We are truly happy, you know? Especially since we found each other. Having a significant partner who is driven by the same things you’re driven is priceless. You get inspired and you aim higher, you push further, you sleep better, you laugh a lot more.

Not to say things are always easy, relationships are complex, but once you find them it is so worth it. Because your partner is the best mirror, they look at you with the love you don’t feel for yourself sometimes. They make you whole, they take care of you, they become your best friend in the world.

That is the first blog I ever wrote (in this website) was about relationships. In a life at sea, you not only move away from consumption and fear and closer to nature, you’re also usually either single or in a very close, healthy relationship. You spend 24/7 with your partner and with very little distraction. Things are very real.

At the end of the day, like you said, the only opinion that matters is that of the people looking back at you when you’re brushing your teeth, in our case, there was one person for decades, now there’s two. This is something I also want to inspire people to do. Not only to have less stress, a closer relationship to nature and their own spirit. I also want to inspire people to not be afraid of being alone until they find real love. It’s out there. And it really comes to you when you’re ready.

Thanks so much for your kind words, they are very much appreciated!!

Love,
C.

Alex, you are correct. For those who don’t like this site, the people, or the message, you DO have other options.

Peace, Love and Happiness!

Andy, we would jump on Spray in a heartbeat :)

I don’t get it either. Carla and I are positive people and really enjoy our simple life. If anyone doesn’t like it they can easily unsubscribe or pick fights on facebook.

Peace

Hey Andy! Thanks so much also for taking the time to share your voice. You’re a good writer, love your portrait of the times. It is pretty scary isn’t it? How 1984 certain things have become and how readily people accept the spoon-feeding. But I also feel there’s such an over-abundance of EVERYTHING that it is impossible to catch up, or to define anything anymore. For a few years now I have found myself thinking Tao, or Buddhism, accepting that two realities can coexist, that two or more parties can be right at the same time, that our cut of that reality is so subjective there ain’t much point in arguing. Also, to be honest, I don’t have the time. Life is faster than ever, possibilities expanding at a speed that is crazy, millions of songs recorded everyday, everything online, you just can’t collect records anymore can you? It’s insane. You’ll never hear about every punk or Indie or jazz band out there. It’s just impossible, there are too many. Of everything. It’s so overwhelming that when I wake up every morning I just want to sit on deck looking at the water to see if I catch a passing stingray. And as soon as I’m awake I put my surfboard in the water, dive in, and just lay on top of it with my face in my hands and drift. Until I want to paddle back. You know what I mean? I just can’t discuss politics, or philosophy, anymore. I can tell you about a great book I read, but there are a million other great books I am sure I’d love out there. They just keep on coming!! My wish, my hope, and also my belief is that there are a lot of people like you and I out there. We are growing too. There’s a true understanding of the system from an almost spiritual place, not so intellectual anymore. We can feel the hordes of consumers, we can see them walking into Walmart almost like a cartoon, and then we look the other way and there’s a sunset. And we just watch the sunset. I get tired of thinking about the matrix, it bores me now. There’s so much else going on. A lot of people finding ancient Eastern wisdom, it started like a trend, but it’s kinda sticking, which is fucking great. Babies that are weirdly bright and full of love that I meet everywhere. There’s been an evolutionary leap, I can feel it, a lot of people hear the universe now before they act. It might not be the majority, but we are lots of people, man. Hang in there, it’s all good!

And thanks for you speaking up for us, I really appreciate it too. We did feel a bit attacked there for a minute, we were a bit sad about it. It was nice to read your comment. We’re just regular people of course, we do get hurt and we do like to hear kind words validating what we do. Thanks! Have a lovely day and make this a great year in your life. No fear. DO ALL THOSE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO!!

Capt. Ron,

thanks so much for taking the time to write and soften things. It really means a lot. We are truly driven by love and negativity is hard to handle, especially for me, I get defensive and I hate finding myself in that trip, battling to be right. Being right sucks. It’s much better to converse with someone when both learn things and become better people, when your view is widened, when you can hear the real voice inside the other person, their hopes, their fears, the voice of their experience. When you battle to be right, you hurt each other and nobody gains anything but the feeling that you’ve been petty, unfair and insecure. It really means a lot to me that you’re back here and we are talking. I think most arguments are also based on misunderstandings, and when one asks instead of becoming aggressive then a true conversation starts: If someone just listens and nods, there is no conversation. It’s great to hear words of encouragement but it’s also great for us when someone’s got real questions because that’s when we grow.

It was thanks to your comment, and Mike’s, that Alex and I realized there’s been a change with the launch of The Minimalist Sailor that goes beyond the functioning of the website. Alex is in a different place from where he began, and his old loyal readership who have been reading for many years might find it hard to understand where he’s at if we don’t take the time to explain it in detail. Alex has a lot of comfort now that he didn’t use to have, and it’s the result of years of doing this thing. At first he was a regular guy starting from zero with a lot of dreams and a lot of obstacles. A single guy looking for freedom and adventure. But he will be 50 in a month. And he finally found his Westsail and his Trinka, and his wife, and even a dog!! So this new website has a different concept. Now he’s an experienced sailor that can help others with actual information and experience. And he can help people start from zero because he’s been there, but that’s not where he is now.

And he realized that he had not been that clear as to what he was talking about when he talks about the “matrix” that is why he responded to you now. 90% of our friends and family go to work and live in cities and towns, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Now what we do not like is watching the news and hating who the news tell you to hate. To blindly consume and get in debt for things that make you fat instead of happy. I told him the other day, listen to your readers, we have to see what they mean, they’ve got a point. My brother also mentioned that, we paint a picture that is not realistic if we are not clear. A person who sells his car and buys a sailboat but does not know how to fix anything yet cannot live like you do today, with skills and even sponsors! Of course, that is why we have to be clearer, this helps us make a better website, we have lots of ideas, and I promise you there’ll be plenty more adventures for you to follow from your cozy home! We are both adventurers and by no means are we retiring or settling. We have to get both boats ready, sell one, pay our debts and I promise you, we’ll get out there, meet more native peoples, make more movies and music, travel the world, start a new journey with our random acts of kindness you’ll have a chance to participate in as well, and we’ll keep helping people who are unhappy find healthier ways to live, wherever they live. It’s all about love and freedom, we want to be contagious, we want to connect with you. Don’t ever think your questions and concerns are not welcome. As long as you choose a nice tone, we’re here for you Capt. Ron and it’s great to hear your voice : )

Keep reading and keep talking!

Love,
C.

Today we live in a world crisscrossed by laws, borders, maritime regulations, international and trans-global trade, and a myriad competing tribes of humans that overflow onto land and sea. We live in a time where the resulting interconnectedness and self-organizing, laterally stratifying behavior is only accelerating. Under these conditions it’s impossible to live 100% off the grid. The world simply does not make allowances for someone trying to pay their Visa stamp in coconuts or buy a plane ticket with dried fish. (It’d be funny as hell if someone tried though.) The same is true of chart plotters, Yanmar engines and computer hard drives. Under these conditions, Alex has decided to use the passion of his life to earn himself the money he needs to live. What’s wrong with that? You have to be real petty rip into someone for using the *donate* button instead of some socially accepted avenue that whitewashes the transaction.

As far as rallying against Alex’s dislike of the matrix, well, that argument is just weird. People are born into a system that pays for their schooling, the roads they walk every day, the police that keep them safe, etc, etc… Then you make the argument that since they enjoyed the benefits of said services, pretty much without a choice, now they owe society something. There’s a word for that friends; indentured servitude.

I think if you gave Carla and Alex the choice of sailing Joshua Slocum’s spray, (an awful, awful boat by modern standards,) without borders, constraints or any kind of modern encumbrance, I think they’d jump on it in a second. But unfortunately that is impossible. Too many shipping lanes, petty little tyrant nations with an inflated sense of self importance, and people desperate to just scrape by in a world too full of humans.

The challenge and success of their efforts is the realization of a nomadic and independent lifestyle in a world teeming with interdependence. Frankly, I think that’s worth a few bucks out of my retirement. How about you?

Its not mom & pop shops, organic farmers, and technology that guides us to a cleaner future.

it is control, and the whole point of “the matrix” is most don’t see it.

Thanks Dave! And lovely to hear you enjoy what we do ; )

No worries, instances of true exchange of ideas are always nurturing. When someone is being obnoxious I get bored. But when what I say or so does not seem to be clear to someone, I’m really happy to make good use of that opportunity and explore and share ideas further.

It’s lovely to hear encouragement too! We’re only human. I thank you for that.

Have a lovely New Year!!

Love,

C.