Any early retirees turned cruisers with big careers have regrets?

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

I am concerned when they all turn up on a Friday night/Saturday morning and crowd me in with their 1, 2, 3 million dollar boats and desperately try and relax by making as much noise and as big a scene as possible.
It can't go unnoticed , blue underwater lights apparently equates to happiness.

I laugh and give them a wave when they all pull up anchor on Sunday as they head off back to work to pay off their huge debts, marina berths etc and breathe a sigh of relief as I get the anchorage to myself and normality returns.
Have fun at work.

So I guess I would have to ask if you have so much time on your hands since you seem to be retired and not working and you are out "cruising" why would you go to a place where these folks are going to be showing up?

I'm a working guy but know how to get away from an area that has 1.8 million people in about 3--5 hours and that is sailing away on a Friday by just taking a few hours of vacation and end up anchoring alone with no boats within 5 miles.!

And you can't figure it out when not working at all.......!?

That seems strange or do you just want to have something to complain about........GET OUTTA MY YARD!!!

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by thomm225

So I guess I would have to ask if you have so much time on your hands since you seem to be retired and not working and you are out "cruising" why would you go to a place where these folks are going to be showing up?

I'm a working guy but know how to get away from an area that has 1.8 million people in about 3--5 hours and that is sailing away on a Friday by just taking a few hours of vacation and end up anchoring alone with no boats within 5 miles.!

This thing called weather dictates where we end up - sometimes we cant simply plonk ourselves in the middle of nowhere away from everyone
Today on the other hand, the nearest boats are several miles away.

But once again, you totally miss the point, straight over your head it went.

And you can't figure it out when not working at all.......!?

Sure I can
A few days ago we returned after a 6 mth 2500nm cruise through the Great Barrier Reef and Islands, sometimes didn't see another boat for weeks.

That seems strange or do you just want to have something to complain about........GET OUTTA MY YARD!!!

Now you are clearly struggling
Perhaps you need to take some time off and get out into the world and enjoy life.
Oh that's right, you cant, gotta go to work on Monday leaving the fun, frivolities and empty waterways to us poor people .

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by thomm225

So I guess I would have to ask if you have so much time on your hands since you seem to be retired and not working and you are out "cruising" why would you go to a place where these folks are going to be showing up?

I'm a working guy but know how to get away from an area that has 1.8 million people in about 3--5 hours and that is sailing away on a Friday by just taking a few hours of vacation and end up anchoring alone with no boats within 5 miles.!

And you can't figure it out when not working at all.......!?

That seems strange or do you just want to have something to complain about........GET OUTTA MY YARD!!!

Aww, come on, thomm. You do realize that this chap lives in a different sort of area than you do, one with a similar population locally and with good sailing venues nearby, but nowhere near the gunkholing prospects of the Chessie.

Sounds to me like it is you who can't figure it out and see what his issues are. I've spent a fair amount of time cruising in his area and yep, it is hard to escape the weekend crowds. But weekdays are fine, just as he has reported.

Your kinda parochial viewpoint is showing once again...

Jim

[theDangerz]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Aww, come on, thomm. You do realize that this chap lives in a different sort of area than you do, one with a similar population locally and with good sailing venues nearby, but nowhere near the gunkholing prospects of the Chessie.

Sounds to me like it is you who can't figure it out and see what his issues are. I've spent a fair amount of time cruising in his area and yep, it is hard to escape the weekend crowds. But weekdays are fine, just as he has reported.

Your kinda parochial viewpoint is showing once again...

Jim

Aw c'mon guys... give Thomm a break.

His viewpoints aren't narrow... it's just that he knows more than everybody else about cruising (even though he's never done it, not sure he ever wants to do it, and generally thinks it's a bad idea)...

If you haven't noticed, he's just here to help.

[thomm225]

So again it looks like this area of the lower Chesapeake Bay is a perfect place to sail and/or do some weekend, holiday or vacation cruising.

So that begs the question, why retire early and limit yourself when you can both work and cruise?

I was certainly lucky to have been able to find a job back in my home waters after my last job ended in Florida.

[sailorboy1]

Personally i have now been cruising through the Chesapeake four times. It is very over rated!!!!

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Personally i have now been cruising through the Chesapeake four times. It is very over rated!!!!

Yeah?

I believe you have simply motored South or North in the main channel since you really don't know the area.

Try sailing into Mobjack Bay next trip or over into Onancock for the free anchorage which is 5 miles up the creek. Mobjack Bay has at least 4-5 different rivers to sail up.

https://ataltitudegallery.com/Virgin...k-Creek/thumbs

For those that don't draw too much there's the beautiful Occohannock Creek.

https://ataltitudegallery.com/Virgin...k-Creek/thumbs

Then there's Kiptopeke which is my favorite spot because of the hiking. Then you can check out Cape Charles also.

You are the type to get a slip at a place like the inner city Hampton's public pier which is normal for the beginner cruiser.

After you have actually been cruising for a few years rather than hanging out at a marina you can look forward to learning these type things.

Btw, I'm only talking lower bay. Those up near Annapolis have tons of spots they like up that way but you can learn after you get out of the beginner stage so don't be sad

[sailorboy1]

People who haven't been elsewhere can cry about it all they want, it changes nothing.

Now for some beach cat story I bet.

[theDangerz]

Originally Posted by thomm225

So again it looks like this area of the lower Chesapeake Bay is a perfect place to sail and/or do some weekend, holiday or vacation cruising.

I think it's pretty easy to think of one's home as perfect when they've yet to see and explore new places and things.

Yes, I know you've been up and down the east coast, but hopefully we can both agree without dispute that the world does actually extend beyond that; and the earth isn't flat/doesn't just drop off once you've sailed a few miles offshore of the continental US coast.

Originally Posted by thomm225

So that begs the question, why retire early and limit yourself when you can both work and cruise?

To most of us this question is literally an oxymoron.

Describing early retirement as "limiting" is a stretch; but defining cruising as limiting?
How can the literal act of living on a boat to sailing/exploring distant shores be limiting??

Entire generations have actually looked upon the act of boarding a boat and sailing away as the very icon of what it means to be without limits and free... so it's difficult to imagine how for you it could mean exactly the opposite.


Regardless...
I think the answer to your question (at least for most of the population and certainly for the majority choosing to join a cruisers forum), is that we enjoy at least the idea of exploring further afield and staying long enough to explore at the places we choose.

For most, the very allure of cruising isn't so much based in the boat itself or the technical knowledge of sailing alone, but the ability of that boat to take us into unexplored (at least to us) waters and the lands that lie on the other side.

Most of us would argue that a life well lived lies in having explored in both depth and breadth.
Most of us eventually grow bored exploring the same bay and start to long for something new and different to broaden our horizons, to expand our knowledge and continue the experience/journey.

It's much the same reason that most of us also look forward to retiring (much less striving to do so early) - precisely so that we can spend our time free to do new and exciting things rather than wandering around the same streets and hallways and cubicles for a few more years simply because they've grown comfortable over the years or simply because "we can".

[fxykty]

I guess some posters are confused by the word ‘cruising’. It can in fact mean different things to different people, so perhaps looking at the OP’s original post can help. There they explained that they’re talking about people that have left their land lives (homes and careers) and moved full time aboard a boat. Not explicitly specified was whether that included cruising over oceans and far distant waterways or simply living aboard in a local marina or anchorage, but implicitly did say that they meant travelling far distances (hence the need to leave the boat for several months and fly home).

Day and weekend sailing can be considered cruising, but it lacks the full time divorce from land-based lives that the OP was referring to. So I hope the poster who keeps referring to themselves as cruising in their local area and living in a home and working at a job they enjoy to just accept that’s not what the OP and most other posters are referring to regarding cruising.

Returning to the same places time after time is basically the opposite of live aboard cruising, where the next destination over the horizon continually beckons. You may stay and enjoy an area for a while, such as the Chesapeake, the Hauraki Gulf, the Ionian Coast, etc, but the point is to enjoy, then move on to another area, then another, and so on until you finally have enough.

We are enjoying our land-based cruising lives and the Hauraki Gulf and east coast of the North Island provide a variety of places and people, but now that we’ve set a departure date we can’t wait for our “real” cruising lives to begin. We’ve done enough mini-cruises (3-8 weeks at a time, including ocean passages) that we’re as sure as sure can be that we will continue to love each other and our lives after we depart for full time live aboard and travelling cruising. We’re not expecting any regrets at leaving high-valued careers and exiting the property market.

[Hardhead]

I say, make the best of what you have at hand. If you have the chance and desire, go farther. They're both more alike than they are different overall. This "cruising" definition is like trying to justify why you like black walnut ice cream.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by thomm225

So again it looks like this area of the lower Chesapeake Bay is a perfect place to sail and/or do some weekend, holiday or vacation cruising.

So that begs the question, why retire early and limit yourself when you can both work and cruise?

I was certainly lucky to have been able to find a job back in my home waters after my last job ended in Florida.

How you equate “ retire “ To “ limit yourself “ is beyond me

Most people work through compulsion , ie they largely have to..

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

How you equate “ retire “ To “ limit yourself “ is beyond me

Most people work through compulsion , ie they largely have to..

It's been my experience that retiring isn't good for some people.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by theDangerz

It's much the same reason that most of us also look forward to retiring (much less striving to do so early) - precisely so that we can spend our time free to do new and exciting things rather than wandering around the same streets and hallways and cubicles for a few more years simply because they've grown comfortable over the years or simply because "we can".

Your last post was pretty good except for this last part.

You shouldn't be putting down those folks that simply love their jobs and in your head describe them as "wandering around the same streets and hallways and cubicles for a few more years simply because they've grown comfortable over the years "

Some people simply enjoy being around others every day at work. The 80 year old that just retired would buy doughnuts for the quarterdeck watch every day. (different guy or gal on duty each day)

Sometimes he would buy breakfast for co-workers then give them a hard time the rest of the day. This guy was real character. After he retired, he'd call work 4-5 times per day for the first month.

As far as exploring some enjoy learning (exploring) and getting more computer/cyber certifications. I can't believe the age at which they/we are still able to grasp this much info.

As far as sailing/boating, you are only in your second year maybe going on your third so it's still all new to you. It took me about 5 years after I moved back to the coast (Gulf Coast) to move away from my waterside apartment where my boats were setup and ready to go.

And was lucky that I did move because we started getting the big hurricanes soon after and in 2004 the complex received about 8' of water during the surge into the lower floors

As far as the cruising, I haven't spent enough days on the boat in a row to make a final judgement as to whether it will work for me but I do know one thing and that is that I do enjoy early morning sails coming back to my marina.

I sailed off anchor here as soon as the coffee was ready and sailed out of the river and headed home in a very light breeze and even though it started raining as I was coming in it was very enjoyable..........the boat is on autopilot while I relax and check out the view and finish the coffee (and film)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq1bSb7J8VE

[chris mac]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Yeah?

I believe you have simply motored South or North in the main channel since you really don't know the area.

Try sailing into Mobjack Bay next trip or over into Onancock for the free anchorage which is 5 miles up the creek. Mobjack Bay has at least 4-5 different rivers to sail up.

https://ataltitudegallery.com/Virgin...k-Creek/thumbs

For those that don't draw too much there's the beautiful Occohannock Creek.

https://ataltitudegallery.com/Virgin...k-Creek/thumbs

Then there's Kiptopeke which is my favorite spot because of the hiking. Then you can check out Cape Charles also.

You are the type to get a slip at a place like the inner city Hampton's public pier which is normal for the beginner cruiser.

After you have actually been cruising for a few years rather than hanging out at a marina you can look forward to learning these type things.

Btw, I'm only talking lower bay. Those up near Annapolis have tons of spots they like up that way but you can learn after you get out of the beginner stage so don't be sad

I just spent 2 months aboard in mobjack bay, mostly up by mathews. It was nice
But it doesnt even come close to any part of the bahamas.
Of course I havent seen as much of the Chesapeake as you and I'm sure there are some nice spots. And I havent seen all of the bahamas. And I'm sure there are some bad spots.
But from my point of view there is no comparison