Couple Sells Possessions & Buys Sailboat. Sinks 2 Days after Setting Sail
Living with less and living more simply are ideas that have been embraced by people in multiple nations of abundance. Tiny homes are just one example of how people are choosing to spend less money on mortgages and “stuff,” and have more time to enjoy life.
But tiny homes are just one option for the frugally-minded. Some people choose to full-time RV and others look toward the sea for a simpler, more free way of life.
For Nikki Walsh and Tanner Broadwell, the choice was simple. They and their pug Remy would live on a boat and sail the world.
The couple explained to CBS Denver that they spent two years planning, sold almost everything they owned, and bought a 28-foot boat.
A year ago, the couple decided they were tired of working. So they sold all of their possessions and bought a sailboat. But just two days into their “maiden voyage” they sank. https://t.co/lYOy0L8vV6
— Liftable.com (@liftableonline) February 13, 2018
According to the Tampa Bay Times, the Colorado couple bought the boat in Alabama. They got it to Tarpon Springs, Florida, where they lived aboard the “Lagniappe” for months before they set sail for Key West, Florida.
They headed off in the 49-year-old vessel after having been taught by Broadwell’s father, on the journey from Alabama to Tarpon Springs, how to sail. But on just day two of their grand adventure, things took an ugly turn.
Armed with a GPS and paper charts, they felt sure they could successfully navigate the ocean. But they made the mistake of attempting to take their boat through John’s Pass, a risky proposition for even for the most experienced locals because of ever-shifting sandbars.
The Tampa Bay Times wrote that the couple quickly realized something was wrong when they discovered that the buoys and shoals weren’t where they were supposed to be.
When the boat suddenly hit something beneath the waves that rocked and rolled her, Walsh was almost thrown overboard.
Water began to fill the boat and the couple quickly put life jackets on themselves and Remy, also having the presence of mind to call Sea Tow, which is the water version of a roadside assistance company.
Walsh recounted her conversation with them, “My hands are shaking. I know I probably sounded like a crazy person to them. I’m stuttering trying to talk to them.”
She added that their response was frightening news for the couple, “They said they would be there in 40 minutes. I thought ‘That is a long time to spend out here.’”
The trio was rescued and taken safely to land. They had managed to grab a few important documents prior to leaving, but virtually everything they owned was lost and the news got worse.
CBS Denver noted that the couple was responsible for removing and disposing of the sunken vessel, which had not been insured, something that would cost almost $10,000.
Not to be deterred, they quickly went to GoFundMe to ask for help in raising the funds to raise the boat and continue on in living their dream.
Within three days of setting their $10,000 goal, they had exceeded it by thousands and look forward to being able to continue on in their dream.
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