Charlie Smith Trades in Wedding for Dream Sail

Former ITV weather presenter and model New Zealander Charlie Smith, 27, and her fiancé, who goes by the name, Captain, 34, made the choice to sell their house and put their wedding plans on hold to embark on a new life in May to follow their dreams of quitting the rat race to sail round the world – despite having never lived on a boat before and having limited nautical experience.

Leaving behind everything they knew, the thrillseeking couple departed their home in Jersey, Channel Islands and so far have sailed their way round the west of the Mediterranean, France, Spain, Italy, Elba, Corsica, Sardinia and the Balearic Islands.

Before their trip Captain worked as an architectural designer, and along with Smith flipped residential properties around the world.

“We had been pondering further travel for years,” Smith said.

They sold their house to buy their new floating home, a 38.5ft Dufour sailing boat named Silver Paws, and instead of signing straight back onto a new mortgage handed in their notices and left their jobs.

“After years living on building sites the prospect of lugging backpacks around the world sleeping in hostels didn’t seem like the break we wanted.

“The sailing idea was a way to travel but take our ‘nest’ with us.”

Original article by Becky Pemberton, Daily Mail, December 9, 2015.