[capecodda]

I have friends that continued into their 70's full time cruising, made it nearly fully around the whole blue ball. They have a different personality than we do, they just love it. They tried to come ashore, and couldn't take it, left again.

We find living on hard near the water and having a boat to be the ideal combination. Daysailing, fishing, and comfortable shore living. Shore living includes being part of a community, doing other things, volunteering in retirement, etc. And with age, comes increasing value on comfort like letting the shower just run, a big bed, a big laundry room, and a trip to the store that doesn't involve a dingy.

Everyone is different. I remember meeting you in Hadley's Harbor when you started out on this voyage in and wishing you well. I think you've lived the life and made it happen. No one can decide what's best for you next. All I know is do what makes you truly happy. Don't dwell to long in a major compromise. And as a wise friend once said, you may run out of money, but for sure, all of us, eventually run out of time. Figure out the life you want to live and live it.

Best of luck!

 

[capecodda]

On the internet in general, and on a sailing site in particular, it's not surprising that, life is portrayed in neat categories. Cruising is continually sunny and adventurous. Living on dirt must be driven by fear of adventure and not living a full life, slave to your job. Truth is cruising is sometimes rainy, stormy, when your stuck on board and the anchor is slipping. Truth is some jobs can be fulfilling, important to society, exciting, and adventurous but at other times tedious and aggravating and mind numbing.

I found after a long time on the planet, both on the dirt and the water, that real life both on the dirt on and the water is someplace in-between. Not that I don't enjoy reading the posts here, I've been here for many years, but it's not a contest to see who's lifestyle is the best for everyone for all their lives. It's what's best for you now, and sometimes when we "protest too much" I wonder if we are being truthful with ourselves.

It's a real thing about long term cruising. Every once in a while someone decides to stop. Good on them for going. Good on them for deciding to do something else. It's not uncommon, or right or wrong. YMMV. In fact, everyone's mileage is different. We are generally very lucky people, to find ourselves confronted with a choice of how best to live our lives.

 

[capecodda]

We are on boats. Many of us own boats or have the time and means to use them. We are living the dream. But for various reasons today we cannot freely go wherever we want whenever we want without following some additional rules. That's the existential crisis? IMHO it's going to be hard get a lot of people out holding signs saying "covid rules unfair to cruisers on yachts."

I think the real discussion here is when should a cruiser decide to move on hard? When have we really changed our priorities and when is it just a bad few days? I'm willing to bet there isn't a single person who cruised long term that didn't have a day when the head plugged, the generator wouldn't start, the fridge stopped working, and the main halyard chaffed through that said, I've had enough. But have you had enough, or is it just a rough patch?

That's how this thread started. A worthy discussion associated with sailing and cruising.