Allan and Nancy are both retired military folks who wanted to travel beyond the confines of the resorts and the canned vacations. A week in paradise was no longer going to be enough, what was enough were the long cold winters, too few daylight hours and the hibernation from living all year round.... [...]e needed a change and we went all in on the obvious solution....quit working for others and start living for ourselves..modestly, and with much less than we had become accustomed to in our previous lives. Change is good Donkey...good place to start.

In late summer of 2009, Nancy and I had the opportunity to visit Newfoundland on the Atlantic east coast quickly followed by a marathon drive around Vancouver Island on the Pacific west coast of Canada. These two trips made us realize that joining the convoys of RV's, campers and cars just wasn't [...]

the sort of adventure we were looking for. On our last day exploring Vancouver Island we drove by a small bay with a few sailboats sitting at anchor, their relaxed occupants totally unconcerned for the poor souls stuck in the chaos of highway traffic just yonder. How delicious would that be, a defining moment that made us realize that freedom to roam would best be done aboard a sailboat. WE NEED A PLAN A 5 year plan was conceived,discussed and repeated repeatedly on the overnight flight back to Halifax, by the next morning we were committed to finding out just how we would become sailors. During that winter and into 2010 we took courses conducted at the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron superbly taught by Mike & Linda Whitehouse, both experienced cruising sailors who not just taught the course, but made you part of it. By 2012 we had completed training to an intermediate CYA cruising standard, bought a Bayfield 36 and set about bringing this weary beautiful sailing vessel into the future and a new chapter in her life about to begin. We have accepted that sailing has a cost but its on our terms, the weathers schedule and where the wind blows...no romantic notions, its a fact that sailboats need favourable winds!