Why we stopped cruising... for now

[Cheechako]

As soon as I started offshore cruising, everyone I knew seemed to expound "he's sailing around the world!" I ignored that and I just did what I wanted as long as I wanted and took a break when I needed. I have no misgivings about it.

[TheThunderbird]

I don't get it
Highly energetic boy!?!? So what!?

Does it mean hectic, or problematic!?

I understand a boat getting too small, inefficient, etc.

The cost of relocating to Sidney were not trivial.

Maybe school was an issue!? At 5 they start it ...

Anyway, life is change, like the sea..

[svseachange]

I submitted the thread ready to answer hard questions as honestly as possible. So here goes.

Originally Posted by TheThunderbird

I don't get it
Highly energetic boy!?!? So what!?

There were others with more kids on board on smaller boats who handled it better than us. Really amazing people who we were in awe of. But our boy needed someone to bounce off all the time and we found that really hard. Maybe if we were younger parents then it would have been easier? Maybe we are just not as tough or as good parents as some?

Originally Posted by TheThunderbird

I understand a boat getting too small, inefficient, etc.

If we had a bigger, faster boat, with more comforts and more money then we probably would have kept cruising longer. For example, a boat with a separate cabin for the boy would have worked much better. If we had a bigger boat we could have recruited an extra crew member to help with the boy and kept on going. Alas, bigger boat usually means more money etc.

Originally Posted by TheThunderbird

The cost of relocating to Sidney were not trivial.

Everything we owned could be checked on a Panama to Sydney flight(s). The wages in Sydney are high and we covered the cost of those flights after working for just one month. It's only take us a year to get our finances in order and be able to afford another respectable little cruiser. Here in Sydney, we feel we have the best chance to save for the next liveaboard. In the meantime we will explore this extraordinary cruising ground on our weekends and holidays.

Originally Posted by TheThunderbird

Maybe school was an issue!? At 5 they start it ...

Absolutely. With all that energy we did not want to try and home-school him on the boat. Our boy is now in a regular school and he loves it. He can't get enough of it. Perhaps all of that time with old folks messing around on boats was good in a way?

[mrlee]

You guys are my absolute heroes...You did it!!! Be happy with life's joys, like your boy, and prepare for the next adventure whenever that will be. You had the spunk to do it once so I think the second time will be easier to do all the way around...God Bless you and the best of luck...

[JPA Cate]

Ya know, mrlee,

The Australian school system will work with parents who want to take their kids cruising. If you guys can spare the time to study up on it, I bet you'd find it doable to cruise and home school, after the school proper has taught your son what it's all about, and the kitty's rebuilt. The teacher(s) he has would probably fill you and your wife in on how to effectively home school him while cruising, if you thought you wanted to give that a go.

I guess what I'm getting at here is that if there is something that teaching you and/or your wife some easily acquired skills would make your lives easier, it would be worth checking out.

Ann

[mrlee]

Ann T Crate...I am on the same page as you. I have been living back in Mexico for the past 9 years and I own a small English school. I have a talent that I can use anywhere South of the US border to make a decent living...hence my desire to head outta here as soon as my boat is totally done...I am looking at a year or so max...and with all the contacts I have acquired over the years I can live in paradise and still be able to make money teaching which I really love. I am hoping that just this once I can have my proverbial cake and eat it too...
Best of luck to you and thanks for the heads up...
You may want to check into teaching ESL...it's fun, easy, and the pay is great for here...There are hundreds of online ESL teaching jobs out there too...$14-18 hr...not too shabby...

[chall]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Ya know, mrlee,

The Australian school system will work with parents who want to take their kids cruising. If you guys can spare the time to study up on it, I bet you'd find it doable to cruise and home school, after the school proper has taught your son what it's all about, and the kitty's rebuilt. The teacher(s) he has would probably fill you and your wife in on how to effectively home school him while cruising, if you thought you wanted to give that a go.

I guess what I'm getting at here is that if there is something that teaching you and/or your wife some easily acquired skills would make your lives easier, it would be worth checking out.

Ann

+1.

Absolutely.

We are Sydney based at the moment and currently looking at the Sydney Distance Education School for our daughter when we get going.

They have worked with cruising families and also families travelling the outback here in Australia.

[oldragbaggers]

Seachange, I applaud you for your successful cruise and also for your decision to start this thread. I don't see that you quit anything but that you are taking a well timed break to accomplish some objective. I have seen on numerous threads over the past few years mention by other cruisers that they have done the same, whether it is to replenish the cruising kitty, deal with a medical situation, or care for an aging parent. People take breaks for all kinds of reasons. Some return to do it again, some change their plans for other reasons. As long as you are moving forward through life in a way that is beneficial to you and makes you happy you haven't "quit" anything, you have just started something new.

I find it impressive that you not only cruised from the Great Lakes to Panama, but then took what you could fit in a suitcase, flew to Sydney and started a new life. Wow.... Do you know how many people would have the brass ones to undertake an adventure like that? On this forum a few, but this is a small group of adventurers. In the larger population not many people would dare to do what you have done, and are doing successfully.

Congratulations on living life well. Whatever is coming next, you will no doubt manage to make an adventure out of it. You are teaching your son by example how to go boldly forward and enjoy life for all it's worth.

[zeehag]

life changes
time changes
needs change
yer rollin with it..is all good.

[Glenn Moore]

I could write a book on how a cruising life has positively affected my families life! We took a seabbatical mid career because the business my wife and I had consumed our family time far too long. While in our early 40's we thought- why not cruise while we have money time and health on our side. Over 20 yrs ago we sold most of our possessions and home schooled our 10 and 12 yr olds while living on board In the Caribbean. While cruising the kids learned more about life in 6 short months (we intended it to be much longer but I'll get to that) than any other period in their lives before or since. They learned about culture, nature, marine life, meeting new people, loneliness, adventure, simplicity in life without materialistic values and accumulation , and much more. The history of how we treated black slaves, how the wars affected the islands are just 2 examples of what our kids and us learned. You can imagine the trauma in our lives when this experience came to an abrupt end due to life threatening health crises in two family members back home that needed our support(my wife had an extensive medical background prior to working in our business) and it was only right to shut down the dream to lend a hand at home.
So as hard as it is to prepare to begin a cruising life and as difficult as it is to "abandon " your dreams, the positive memories and experiences will last a lifetime in spite of it and because of it. I thank God regularly for the relationship that our family has with each other as a result of the opportunity we had. One child became a Wildlife conservationist and the other a missionary in Africa as a result of the life changing experience living on board in a foreign country. All this to say, sir, you will be amazed at what a gift you've given yourself and your family as a result of your experience. Our kids were always respectful, obedient and loving through their developing years and I attribute that in large part to our Cruising life Not all our friends had it so easy in those trying years of parenting). Oh by the way my wife and I could not have grown together and weathered life's storms in marriage as well as we have without this experience! Take another seabbatical when the time is right!!

[fatherchronica]

We came home because one of our daughters became homeless. We ended up buying an old house, but we have not sold Mana yet and think we might have at least one more season in Mexico in our old bones.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by DumnMad

Well done seachange. Life is not finding a rut and getting stuck in it.

+1. Well done! At least you got out there and did it!

I think that financial and family realities place limits on many peoples cruising plans. Many older cruising/expat couples I know curtail their plans due to the arrival of grand children...this is very common. Or, as one other poster here, their kids running into life difficulties. Or...health issues. Anecdotally, those are the big three I see.

[stainless guy]

Sounds like you made the right choice

We have a date set to leave. For spring 2020 we have put it of since my first child was born as we wanted them to have the foundations of education prior to us taking on home schooling, when we leave they will be 8 and 10yrs old

I am happy we waited as I would not have wanted to sour the experience with a very young child as well as increasing net worth to afford the boat that will keep the whole family happy and still have room for friends

We have no expectations of persuing the life of cruising indefinetly, only until the desire to do something different draws us away. At this time I think at least one slow lap around the globe at the minimum