Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rebecca & Paul Leser. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rebecca & Paul, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

We’ve owned sailboats for 11 years now and have always enjoyed taking our boat out for an afternoon in the sun on the Chesapeake Bay. In 2018, we chartered a sailboat for the first time in the beautiful British Virgin Islands and spent a week living aboard as we island hopped from one tropical beach to the next. It was on that vacation that we first dreamed of the idea of living on a sailboat. We then spent the next 2 years wavering on the idea, not because we didn’t think it would be an amazing way to live, but because we knew we had a lot to lose if we didn’t like the lifestyle. We owned a canal front home in Virginia, where we kept our 33 foot sailboat tied up to the dock in our backyard. At the start of the pandemic in 2020, we began to reevaluate what really mattered to us, and owning a 2,100 square foot home that we only used a fraction of didn’t make sense to us. We had just finished renovating our home, and while it was gorgeous, we had new dreams. The weekend we listed our home, we received multiple offers, so we proceeded with looking at sailboats that would be suitable to us to live on. That’s when we found Mystic Hearts, our Beneteau 473. The sale of our home and closing on our boat went smoothly, and now 2.5 years later, we’re still living aboard. Our life is very different now than before. We had to downsize and sell many of our possessions, but we also gained freedom. The ability to move our home up and down the U.S. East Coast has opened new opportunities and renewed our love of travel and adventure. We live full-time on the boat and cruise 5-6 months a year. It was a huge risk to take a leap of faith and sell our home and step into the unknown, but now I can’t imagine life any other way.

Rebecca & Paul, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

We got into sailing because of our love for the sea. It wasn’t until we started living aboard in 2020 that we started really telling our story to others. We began documenting our travels to places like Key West and Nantucket on our social media accounts, sharing photos, videos, and content that will hopefully inspire others to take a leap of faith and follow their dreams. Last year, we launched our website and blog, where we go into greater detail about our travels and provide helpful information. A lot of people think that if you want to go cruising, you have to save up a ton of money, sell everything you own, quit your job, and then you can take off for the Caribbean for a short sabbatical. We’ve proven that you can live the cruising life while working remote jobs and still have the same adventures. Paul has had the same job as an engineer for over a decade and I’m self-employed as a political campaign consultant, so it can be done if you’re willing to work for it and sometimes think outside of the box of what’s traditional for work. The most rewarding thing that has happened to us is hearing from aspiring and fellow sailors tell us that we’re part of the reason they decided to pursue their dreams. Life is too short. Choose adventure always.

How did you build your audience on social media?

When we started our Sailing Mystic Hearts Instagram account, we only had a few hundred followers. We now have close to 9,000. I believe we’ve been successful and have been able to grow because we strive to create content that inspires others and we tell our story in an authentic way, including the good, the bad, and the ugly parts about living aboard. We’ve also made it a point to engage with our audience and share information we’ve learned, which we hope they find valuable.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

As sailors, we are accustomed to doing extensive planning before undertaking any passage. We’re checking the weather, wind, sea state, provisioning the boat with food and supplies, and performing engine maintenance. It’s a lot of work to get a boat ready to head out and cruise for a few months. As much as we plan, there are often unexpected challenges that arise. The weather could shift and be potentially dangerous, requiring us to hunker down in a new anchorage or not travel because it wouldn’t be wise to. While preparation is always important, we’ve had to learn that flexibility is just as important. You can be prepared to leave, but also know that you shouldn’t leave and have to wait.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://svmystichearts.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sv_mystichearts/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SVMysticHearts/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@svmystichearts
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@sv_mystichearts

Image Credits
Rebecca Leser