Changing Course


While sitting in Jacksonville this past winter we started to discuss whether we wanted to return to land -- at least for part of the year. We decided we did. 

You may ask -- and others already have -- why the shift?  We thoroughly enjoy the liveaboard lifestyle. But winter is a challenging season. Heading south on the ICW to escape the worst of the cold is a great adventure that we have experienced twice. We enjoyed those extended cruises but it doesn't call us every year. 

One year we stayed on the boat until Super Bowl Sunday early in February (brrrr!), then spent two months-plus traveling Florida and bordering states by car. In 2020, just as the pandemic was taking hold, we rented a rowhouse in Baltimore for the chilliest months. All were good options. But at our root we are homeowners. The boat is one home, but it doesn't suit year round. So we decided it was time to have a land option.

On the return trip to Baltimore in late April we docked at York River Yacht Haven, a pretty marina across the river from historic Yorktown, VA, and a short drive from one of our favorite spots ever, Williamsburg. We came to check out the local housing scene -- renting, buying, whatever. We were open.

Within a matter of days we had signed on the dotted line to build a small home in Colonial Heritage, a 55-plus golf community a few miles north of Williamsburg. We meet the age requirement, but golf? Not for us, at least, not yet. But the community itself is beautifully sited with lush landscaping and a clean, serene vibe. And the most appealing aspect for us was that the builder offered a few small cottages on tiny lots amongst the much larger, pricier options. We liked what we saw and took the plunge.

Months later, we are nearing our closing date and can hardly wait to move into our new home. In the meantime we continue to live aboard at York River Yacht Haven, Oasis's new home. We've begun to explore and re-visit our new surroundings by water and land. While we're fairly knowledgeable about Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown from several previous visits, there are many "lesser" sights that we as tourists would have never found. I feel as though we've discovered a treasure trove. That, my friends, deserves another post. For now we'll leave you with a few "house-in-process" photos leading up to moving day. 





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