After Cruising.........?

[Patrol]

Hi all

I have followed numerous blogs of long term cruisers. Many circumnavigate or cruise for a period of years and then return to terrafirma. I would like to know how they find life after cruising for a long period. As much as I look forward to cruising long term, I wonder about what happens after that.

Is it a big let down / anticlimax? Do they return to work, if so how do they find that - things change so rapidly in the workplace, how do they adapt to professions with which they were once very familiar? Many sell their boats - do they miss sailing? Happy to be back with old friends / family? Etc

Cheers

[zeehag]

welcome patrol.

for every bunch of those returning to alleged home, suffering culture shock and life changes, there are those bunches who do not return to where they started and continue to cruise forever, like eleventy seventeen years....they dont have culture shock nor need to lube well a big heavy thing for swallowing....

each soul does this differently, that is why there are so many good hot arguments here on cf...lol

[barnakiel]

I miss nothing.

To me, living on dry land is like cruising: boring.

The sailing part suits me fine. I wish we could sail more.

If you think 'what it will be like after' then you may be over-planning the whole adventure. Why not just go sailing and see what happens?

Scared?

b.

[zeehag]

barnie--ye can sail more--just go to places with WIND!!!!!! there should be some gooooodwind somewhere....

happy sails!

why plan--this life is best without plans.

[boatman61]

I differ from 'b' in that I find 'going back' a bit of a bummer... everyone's got the same moans.. or some one's died... not so much boring.... just kinda caged and depressing...
I love the voyage.. the arrivals an anti-climax...
Don't do 'Culture'... so that just leaves bar's which gets old hat fast and you start hearing repeat tales before long... unless its like Panama with a steady thro' flow of excited adventurer's...
If/when I stop what I'm doing... ??
I'll follow every sailors dream and open a 'Smokers only' Pub/Whorehouse...

[belizesailor]

Went cruising. Came back and attempted re-entry. Did not anticipate how hard that would be...discovered I was not really interested anymore. Left again w plan to not "return"...that was in 2004.

Now split my time between life ashore and cruising, but never did (nor do I plan to) return to my previous life. This is my "normal" life now.

Boredom I think is self-imposed. Just not part of my psychology. With so much to see and do and learn how does one allow themselves to get bored? I get mildy frustrated because there just is not time to do it all, but bored? I see all the cruisers perpetually stuck on bar stools in marinas...some who have not left the same bars and marinas in years...that must be incredibly boring, but it is self-imposed.

[bobconnie]

We have just cruised. Then we bought a bayou place in order to take care of Connies father. We are lucky because we were able to have the best of both worlds! a boat and shoreside property with dockage! In 4 more years we will again be just cruiseing! I can't for the life of me understand folks that are bored! Im always so busy(except fot my online time LOL) working on something either on the boat or the house or the dock that I don't have time to be bored ! But then when we cruised full time I worked at my trade of diesel mechanic/ machinist where ever we stopped! and Connie the RN did the same! when ever the purse got full we were gone again !! Been a good life and would not trade it for anything! But I guess it's not for everyone, but we had no real Bank account when we started LOL just sayin if your bored, ya either don't fix stuff or have way more money then we do LOL

[belizesailor]

Like BobConnie I also have a place ashore (just not in USA...although if I did down on the bayou might be my choice too!)...this makes for a nice mix...some time ashore and some time cruising/traveling.

For me, this is a more interesting and sustainable life style beacause after months aboard the boat I am ready for a boat break...I get tired of working on the damn boat. So...go ashore for a while...brew some beer, do some projects....and then go back for more cruising.

There are many for whom cruising is an event in their lives with a clear start and end date. Often planned that way. But, there are also many cruisers who are part-time cruisers like me. This is for many a more sustainable lifestyle. I think that full time long term (years) cruisers are the minority.

Nothing wrong w any of the lifestyles above. Its just a matter of which one works for you and your situation.

There are also common ways that the cruising lifestyle ends or at least pauses. Like BobConnie, I also returned to care for elderly parents. In my case for about 8 months. Other common causes: grandkids, death, financial...

So in relation to the OP, the cruising lifestyle does not always have a clear or definite end (except for your own death of course). Ive been living outside the USA and cruising since 2004 and dont plan to ever return. My path has changed many times during those years but Im still wandering down it and making up the route as I go.

You can create your own reality...what do you want yours to be?

[zeehag]

i have siblings in residence near my parents in their assisted living place.
momma doesnt need assisted living but dad is failing.
no i am not going back to usa for funerals nor weddings--they all know that.
i hope i die on board doing that which i enjoy. is the best ending one can have.
i am fish food when my time comes.

i continue to have no set plans and flex as i feel necessary. is an awesome life and someone has to do it...might as well be me.

[Kettlewell]

Like others, I don't think there is any single answer to this question. I know folks who went cruising for a few years and found it wasn't for them, sold the boat, and now sound very happy back on land. I know others who go out for awhile, return, go out again, then return. There are some who just keep going, while others maybe find a harbor or two where they like to spend a lot of time. Here on the East Coast there are quite a few snowbirds who go south in the winter and north in the summer, but at either end basically stick to one place that they think of as their "home." Some of these folks cruise 6 months of the year and stay ashore the other six months, leaving their boat someplace secure during hurricane season. I wouldn't over think it or try to make a plan you feel you have to stick to. Try cruising and see what happens. You will find out what works for you.

[Tellie]

Some become CROWS ( Cruisers Retired On Wheels) and take up land yachting. Not a bad transition that usually suits an old sailor well.

[sww914]

The ONLY reason that I want to go back to the old life is so that I can race cars again. It's not worth it.

[mrohr]

Only cruise summers now here in New England,now past retirement age but with 3 daughters in top universities must continue to generate income from my real estate investments and yet still enjoy life on both land and sea. So I'm one of those that do not have a defined beginning and end to my cruising experiences,just various sojourns in boats 10' to 72', no RTW experience , but did manage to sail to Europe , Africa ,the Med and West indies plus some notable ( to me) single-handed cruises spread out over 50 years.
If I were single again without the responsibilities above ,I would be off again alone as I now have a fine well equipped boat ready to go and the financial resources to sustain my modest life style indefinitely.I would much prefer to cruise again with my wife however,but to recapture something resembling our former live aboard life style a larger, less spartan craft,would be required for our (her?) increased comfort needs. So maybe its time to fly to some exotic location and charter while keeping the smaller boat to satisfy my personal wanderlust.
I suppose that my varied experiences have insulated me from believing that salvation and escape are only available by sailing into the sunset ,but maybe its just that now I'm older , if not wiser.
Cheers...Love ya All. Mike

[Cheechako]

Initially the adjustment to land is fairly easy. Then the land starts to seem more and more complicated. Eventually your mind is wandering and only one moment away from those favorite cruising grounds and you wonder how in the world you thought you needed to return to land.... water lapping on the hull, the excitement of "the food run", snorkeling adventures.... just wont leave my consciousness....
Dont get me wrong, I'm fairly happy on land, but my mind is elsewhere....