I bought a sailboat last spring,(and retired last summer), and brought her from St Pete to the Chesapeake solo and now, located on Chesapeake at Inner Harbor, preparing her and my life to depart the US next Fall. I have had to learn a LOT very quickly as a sailboat is almost a tiny town of its own - I make my own water, generate electricity (both 12 and 110V), and treat my own sewage. I had not sailed for 25 years when I bought her, and that boat was 21 ft, not the 45 ft that I have now.
When in Pittsburgh, I am preparing home and rentals for sale/rent, and trying to arrange my life to depart. I have sold almost all my furniture and I am giving away my other possessions that I cannot bring on the boat with me.
I will spend my summer as much as possible on the boat in the Chesapeake, living on anchor. Life on anchor is very simple, with little TV and sporadic internet so reading a lot, and fishing a little, so, in general, my life is becoming very simple, calm, and peaceful very fast. I like to say that my life is small - I go out rarely and to the same places, have a couple great friends, and try to stay focused on the new mission.
I love good classical music, but listen mostly to older pop music (ENYA might be the newest thing on my MP3 player). I have played piano all of my life, and have just given it up as there is no room on the boat for one. Maybe room for a keyboard, though. I even played professionally (a sing-along pizza joint) at one low point in my life.
Am I rich? No, I am not, but I have enough money to live the rest of my life - somewhere other than the US.
Am I wealthy? Yes. I am wealthy with a couple great friends and my wonderful family.
Do I bike? No, but I have a folding boat bike and ride it all the time to shop, etc, when on the boat.
Do I travel? No, but I flew back and forth to Florida 7 or 8 times last year, and certainly will be traveling, just on my boat, and not flying there or on a cruise ship. (My favorite vacation spot from the past is an island in the Turks and Caicos. Less than 200 people living on the island, and a fellow built 8 houses and rents them, on 50 acres. Peace, privacy, and solitude. It inspired me to buy the boat and take the 'house' with me.)
Do I go to concerts? No, but late last summer, I sat in Baltimore and listened to the good ones at Inner Harbor, from my boat or the dock.
Do I camp? No, but living on a boat - even one this big - is a lot like it.
Do I hike? No, but come November, I won't own a car, so guess what.....?
Do I fish? No, but I dragged a hook 1500 miles, and try to keep one wet when I can.
Do I scuba? No, but I have a compressor and regulator on 60' hose on board for extended 'snorkeling' at tropical reefs, and cleaning/checking the bottom of the boat.
I have skydived 5 times on static line back in college, and did a tandem jump as a family weekend a few years ago. I flew airplanes years ago, and even a helicopter a couple times. But I never got a license. I used to hunt - deer, upland birds, dove, turkey, and even bear/boar hunted years ago, alone, in the NC/TN mountains, and had a great time.
I have had a wonderful life, that I look back on as a series of adventures - even the lowest of the many low points - and now, I am starting to live my last adventure. I would love to share all or some of it with a lady/partner who loves me, can teach me things, and learn something new herself.