The American couple sold their house and bought a sailboat to travel around the world

Not long after meeting each other in the 1990s, Charly Oliver and Michelle Denton realized they had the same dream: to live on a sailboat and explore the world.

It took many years for that goal to come true. 10 years ago, the couple decided to sell their house in Boulder, Colorado to buy a sailboat named “Rascal”.

Since then, from November to April every year, they float on the clear blue waters of the Bahamas, watching sunsets and tropical beaches from their floating “winter home” nearly 12.5 meters long. The summer months are spent traveling around the world. To date, Oliver and Denton have visited 36 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.

“The shortest summary of the sailing lifestyle is freedom, being able to work and immerse yourself in nature,” Denton said, expressing happiness at being able to live exactly what he imagined when learning to sail as a child.

As a law student, Denton created a 40-year plan that included living frugally and saving as much as possible for early retirement. When they got married in 2004, Denton shared this plan and Oliver fully supported it.

“For me, retirement is always associated with traveling and doing things I like like climbing mountains, riding motorbikes, and boating,” Oliver said, adding that settling down in one place and not going anywhere was never in his plans.

Life on land sometimes passes too quickly and is boring. They had traveled all over the United States, visiting almost every desired destination, so the prospect of exploring new and difficult-to-reach shores always appealed to both.

After 33 years of saving, they officially retired in 2016, 3 years earlier than expected.

That same year, they made their first ocean voyage from Galveston Bay in Texas, along the Gulf Coast to Florida, and from the Florida Keys to the Bahamas. For the past 10 years, they have spent their winters exploring the more than 700 islands of the Bahamas, such as the Abacos, the Berry Islands (a chain of 30 islands), Conception Island and Mayaguana – the most remote island.

In the summer months, they often leave their boats behind and continue traveling on land. Although life at sea is free, affordable and has a close-knit community, they also face many limitations.

“Life isn’t all sunsets and cocktails,” said Oliver, who worked in industrial safety.

Sailboat maintenance is very difficult, always dependent on the weather, requires careful preparation, and a lot of patience. Any part on the boat breaks down, they have to repair it themselves. The couple experienced many stormy days at sea, including the time they crossed the Gulf Stream in bad weather conditions.

They maintain a minimalist life on the boat. The kitchen has a small oven, and all digital connections are via limited satellite internet. But Oliver and Denton said they like the slow pace of life and don’t miss modern amenities.

The cost of living on a sailboat is also much lower than on land. Although boat insurance costs the same as home insurance, the Rascal is equipped with solar panels, providing all the necessary electricity. They also minimize luxury expenses such as eating out at restaurants.

In 2023, the couple decided to buy a house near the Cascade Mountains in Cle Elum City, Washington State, as a permanent residence on the mainland between trips.

Recently, Olivier and Denton bought a new motor yacht over 10 meters long, helping them become less dependent on the monsoon and able to travel to cooler areas in the northern US and Canada in the summer instead of having to wait until winter. The new boat, called “Motoryacht Rascal”, is smaller and has more limited living space, but can be transported by trailer. They plan to sell the old Rascal.

They look forward to sailing to Desolation Sound and the Gulf Islands in British Columbia, as well as Alaska’s Prince William Sound and the San Juan Islands in Washington state. In the near future, they also plan to visit Maine and Nova Scotia.

Looking back on his past as a lawyer, Denton remembers rarely being able to arrange two weeks of vacation each year, always rushing through vacations, and struggling to schedule dinners with friends because of mismatched schedules.

Over the past 10 years, they have become part of a close-knit community of “boaters”, making lifelong friends who practice yoga on the beach, dance and participate in folk culture festivals. When anchored, they often meet friends, swim or play petanque on the beach.

Denton, now 57 years old, feels this lifestyle helps them preserve their youth. She quoted veteran actor Clint Eastwood’s famous quote: “I don’t let aging enter my mind.”