Since our decision, three months ago, to remain in Southeast Alaska for the next four years, a number of things have happened to me that were not of the result of that decision, but still, I believe, greatly affected by that decision. So much so affected were my manic depression with suicide on my mind by the minute, three separate spinal injuries a decade or more old, the recently settled into and chosen profession of stay at home Dad (the source of a lot of my inner turmoil, degradation and back pain), the natural seasonal depression that comes with winters in Alaska, and the depression experienced by the first anniversary of losing my best friend, that I finally broke down and got myself an antidepressant. The side affects are minimal, but present. Thus far though, it's settled my mind enough to see a future, one I can be a part of, one that isn't exclusive of single life or one without children, or a deeply compromised life filled with all of the unnecessary luxuries I and my family are becoming deeply accustomed to.
We told ourselves four years, binding ourselves to the idea that should we move sooner, we'll grow accustomed to the endless uprooting when we always chased something better, or that we thought was better. It seemed to be moving because things were not perfect where we were. We want to travel, to move, because that's who we are and how we want live.
For the last few weeks I've danced with the idea of a new boat (having recently sold our Pearson 35 Sloop), the future while we're here and what comes after. Finally I struck gold, finding something both Sara (my wife) and I could immediately agree on. It follows my passion, our desire for travel, and a unique way to raise our boys. It adheres to a timeline we already set for ourselves, still allows us to enjoy the upgrades we're doing to our current home, and continue to make the best of our current situation (This isn't to say our current situation is poor, simply not what we envisioned, all the while digging a deeper and deeper rut).
So... Let us live aboard, as we've talked about for years. Sara will begin life as a Travel Nurse. We will home-school our boys, Bodhi and Kavi. Our current crude timeline is as follows:
Spring, 2017 - Purchase Vessel
May, 2017 - Bring vessel to Juneau, AK
Spring, 2018 - Move aboard
Spring, 2019 - Set Sail Southward
Seattle would be our first stop. Currently, we are debating the merits of Sara transferring back to an old job at Harborview Medical Center, remaining in the system for a couple more years addition to her pension, while the boys attend a public school and I either work or go to school. If I go to school, I'd look to attend Seattle Central College's Marine Technology program, or even look to attain my private pilot's license with some commercial certifications utilizing my GI Bill. I look at both as passions and of great use once we get where we're going, with the marine technology skills aiding us all along the way.
Then it's down the US' west coast for who knows how many stops. I guess it all depends on our comfort level as well as job availability for my wife, though I'm not worried about that in the least. San Diego would likely be our last stop in the US before we head toward Panama, it's canal, and the Caribbean. What happens there is still up in the air. There's work for my wife, no matter where we go. So we could settle somewhere like the Virgin Islands for a spell, or we could continue on to Florida, or simply live seasonally, i.e. summers on the east coast and winters in the Gulf.
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