Covert Castaway Sailing with SV AWEN

Quick update from the airport during our layover in Dallas.

I had to grab the mic tonight and record my husband as he started talking about what it was like for him since it was his last day of work as he fully makes the turn to a full time cruiser. In just two days we leave for France (hopefully) where I will meet our sailboat for this first time. I'll be posting bonus podcasts during the trip to update everyone real time on how our story unfolds. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share a candid journal about what we're learning as we make this lifestyle change to sell our stuff, quit our jobs and sail away on a catamaran.

Just one week left as we countdown the days to 'cast the lines,' though in reality that's really not how it works cruising on a sailboat. We reflect on what it's like being on the threshold of this major life event and dealing with all the last minute things to do before we head to the airport. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share a candid journal about what we're learning as we make this lifestyle change to sell our stuff, quit our jobs and sail away on a catamaran.

Just two weeks to go before we start the sailing adventure and everything has snuck up on us all at once. This week we talk about all the final details for home and for the catamaran as we move into crunchtime. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share a candid journal about what we're learning as we make this lifestyle change to sail away on a catamaran.

We decided to go for it and booked tickets back to France for the end of June to try to take possession of our catamaran. In this episode we catch up on our new departure and sailing plan given the COVID situation and share an update on what is going on with our sailboat. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share a candid journal about what we're learning as we make this lifestyle change.

How do you tell your kids that you are selling all your stuff and planning to go live on a boat and help them through the change curve so you aren’t completely gutted with guilt before you leave. In today’s episode, you’ll hear from them directly about their initial reactions and what concerned them the most all in their own words. And stick around for next week where you will hear from my mom and sister as well. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

I’ve had a couple requests from followers to talk about how we made our decision on our dinghy, or tender. In this week’s podcast we discuss how we made this choice, and how we balanced logic and passion when it came to getting an OC Tender. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

In this week's podcast I share my inspiring conversation with Megan O'Kelly from Sail Clarity. She shares her experiences making multiple transitions to different forms of liveaboard sailing over the course of many years and three sailboats; and shares what it was like leaving her career and finding new adventures. Welcome to Covert Castaway, my undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser on a catamaran. Join me as I share a woman's perspective in my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change from land to ocean living.

During the COVID shut down our boat was boarded by some land pirates who decided to force the sailboat door open, party like rockstars and then made off with a bunch of stuff, but not before using all the heads on dry tanks. In today’s episode we’ll share what happened as our boat was waiting to complete commissioning, how it all is getting resolved and our crash course on marine security systems. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser on a catamaran. Join me as I share my candid journal about what we are learning as we make a lifestyle change from land to ocean living.

Plans change, especially when it comes to sailing, but COVID changes everything. Today we discuss how to continue our boat commissioning and what options we have for maintaining our goal for sailing in 2020 amid the COVID crisis. Neither of us could ever imagine the idea of push our plans out, but now it’s a matter of whether those plans push a few months or a full year. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

This week I have a conversation with Terysa from Sailing Yacht Ruby Rose. Terysa and her partner Nick have been cruising since 2014 in their Southerly 38 monohull, mostly around Europe and the Caribbean Islands. Learn how Terysa and Nick took their idea and made it into a plan, and what it was like to adjust to such a huge lifestyle change as a couple. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

Major changes in just a few short days! In today's podcast we talk about how we dropped everything to get my husband safely home from France where he was busy trying to get our sailboat finished, and how we come to terms with a new set of decisions. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

In today’s podcast I share my conversation with my husband about the initial sailboat commissioning going on in La Rochelle France...while I’m in the US. Just after recording it, the COVID-19 travel ban was announced and I’ll share our own personal dilemma for what comes next. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser and a 47 foot catamaran. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

Finally, there’s a catamaran sighting! This week my husband catches me up on what’s going on at the factory as the sailboat comes out, and what we can expect when we try to shop and commission a boat in France to sail around the world. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

What do you look for when you take possession of a catamaran sailboat? In this week’s podcast, I share the second in a two part series about the sailboat handover checklist and all the things we need to be looking for as the boat exits the factory and gets handed over to the commissioning agent for final work to be completed. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

NEW SEASON. Why? Because it’s time...the boat is ready. After over two years in the making, the real fun is about to begin. In today’s podcast I start the first of a two part series where I sit down with my husband as we go through the handover checklist and all the possible things to look for as we take possession of the boat in just one week!!! Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

I recently had a chance to have a conversation with Sophie, from Ryan and Sophie Sailing - who I just adore. She gives great advice about making the transition to liveaboard sailing, what she learned navigating relationship dynamics on the sailboat and gives her thoughts about how to get the most out of the cruising lifestyle. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

So we were just told that our boat is coming out in just three weeks...WHUT?!? In today’s episode I’ll talk about our full court press to the finish line leading up to ex-factory handover and all the flagging and registration choices we have to now decide on. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

Dear Husband, Darling Hubbie, Dork Head...or any other version of this handy acronym will do. In today's episode, real time relationship dynamics as we continue our transition to life at sea. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

The Schengen Zone. In today's episode I'll share what we are learning about Visa gymnastics, where to go if we need to reset our time, and what this means to planning our first season in the Med. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

Conversation with Emily Johnson about what her first year and a half has been like, what she's learning as she sails with her partner Matt on their Saba 50 catamaran. You can also visit their website at SVSeaOdyssey.com. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

I’m a few days late on this week’s podcast because honestly, I’m completely overwhelmed. Trying to pull all the administrative aspects of this boat plan together is starting to feel like a second job so this is what I want to talk about today. All the administrative hullabaloo and everything that creates stress and needs attention when preparing for this kind of transition. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

Let's get a risk management plan together for sailing...where do we start? We wanted to be prepared for how to anticipate situations and manage them effectively as a team, without the drama which could suck the joy out of any liveaboard experience. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

Amy Alton lessons she learned through her own transition to living on her catamaran Starry Horizons with her husband David. She shares advice and what she would have done differently. You can also visit her blog at OutChasing Stars.com, for additional insight. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

Accidents, heart attacks, sepsis…these are things that terrify me when it comes to living on a boat. In today’s podcast I’ll talk about medical concerns and steps we are taking to be medically ready when we go sailing on a boat full time. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

We are buying a boat that costs as much as a condo and the warranty part of the contract is literally one single page. In today’s podcast I’ll talk about what I learned about warranties, local laws and legal accountability, and what kinds of things to expect to fix that are covered under the warranty the first year. Welcome to Covert Castaway, my undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this liveaboard lifestyle change. Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so you won’t miss an episode. You can also listen anywhere you get your podcasts, on YouTube or stream directly at http://covertcastaway.podbean.com/

When you buy a new boat, it turns out that the broker you use you will be stuck with for a long time. In today’s podcast, I’ll talk about what we looked for in a broker, how we chose ours, and what we learned after the fact. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

Commissioning and deciding about options when buying a new sailboat is not a straightforward process and neither is getting answers to what we set out thinking were pretty easy questions. In today’s podcast I’ll outline our experience with outfitting and commissioning and what we are learning through the process. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

In today's episode I’ll share what I learned from Tracy Edwards MBE, famed British sailor and social activist, after a unique opportunity to spend time with her and also learn about her new project, The Maiden Factor. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

In today's episode I’ll share my first passage experience as offshore crew with 59 North on their Swan 59 Icebear, and what I learned on my first blue water passage. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

In this podcast, I’ll share how a new boat is conceived and born and what I learned that surprised me the most about the manufacturing, delivery and commissioning process. Just like labor and delivery of a new baby, it’s not something you are ever fully prepared for. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

In today’s podcast I'll talk about the changing power dynamics and boat battles that are happening in our relationship as we make the transition from land to boat living. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

Now that we have all of our budget, costs and basic assumptions agreed on, how do we put a financial strategy in place that will enable us to cast off without a ton of economic insecurity? And a bonus, find out one more reason post-its are awesome! This is part two of my podcast series about creating a financial strategy for cruising. If you haven’t read part one yet, this won’t make any sense so start there. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

How are we ever going to be able to afford to quit our jobs to live on a boat? In the first in a two part series I’ll share the six steps we took to create a financial strategy to make our dream real! Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

The more I learn about sailing the more I learn all the ways the ocean is out to get me. In this episode, I’ll share my struggle with fear, and ways I'm trying to harness it to my advantage. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

Just before our move out date, my husband got an idea that would upend everything. I’ll share why I missed moving day, and how I spent Mother’s Day stranded on an island. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

Putting my house on the market was one thing, actually selling it happened while I was driving in my car alone to a Justin Timberlake concert. In this episode, I share what happened to get the house sold and the big mistake I made with my kids during that time. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

It gets real. The decision to sell the house was a highly emotional decision and an has an impact on family who start to understand that the dream is a plan. In this episode, I’ll share the journey of deciding to sell the house and what I learned in the process. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

Before a budget, before having a solid game plan, what did we do? We did exactly the opposite of what we should have done when deciding to commit to transitioning to the cruising lifestyle. In this episode, I’ll share my story about how got our sailing plan kick started and ignored every piece of advice anyone will give you about where to start - never fall in love with the boat. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

How did plans change from being a working mom to wanna be cruiser, with no previous sailing experience? Yes, it had to do with a man, but not in ways you might think. I’ll share my story about how liveaboard sailing went from an idea, to a dream, to a plan. Welcome to Covert Castaway, an undercover diary of making the transition to being a liveaboard sailing cruiser. Join me as I share my candid journal about what I'm learning as I make this lifestyle change.

In this episode I put some context around this channel so you know what you can expect before we dive in. Please start here. Are you dreaming of quitting your job, selling your stuff and sailing around the world as a liveaboard cruiser? Me too! Covert Castaway podcast is a fully candid diary of everything I'm learning to make the transition to life at sea, in all its honest glory. From creating a financial plan, boat buying and construction, secrets of commissioning, emotions of selling the house, the adventure of learning to sail, and telling your friends and family and all the mistakes I’m making along the way. This podcast is anonymous so I can be brutally honest, and keep my job to (you know) pay for the boat. The goal of this podcast is to share my story in case it helps you on your own journey to becoming a liveaboard cruiser.