finding your tribe

Over the years I've gotten used to ignoring the strange looks and off comments about living aboard. I don't try to explain why I feel at home on a boat. I shrug off the stares about raising kids "in SUCH a small space". I don't try to make other people understand anymore why I have the need to wander, why we love being out and about rather than cooped up inside, why seeing new places is in my blood.
But there are others out there like me. I am so grateful for having a tribe as scattered as they may be. We connect, we chat, we plan, we laugh, we dream, we share. I have folks like Laureen from Excellent Adventure and her fabulous family all on a catamaran in California planning the same scheme we are. Why oh why is she on the other coast? And of course Cidnie the current 1st place Dyneema Challenge superstar (you can help her win by clicking here by the way) who is planning to cast off with a baby nearly the same age as Naia and come from Texas out our way next summer to head south when we do. And there's Tucker & Victoria and their adorable kiddos who will be leaving on a trip around the world next month! You can follow their adventures here.

And of course there's the Puzzled gang. Last year they were just another catamaran gawker who wanted to see the boat. We don't mind that, in fact we love it when folks get in touch around boat show and want to get together to talk kids and boats and cruising. But when Wendy and Matt and their three amazing kids (and I DO mean amazing) came aboard it was instant karma. These people "get it". From unschooling to wandering they were oh-so like us, no funny looks, no awkward explanations.

They are land cruising at the moment roaming the country in an RV. And each time we all get together it fuels my fire and reminds me why we're doing all of this.

Laureen and I like to joke that even though we're all in different ports and casting off at different times that we all need to find an island somewhere and live as a little tribe one day. Anchored out with the Puzzled folks I got a taste of why that would be such an awesome thing to realize one day. But not until after we see the world.