Eh… not really!  But we hear that all. the. time. Let me tell you what our life is like since moving aboard our sailboat, fixing it up for 5 months in San Diego, and sailing down to La Paz Mexico…

Pro: We live on a sailboat in Mexico! I mean come on! It’s sunny, warm, and the water is clear. It’s our dream come true and we’ve worked so hard to get here!

Con:  We don’t live in a house anymore, which means we have no stable ground. This is especially stressful at night. Will our anchor hold? Will another boat drag into us? Will we be rocking and rolling all night long? Will the wind pick up overnight? You never sleep soundly when you live on the sea.

Pro: Sailing the world is an amazing experience for our children! We are teaching them so much about the world’s different cultures, languages, and cuisine! And we are able to spend so much quality time as a family!

Con:  We live in a 54 ft space with our two children… whom we see 24/7. We homeschool them, which is a ton of work and worry. We almost never get time alone without them (or each other for that matter!) Did I mention it’s a 54 ft space?

Pro: Speaking of cuisine and culture, we are able to try so many new delicious foods, and also learn how to shop and cook them ourselves!

Con: Mi Espanol no es muy bueno. (My Spanish is not very good) so it becomes really difficult to order at restaurants, or ask for an item at the supermarket, or even directions to said supermarket. My usual quick errands take half the day due to language barriers and travel. We ride in a dinghy from the boat to a dock, and then walk to the store with no vehicle. Sometimes I miss my car and drive-thrus; and, even more, online ordering!

Pro: We meet amazing people. There’s such a growing community of cruisers and kid boats, all of whom decided to leave their “normal” life and embrace crazy as well, so everyone you meet is like-minded and laidback. The kids have made the best friends, and so have we!

Con: We have to say goodbye a lot. Sometimes our friends’ routes are not the same as ours, and it’s really sad to move on, but this is the lifestyle we all chose for our families.

Some days it really does feel like a vacation. For instance, the day we swam with whale sharks with a boat full of tourists was a trip of a lifetime! But most days, it’s just typical day-to-day life. School, work, cooking, cleaning, and boat projects (all a bit more difficult without an unlimited amount of water, power, and WIFI).

As you see, all of these cons are a trade-off for the pros– For the days that we are able to spend the afternoon snorkeling, paddle-boarding, hiking, and having potlucks on the beach with friends.  

[To hear more about our day-to-day life, be sure to check out our Podcast, “Life off the deep end” available on Apple Podcast (itunes), Google Play, Podbean, Stitcher, and more! Search for us wherever you listen, or click the Podcast tab on our website!]