Sailing with Gidget, Part 2: Lessons, Myths & What Comes Next

Adjusting to the Cruising Lifestyle

How has living aboard changed your lives and relationships — and your mindset?

Living aboard has completely changed our lives — and in some ways, our relationship too. For starters, we now spend pretty much 24/7 together. There’s no “I’ll see you after work” anymore… it’s “I’ll see you in the cockpit in five minutes,” which is about three steps from the galley. 

Our mindset has shifted a lot too. We’ve learned to let go of “stuff” and focus more on experiences. We’re more flexible, because weather doesn’t care about our plans, and we’ve started to enjoy life at a slower pace — morning coffee with a view, sunsets at anchor, and watching Mr. Gidget take in the world like he’s the captain.

The biggest change, though, is that we’ve become more present. Life aboard forces you to pay attention to where you are, and the little moments. It’s a different way of living, and honestly, we wouldn’t trade it for anything.

For the Dreamers

For those dreaming of the cruising life, what practical steps do you recommend?

The first thing we’d recommend is having a plan. For us, that meant a written, multi-year plan with timelines and checklists. Although, we know plenty of people who do their training and are out cruising within a year. 

For someone who’s a bit further along in life, the finances might already be in place, and the focus might be more on training and personal readiness. Either way, you can’t underestimate how big a transition this is.

The real eye-opener for us was going to a boat show. We ended up at the big Annapolis Boat Show in Maryland, which is where we got to meet the Bali team and, eventually, signed the paperwork for our new boat. It’s one thing to look at photos online… it’s another to step onboard and imagine living there. That’s when it starts to feel real.

What are some misconceptions people have about full-time boat life?

One of the biggest misconceptions people have is that we must have a crew. The truth is, it’s just the two of us and we manage just fine. The only time we get outside help is when we’re pulling into or out of a marina, and even then, it’s usually just dockhands giving us a hand with lines.

There’s also this idea that we made the decision on a whim, like we just woke up one day and thought, “Let’s buy a boat!” In reality, this took years of planning and preparation. And then there are those who think we’re only out here for a year before going back to our “real” lives. For us, this isn’t a sabbatical. This is life now.

In fact, now that we’re actually living it, the conversation has shifted from “when” we’ll go back to Canada to “if” we’ll go back at all. 

A Bright Sailing Future

Where has your BALI taken you so far — and where to next?

We picked up our boat in Toulon, France, and spent our first three months exploring Southern France. The French Riviera was even better than we expected — beautiful anchorages, charming coastal towns, and more than a few “is this real life?” moments.

From there, we headed to Spain. The Spanish coast was lovely, but the real highlight was sailing from Port Vell in Barcelona to the Balearic Islands with friends. 

These past couple of months, we’ve been making our way down the western coast of Italy. Chris has family here, which has made the experience extra special.

Longer term, we dream of exploring Northern Europe, then eventually crossing the Atlantic to the Caribbean and South America. But that’s still a few years away — right now, we’re enjoying taking things one incredible coastline at a time. If you want to see the journey unfold in real time, we share it all on our YouTube channel, SailingWithGidget.