hand, we can't imagine putting our souls through the dread of the corporate grind again. Our goal is to find jobs that bring us joy and generate income.

Ben's decided, for now at least, that going back to his old career as an internal auditor doesn't feel right (mostly because it might require cutting his beard and putting on shoes). He's going to pursue his passion of working on boats in the booming charter industry, sailing every day on the turquoise waters of the Virgin Islands. He's earned a USCG 6-pack Captain's License, and has been working on a >>classic 1920's sailboat<< out of Cruz Bay, St. John. The truth is, he's a really, really good captain, and he LOVES going into work each day. Isn't that the type of career we all dream about?

Me on the other hand, I've decided to give my old career, as a IT consultant for hospitals and clinics, another shot. I'm working as an independent contractor, mostly remote from our boat in Red Hook harbor in St. Thomas, but traveling here and there for clients. There's a whole slew of unique quirks that come with working from a sailboat bobbing in the ocean (ie, island power outages which lead to wifi outages, seagull squawks interrupting your conference call, seawater corrosion in your laptop, etc), but helping clients again has been super rewarding. It's still hard work, but I'm rediscovering my passion for helping people, and feel a lot of self-value in using my professional skills. It's a win-win.

Thinking About the Future

Do we want to live aboard forever? Will Wanderlust be our forever boat? Do we want to start a family? Do we want to start a business? Where will we be in ten years? Where will we be NEXT year?! These are all questions we ask ourselves daily, and the honest truth is, WE HAVE NO IDEA.

Ben and I are having conversations, brainstorming ideas, and really wiping the slate clean for any pre-existing expectations for our lives and careers. All we know for certain is we can't go back to the way we were before, back to the rat race of mortgages and debt and the dread of going to work each day. We know there's something else out there for us, we just don't know what!

Enjoying the Present

We're trying to map out the future, and make some sort of rough plan, but if there's one thing cruising has taught us, it's to embrace flexibility, and to be present in the NOW. The truth is we're not in a hurry to get to the next objective. That doesn't mean we don't work hard towards our goals, but we want to enjoy each day as it comes, and have confidence that things will unfold, as they're meant to... like how flowers aren't in a hurry to bloom. They just do, and always right on time.

This grand, glorious life only moves in one direction - forward, and only one day at a time. Where's the rush?

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We hope you'll continue to follow our journey as we meander this ever-developing life of jobs, shoes, and new opportunities... all on island time.

Thanks for Reading,

Ben, Quinn and Ruca