Boat shopping is a journey - sometimes exhilarating, sometimes exhausting, and occasionally downright stinky. After a long journey, we knew she was home when we stepped aboard.

Leaving one life for another doesn’t happen in a single moment—it happens in the miles between. From stargazing in the Sierras to kite surf crashes, each stop pulled us closer to what lay ahead. And then, finally, there she was—the Salty Saguaro, waiting in the water with promises of adventures.

At first, dreaming was an escape—fuel for the long hours spent fixing, adjusting, and learning. But soon, dreams turned from motivation to mockery. Every project delay, every unexpected repair, every uncooperative weather window felt like another step away from why we bought the boat in the first place. Our dreams felt like they were slipping away.

I had climbed the corporate ladder quickly and was praised for it. I was climbing multi pitches on Yosemite granite with overnight big walls in sight. I was the closest I had ever been with my mother and had overall solid relationships with friends and family. I stayed active and worked out with a trainer multiple times a week. I got my labs done and took supplements accordingly. AND at the end of the day, I was burned out, as so many unfortunate souls are.

We put all the pressure on ourselves to produce perfection. And quick(!) as to not slow the purchase process down. We desired a sense of connection to the name…desert, but make it nautical

…I want to set the stage with a different kind of introduction; by sharing my intentions for this blog…