Four Itchy Feet

Every story has a beginning and an end, but the transitions in between sometimes define the outcome. It was time to close out our sailing chapter, and for that, we had to return to Saint Augustine and empty out the storage unit that held the remnants of five years of sailing life. This was as difficult a process as we expected.

Although we plan to have some storage unit somewhere in the United States, it will be small, maybe 5×5 feet, and the bulk of the stuff in Saint Augustine was sailing-related. We are so grateful for our friends Cameron and Sharon. They offered us their home while they were traveling through South America. The home was spacious and comfortable, but more importantly, it offered a large garage where we could spread out our last five years of life.

The first order of business was to take everything out of storage. After spreading it all in the garage, we made five piles. First was donations; these were items that were in good condition and had a useful life for people in need. They included kitchenware, tools, linen, and clothing. The second pile was items that were of interest to the sailing community – this was a good-sized pile! We listed most of the items for sale on Facebook Marketplace and donated the rest to Sailors Exchange, a second-hand shop catering to sailors and boaters.

The third pile was items that were in very good shape and held a personal connection to us. My trusty rope splicer, our Bluetooth communication equipment (used to avoid screaming back and forth), and my reliable Hawaiian Spear, which kept me fed many a day – all those we gave to Cameron, a sailor himself, for his sailing adventures.

Our fourth pile was the “keep” pile, and this was an ongoing negotiation between Barbara and me. The weirdest thing she wants to keep is a cable wiring running tool. Running wires on a boat is the second toughest task, right after toilet plumbing. And we did run lots of wires! Solar panel wires, antenna wires, speaker wires, network wires, radar wires – you get the picture. We finally agreed, as long as she let me keep my pen collection, which I admit is more than necessary.

Our last pile, sadly, was items to discard. This is a difficult one at any point in life. Shirts, pants, and shoes just start getting good when the first couple of holes and stains show up. If we want to commit to this nomadic life, we do have to limit our wardrobe and understand that items serve you for a season and then simply need to be replaced. In addition to closing this last chapter of life, one thing you must consider is to tie up loose ends before departing. We have doctor appointments, dentist appointments, eye doctor appointments, and family affairs that must be dealt with in person. Our plan is to go abroad on January 1st, so we have but a few days to accomplish all these tasks and enjoy Christmas with family before we go.