While still engaged in day-to-day business of earning a living we would often dream about shedding the toils of everyday life and sailing off to distant lands. Over time these dreams became plans that evolved into life altering decisions. In 1989 we began the process of purchasing a boat. On 6 April 1990 in Hampton, Virginia, we took possession of CALLISTO, but in retrospect it was Callisto who took possession of us. This began the four year process of transitioning from a working life to a live-aboard cruising life. The live-aboard part started in the beginning. Once we had our dream in hand we never left her to live ashore again. The cruising part started when Jane retired in 1994 and Callisto sailed out from St. Katherine Dock in London’s East End the last time. In the intervening years we lived at the Gangplank Marina in Washington, DC until Walt retired in May 1992. In June of that year Walt and three friends, Rick Lundy, Marty Roberts, and Larry Welborn sailed Callisto to London where Jane was taking command in her final posting. St. Katherine Dock became our home for the next two years. On 2 August 1994 Callisto crossed the sill of lock into the River Thames and on to adventure.
Ok, so what does it mean to be a live-a-board cruiser? There are as many answers to that question as there are people doing it and our answer has evolved over time. Basically, we live aboard our boat full time and cruise some time. There are people who have a hard time coming to grips with the concept of living on a boat. A frequently asked question is “What do you do all day?” Well, the truth of the matter is that we do pretty much what other retired folks do. We cook, wash dishes, clean, go shopping, read books, and travel. Sometimes we travel in our boat, sometimes by car, train and plane. Like a lot of retired people we have made travel our hobby, all be it our secondary hobby. About the only thing we do on a regular basis that is different from other retirees is boat maintenance and that would have to be classified as our primary hobby. As a fellow boater put it; -- cruising is in reality a case of doing boat maintenance in exotic places. Being live-a-boards gives us the opportunity to live in various interesting places while we plan our next travel adventure.