Welcome to 2020!

How crazy was 2019?!  For us at least, it was one for the record books. From Grenada, up the eastern Caribbean chain, all the way back to the Bahamas. Whew. The end of the 2019 cruising season had us hitting 10,000 nautical miles. Finishing up with a crazy, down-wind sailing adventure with so many options and so many decisions. (Who knew down-winding was SO much better than bashing to the east 😂)

So what exactly happened and where did we land? Well, let me finally tell you our plans: for now at least – as they say ad nauseam; our plans are always written in the sand at low tide…

Luna Sea

We were lounging in the Bahamas one day, enjoying our cockpit views and started talking about this glorious life we’ve created. I remember chatting about how excited we were to land back in the Bahamas after spending over a year cruising the Eastern Caribbean. Sailing in the Bahamas is such a joy after all of the work getting to and from Grenada. And while I wouldn’t change our experiences for the world, it was nice to just relax while surrounded by the crystal blue waters and white sandy beaches. We will definitely head back to the Caribbean in our next boat, but other than a steep weather learning curve, it’s hard to find easier cruising than in the Bahamas.

Our cockpit chat eventually turned to how much we love our boat and the adventures she has shown us. But as we sat there reminiscing, we were also eyeballing all of the kite board gear, paddle boards and other toys we kept stashed all over the place. We were officially a couple of cruising hillbillies… Maybe it’s time to find a bigger boat.

And just like that we decided – it’s time for a Catamaran!

And the Universe Says: Sure – why not?!

As soon as we decided to make the move, everything just fell into place. I mean EVERYTHING.

Weather windows opened up to get us safely back to the States. I posted a For Sale listing before we landed, knowing it would take months to sell. 3 weeks later, just after making it back to Savannah, GA, we had an almost full price offer. The same week we received our offer, while scrambling to decide where to live once the boat was delivered to Florida, we found out a friend needed to sell his house.

Debt-Free Life

We were able to take the boat money (and some savings) and purchase the house for cash. If you’ve followed us for long, you know we’re thrifty (feel free to search our Budget posts for more info!) Staying on budget while cruising full time for 3 years meant we could avoid going into debt, while sorting out how to make the money for Luna Sea 2. (Which is just going to be Lunasea, fyi)

By purchasing a home that needed repairs, in a highly desirable neighborhood, we stand to make a pretty tidy profit. And that profit will likely be rolled into a cash offer for a catamaran. Offering cash not only keeps us debt-free, but gives us more bargaining power, and likely a lower overall purchase price.

Right Now. This Very Minute.

We are on I-95 North – heading back toward Savannah after leaving the Miami Boat Show. While we didn’t find our catamaran yet (we will definitely buy used), we DID find some great products and information for our current adventures. (Hello Lifepo battery bank! Posts to come)

Until we find “Our” catamaran, we’ll be enjoying Land Adventures in our tiny RV, Lolo. Because we’re about to sell that house and again need a place to live. There’s also a TON of this country (and Canada and Mexico) that we want to see. And that’s just plain easier by land.

Welcome to the life of nomads.

And now – let me introduce our newest family member! Lolo, a 1999 Rialta

We brought Lolo home a couple of weeks ago, and are already madly in love. She’s a 1999 Winnebago Rialta QD – built on a Volkswagen Eurovan base and finished out by Winnebago. So she’s a hearty girl, full of great design elements. Light years ahead of Creepy Van – she has an actual galley, with a two burner propane stove, sink and propane/AC/DC fridge. There’s also a microwave, but I am not a fan of those – so that space will become something new and improved.

And get this – Lolo has a toilet and SHOWER. If you remember our Hurricane Season Vancapades in 2017, you know I was not a fan of traveling sans toilet and shower. And wait until you see the genius slide out shower design and fold down sink. Very space conscious, yet fully functional. I am pretty stoked. (Video tour coming soon!)

Because Lolo is a 1999 RV, she needs a good overhaul – both cosmetically and systems-wise. So stay tuned for posts and videos on our remodel. Before you know it we’ll hit the road to see what trouble we can find!

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