Family ties.

[KellysEye]

We were away six and a half years, I had no problems with family and kept in touch with an occasional call but we also had a Web site updated every three months so people could see what we were up to. Jane's mother hated her going and said I had kidnapped her and was really nasty when Jane called home. Jane flew back for two weeks every year and her mother was fine until the last day when she started to be nasty again. She was still nasty much of the time for three years after we got back in 2010 and it occasionally still comes up. She was banned from visiting us after I threw her out once.

 

[wazza]

We were away six and a half years, I had no problems with family and kept in touch with an occasional call but we also had a Web site updated every three months so people could see what we were up to. Jane's mother hated her going and said I had kidnapped her and was really nasty when Jane called home. Jane flew back for two weeks every year and her mother was fine until the last day when she started to be nasty again. She was still nasty much of the time for three years after we got back in 2010 and it occasionally still comes up. She was banned from visiting us after I threw her out once.

That's real poor showing of her.. Selfish. Each and everyone of us are entitled to live our lives as we see fit.
My parents, when they reached retirement age buggered off to the States for 6 months every year so we didn't see them every year for ages and you know what I said.?!?! Bloody good luck to ya.!
I guess because it's not the usual bog standard life so it should be made illegal to some... Tut tut tut

 

[Garry & June 'Friendship']

We are in the process of doing almost exactly what you would hope to do. Having dreamt of taking the plunge for many years myself, which included years of planning, as of 1st April we will become pretty much long term liveaboards. We are now early 50's and fortunate to have been offered and gratefully accepted early retirement. We too have children who are now in their mid 20's one married and the other soon to be next year. We had one major obstacle which was the fact my wife's elderly Father lives with us in our home in an annexe on the side of our house. We were therefore in a situation where we couldn't leave with him dependant on us, nor we couldn't nor wouldn't hoik him off to an old folks home to permit us to swan off. We found the ideal solution with our daughter. She suggested that she and her husband would rent out their present house...move into our home (at reduced rent) this meant that they made money, we made a small amount in rent, had our home looked after and most importantly someone we knew and trusted to look after my Father in Law.
Anyway this May we will be looking for a suitable weather window to set off from Falmouth across channel and then make our way slowly down to the sun. Spending this year around the Spanish Rias and Algarve. We also hope to come back home for a week or so every 3 or 4 months just to keep up with Doctors/Dentist and any other matters at home. By keeping our house we also avoid the pitfalls of cutting all ties with home. We have no idea how many years we will be doing this but at our age could easily manage 10/15 years if we are lucky enough to keep in good health. That is one of the main reasons for not delaying too long. You never know what lies around the corner and time has a nasty habit of creeping up on you. Even though you are only early 40's it will be amazing how fast that goes and before you know it the opportunity to go and follow your dreams will be here. Following these forums as I have for years now will keep you abreast of developments and fuel your imagination for the years in between.

 

[Tam Lin]

We are in the process of doing almost exactly what you would hope to do. Having dreamt of taking the plunge for many years myself, which included years of planning, as of 1st April we will become pretty much long term liveaboards. We are now early 50's and fortunate to have been offered and gratefully accepted early retirement. We too have children who are now in their mid 20's one married and the other soon to be next year. We had one major obstacle which was the fact my wife's elderly Father lives with us in our home in an annexe on the side of our house. We were therefore in a situation where we couldn't leave with him dependant on us, nor we couldn't nor wouldn't hoik him off to an old folks home to permit us to swan off. We found the ideal solution with our daughter. She suggested that she and her husband would rent out their present house...move into our home (at reduced rent) this meant that they made money, we made a small amount in rent, had our home looked after and most importantly someone we knew and trusted to look after my Father in Law.

Anyway this May we will be looking for a suitable weather window to set off from Falmouth across channel and then make our way slowly down to the sun. Spending this year around the Spanish Rias and Algarve. We also hope to come back home for a week or so every 3 or 4 months just to keep up with Doctors/Dentist and any other matters at home. By keeping our house we also avoid the pitfalls of cutting all ties with home. We have no idea how many years we will be doing this but at our age could easily manage 10/15 years if we are lucky enough to keep in good health. That is one of the main reasons for not delaying too long. You never know what lies around the corner and time has a nasty habit of creeping up on you. Even though you are only early 40's it will be amazing how fast that goes and before you know it the opportunity to go and follow your dreams will be here. Following these forums as I have for years now will keep you abreast of developments and fuel your imagination for the years in between.

Good for you, well done in getting everything sorted out! I hope you have a great time!

 

[[2574]]

Garry & June,

We are doing the same, also early 50's. Down sizing my business commitments at the moment, "finish" next week. Two days left at the desk though. Briefing my team 30 mins from now....

If you see a Nauticat drifting about the West Country over the next four months or so - do come and tap on the hull.

Rob

 

[AndrewB]

We thought we had it sussed, but we under-estimated the pull of the family - ageing parents and new grandchildren meant we re-assessed our priorities and re-set our goals. While having rose coloured glasses when we left, we have changed our plans and are glad we did, and have no regrets. What was planned to be a circumnavigation became an Atlantic (tough) circuit and we are now based somewhere where family can visit easily and we can return to the UK easily as well. Don't regret the decision, but I did under-estimate the family ties - being called on the sat phone by your daughter, when 1,300 miles from the Cape Verdes en-route to the Caribbean, to say you have a grandchild on the way is a most interesting and amazing emotional experience.

I'm moved by your experience. We realised when we took up the voyaging lifestyle that the main cost was not shucking off home and possessions but limiting our contact with our families. We have missed births, weddings, and perhaps most importantly, deaths. Were we right? One thing I do believe, if we were not there to provide care for loved ones, then in turn we have no right to expect it.

P.S. For all that, I have never regretted seizing the opportunity we were presented with. Well, hardly ever.

 

[truscott]

We are 3 months away from setting off. 4 days after my 49th. It's taken 18 years of hard graft to make it happen (although we've both been dreaming of this since our teens (and is one of the reasons we ended up getting together in the first place)). Like the OP, I joined this list way back when for inspiration and edification (a bit of a weird word to use, but it sort of sums up what you can glean from reading these threads. I've learned about water makers, washing machines, solar panels, charging cycles, anchoring, places to go, things to see, how to move money, etc....).

We will be based in the Eastern Med for the foreseeable future. As far as the ties that bind go, our son lives in NZ, and SWMBO's folks live in the UK. Having lived away from our families for so long (we have been living in the Middle East for quite some time now), we find Skype, Facebook and Whatsapp allow us to keep in touch easily (Sometimes it feel like we have better face time with our son now, than we did when he lived at home). Our son will join us this summer, but at 23, he is well aware that the funding for him to join us will have to cease. We hope that he will make the effort to come visit on his own dime, but given at the same age I would often not make the effort to get across town to visit my own folks, it wouldn't surprise us if this doesn't happen for quite a few more years. Sadly by the time I wanted to spend some time with my Mum, she had passed away. I did get to spend a lot of time with my Dad before he died though and I often tell my wife that she should go visit her folks whenever she feels the need. Budget airlines mean that she should be able to visit her folks with relative ease, and we will probably visit together at Christmas at least. As far as I know, we're only here once, so if you feel it is important to visit one's family, you should just do it. I wish I could.

As far as the argument for going now; we are both History buffs and want to be able to hike about a fair bit and visit places that we have read about etc... (we hiked up to Lidia from Wall Bay last trip and are planning to hike up to the ruins above Bozukkale this summer). While we do come across folks in their late 60's and 70's who are doing this, mostly that age bracket seems to remain around the anchorage or marina. Nothing wrong with that, and I'll be happy if that's me at the same age. On the flip side, our respective state pensions are not going to kick in for years, and by the time they do, we won't even be able to buy a Big Mac with what they pay. Maybe by then, I will be working as a greeter at Mc'D's and get free fake food. In the interim we will just have to try and make it work. Also our boat still requires a bit of manual effort, so heading out now whilst we are still relatively fit and healthy seems like a smart call.

From a financial perspective, I am quite sure I will have to stop and work at some point along the way, but that doesn't worry me too much. Ironically even at my age, I am one of the youngest system types in my segment of the IT industry (I work with IBM Mainframes. The system that everyone calls a dinosaur but is still going strong 50 years on!). Also, we have been living on a budget for years, saving and investing to make sure we can fund this, so know that our food costs are not going to be an issue (after the exorbitant rents and fees that we pay to live here, the majority of our earnings are sent off to work for us elsewhere (and along the way, we have done a serious refit on the boat)).

Cruising taxes, insurances, and other "fee's" are likely to be the biggest thieves of our paltry income BUT at least we will be doing it.

So...like many here have said over the years... we're going to cut the ties that bind, cast off and go now (well...in three months).

PT

 

[Koeketiene]

Planning the 'escape' over the long term does provide opportunities if you think it through

+1
Seconded.
Been planning our escape for over a decade now.
One year, nine months and fourteen days to go.

 

[Slow_boat]

We started with six months away, six back to share care of mil.This year we only go six weeks for the same reason. Kids, no problem. Mil major problem.
Three things tie you down. People, property and pets.