El Gato Christmas Sunset
I’m happy today.
Not “giddy-happy”, or “Iwanttogooutdancin happy”. Just happy. But my joy is bittersweet. Along with it comes some sorrow. Because today, we released our probably-last link to the liveaboard sailing life.
Today we sold El Gato.
Ten years ago, Jeff and I sold 90% of our worldly possessions, put the rest in storage, and moved aboard our first full-sized sailboat, Kismet. She was a Canadian-built Gozzard, compact at 36-feet, especially with two active dogs, but she was, at the time, all we (thought we) needed. We docked her just outside of Annapolis, Maryland, and from there we headed north, as far as Maine, during the summers, and south to the Bahamas, during the winters.
Sailing Kismet
After a few years, we decided that if we were to continue our sailing life together, we were going to have to upgrade our “house”. After searching for months, we found our dream boat in California, put Kismet up for sale and drove a U-Haul with all our stuff and pups to begin the “Left Coast” life.
We named our new boat, a 44-foot catamaran, El Gato, and pretty immediately moved her to Mexico, where we have lived for the past seven and a half years. We’ve sailed north into the Sea of Cortez and as far south as Zihuatenejo, docking in marinas and living in protected bays at anchor.
El Gato in the Sea of Cortez
Being aboard El Gato brought us up close and personal with all sorts of marine life, from countless sea birds to turtles, dolphins, whales, rays and more. 
Sailfest Boat Parade
The Family
We’ve met wonderful people along the way, and thought that we would eventually sail to different parts of the world on our floating home. But, well, shit happens, and with a cancer diagnosis, treatment and the need for regularly-scheduled follow-up, we agreed it was time to find an agreeable place to plant and set new roots.
The view from our backyard
Friends ask if I’m sad to leave that lifestyle. Yes and no. I’m happy to have cultivated a new life in Michoacan, and sad, well, I think in a way, I am sad for “the dream” of what was to come aboard El Gato. But with her sale comes the opportunity to charter boats in those far-away places that we imagined, as well as experience more land-based adventures without carrying the burden of monthly dockage, maintenance and repair fees.
So it’s all good. We did, we really did, enjoy the experiences of a lifetime, but look forward to so many, many more.
Cheers and thank you, El Gato. Enjoy your new family and Sail On.
Oh Jules, best wishes for great time ahead on land and sea. Thank you for sharing a bit of time on El Gato with me. It was wonderful. Happy trails and wagging dog tails 💖
Glad you had the opportunity to taste the cruising life in the Sea of Cortez!
Oh my darling … a change is gonna come .. exciting … closing chapters, writing a new book.
As we know, nothing is forever ..
All we know is always waiting for us to repeat if need be ..
All we don’t know is waiting for us to live the adventure ..
In this fragile thing we call life , we really only own this very moment.
Let it be your smile 😊
Love you gf ❤️
Love you too, and thankful that the cruising life brought us together.
I’m always going to remember our time on board El Gato! It was one of my best vacations ever to reconnect with you, Julie, and meet Jeff. And the 3-hour cruise was so fun, as was dinner the night before and the Bucerias Art Walk. I had a blast, and I’m glad for this new chapter in your lives.
IT was, indeed, a treat to reconnect, share fun times, and to meet your in’laws, who we remained in contact with.
Made me smile, made me sad. Loved following you everywhere! Keep us on your future adventures.
Thanks, Tracy, new adventures await!
Wow,wow,wow! I sooo understand where you are with this decision. John & I talk often about our 1st opportunity to experience the cruising life on Kismet. Such a fun week and the solidifying moment for us. Sorry we never got to experience el Gato. We look forward to when our paths cross again. Hugs and love to you and Jeff.
Funny how the circle continues, as you and Gary were our real introduction to sailing so many, many years ago. I enjoy following your adventures, keep having good ones!
Thanks for including us in this transition and presenting it so elegantly with your writing and photos. How lucky to have lived that!
Thank you, Lucy!
I know you loved both your sailboats and your sea life!! But sounds like you guys are set! So glad you are happy…that makes me happy!! Love you to the moon and beyond! You will always be my best friend!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Ditto that, Sal! YEs, We are set for whatever new adventures await! LOVE you right back!
I hope you’ll still regale us with your blog, Jules. You have a special gift of writing.
Best wishes always from R and J.
Thanks so much, Jenny. I let slip on the blog for too long, and am encouraged to pick back up! XO
We wish you new and exciting adventures.
Julie and John, Thank you, and I wish the same for you! It was fun catching up in Barra this winter!
Jeff and Jules,
“One door closes” kind of thing. We’re glad we had the pleasure of sharing some of the cruising life with you all! We wish you well when the “other door opens”.
¡Disfruta!
Thanks so much! Enjoy your next adventures, and if you make it down this way, let us know.
What a wonderful and adventurous life you have my Wueen. I have enjoyed every moment of following along😍
My Queen
Jajaja! was wondering what a Wueen was! Thank you so much and I love seeing your Hawaiian life!
Oh wow I learned so much reading this. Life is full of transitions. Mine has never followed a straight path and that’s okay. You have certainly landed in a fabulous and unique spot and it sounds like there is much to be grateful for.
YEs, SOOOO much to be grateful for, and I can never let myself forget that! I look forward to spending time together when you return to this neck of the woods!
So much history. So much love. Cheers to new beginnings.
Thank you, Terri and Jay, and it was an honor getting to know you a little bit. Enjoy all your adventures!
Following your new dreams! You can always change course! While El Gato was fabulous I am sure you are on to another new adventure! And another and another! Nameste!
And another and another, although they are certainly not as “balls to the wall” fast-paced as they once were!
Jules , Jeff, I can imagine those bitter sweet feelings, not an easy decision after those wonderful years aboard. But look at you now, you guys have a beautiful home in a nice, fun Mexican town and new great amigos
The ocean will always welcome you back when you want to go sailing to places of your choice. Un abrazo grande para los dos
We are grateful that the beginning of our cruising life put us right there with you. I also love, love, love seeing your adventures continue to new and exciting destinations!!
“The happiest day was when she’s purchased, and the second happiest day was when she’s sold;” doesn’t necessarily hold true. As you said, mixed emotions.
After 10 years cruising we miss that life a little bit everyday but especially this time of year when we would have provisioned, cleaned, repaired and polished, then finally pushed away from the docks and headed south with a small armada of friends nearby as we trekked nearly 1100 miles south to warmer waters for the winter. The sweet memories are the friends we met along the way and the magical places we sailed.
New adventures await. Congratulations to Jules and Jeff on this next chapter of your life. Looking forward to reading more about the new adventures that undoubtedly await.
Thank you, Denise! You said it perfectly! Happy that our paths crossed on this journey! (And I love seeing your Lily BC pup grow and enrich your lives!
Grateful we had the opportunity to live aboard ElGato for three weeks! It’s a time in our life we remember fondly and chat about often. So happy we connected with you all (doggies included of course) and love keeping up with your continued adventures. We’ll meet again, I’m sure of it! 💕💕💕
Jess and Jim, I can say without a doubt that those three weeks cruising down the coast of Mexico were among the top adventures of my life. So much fun we had together, even during the election. You are always welcome here, or maybe we’ll see you in some exotic locale.
I’ve enjoyed reading about your journey over the years- some of it bumpy but most of it very joyful. On to your next adventure! Mel
I always wondered how people could let their “dream” come to an end – and then it happened to me. We always say we might go back to the sailing life some day but who knows. But it pushed us in a direction I never would have imagined – as I’m sure your sailing adventure did you.
I only regret that we never got to sail on El Gato with you!
So happy for you happiness!
I have enjoyed your words and photos from both land and sea adventures and look forward to more! Enjoy that great view at your beautiful Mexican home!
Thanks so much, Maggie. You enjoy your big adventure, as well!!!
Jeff and Jules, loved your message on moving forward. I had the same feeling after selling Wind Swept, and loved ever minute on the water in Mexico. Great times with you and the beach and playing bocce ball, beers after. So, much fun and Jules your trash talk playing bocce, was epic. Jeff on the dinghy bringing the dogs in, and keeping the dinghy upright. We all miss the good times for good people. Hope to return some day to those beaches in Tenacatita and do it all over. Good life and happy trails
Scott, Thanks for your kind words and bringing back fun memories! We will never forget the adventures, down times, and friends we made on the waters of Mexico! Best to you, as well!