Ally Mantey on learning to sail in land locked Alberta
I caught up with Ally after hearing her story in Canmore, which was featured in Episode 130 of the Boldly Went Podcast. I thought it was so interesting that she decided that sailing was a lifestyle she wanted to pursue, especially coming from land-locked Alberta. She shares her thoughts about jumping off the corporate ladder, coming to terms with being a dirtbag, and what it takes to embrace adventure as a lifestyle.
If you want to learn more about what it takes to make moves similar to Ally, you'll like our book. Meet Ally Mantey, Sailor
Allyson was once a corporate-chick who realized in her early 30's that the dream to climb the corporate ladder was not for her. Despite growing up on the East-Coast of Canada, she had never sailed before.
At the age of 34 she decided to buy a 26 foot trailorable sailboat, Seaweasel, with her husband Steve. In the 5 years following, they travelled in their boat and in their friends' boats around Alberta, British Columbia, Montana, the Caribbean and Mexico.
They slowly learned the 'ropes' (actually called lines) and began to fall in love with the sport and sense of community that exists around sailing. It was on their 10 day passage down the Baja from San Diego to Cabo that they realized maybe a live-a-board life on a sailboat was the perfect way to travel and live a life filled with off the beaten track adventures.
Realizing you're a dirtbag Thanks so much for opening my eyes to the term 'dirtbag.' I didn't really know how to label ourselves before I met you both! haha.
We realize this life is not for everyone, and living differently than the masses can seem either exhilarating or crazy depending on who you talk to. Steve and I live a pretty low-key life in many ways and aren't out to prove anything by living this unique lifestyle. It is just what excites us, even though it means giving up a lot! (Like time with family and friends.)
We feel very privileged to be able to live a life of adventure and free from the traditional 9-5 jobs that so many people feel enslaved to.
To anyone who considers what we have as *Luck*, I would like to say, "You are wrong. Anyone can live this life, if you choose to. After you make that choice, it is only your own perseverance, determination and hard work that will stand in your way."
Click to get the first chapter free of The Dirtbag's Guide or to buy now! Living the Dirtbag Life A bit more about our current situation...
In January, 2019 we bought our next boat in Sidney BC, a 36 foot NON-trailorable, real ocean worthy boat. Ally sold her house in Canmore and moved aboard for the summer of 2019!
At the time of this interview, Ally admitted that the future felt uncertain. The questions she gets from other people makes that feel even more real! How long will we sail? Will we sail up to Alaska? Will we take the boat to Mexico? Or further? Where will we go in the winter? Will we drive our van to Mexico (this is my vote )
The truth is that we don't know yet. This has been our dream for so long that we haven't had time to plan beyond the next few months. Find out what's been going on by following on You Tube at Sailing the Free Life.
More on sailing Baja Link to Justin & Loree's blog (Ally's sailing companions) including our trip down the Baja:
http://storiesofjustdreamin.blogspot.com/2016/11/san-diego-to-cabo-san-lucas.htmlhttp://storiesofjustdreamin.blogspot.com/2016/11/cabo-san-lucas-to-la-paz.html
Arriving by sailboat in Cabo Are you ready to make adventure your lifestyle and create the life you want? Check out the book we wrote, The Dirtbag's Guide to Life: Eternal Truth of Hiker Trash, Ski Bums, and Vagabonds. It definitely applies to sailors!
Listen to Ally's Baja sailing story in Episode 130 of the Boldly Went Podcast.
While you're here, can you throw a $1+ in the pot to help support this work by joining us on Patreon? Become a Patron!
If you want to learn more about what it takes to make moves similar to Ally, you'll like our book. Meet Ally Mantey, Sailor
Allyson was once a corporate-chick who realized in her early 30's that the dream to climb the corporate ladder was not for her. Despite growing up on the East-Coast of Canada, she had never sailed before.At the age of 34 she decided to buy a 26 foot trailorable sailboat, Seaweasel, with her husband Steve. In the 5 years following, they travelled in their boat and in their friends' boats around Alberta, British Columbia, Montana, the Caribbean and Mexico.
They slowly learned the 'ropes' (actually called lines) and began to fall in love with the sport and sense of community that exists around sailing. It was on their 10 day passage down the Baja from San Diego to Cabo that they realized maybe a live-a-board life on a sailboat was the perfect way to travel and live a life filled with off the beaten track adventures.
Realizing you're a dirtbag Thanks so much for opening my eyes to the term 'dirtbag.' I didn't really know how to label ourselves before I met you both! haha.
We realize this life is not for everyone, and living differently than the masses can seem either exhilarating or crazy depending on who you talk to. Steve and I live a pretty low-key life in many ways and aren't out to prove anything by living this unique lifestyle. It is just what excites us, even though it means giving up a lot! (Like time with family and friends.)
We feel very privileged to be able to live a life of adventure and free from the traditional 9-5 jobs that so many people feel enslaved to.
To anyone who considers what we have as *Luck*, I would like to say, "You are wrong. Anyone can live this life, if you choose to. After you make that choice, it is only your own perseverance, determination and hard work that will stand in your way."
Click to get the first chapter free of The Dirtbag's Guide or to buy now! Living the Dirtbag Life A bit more about our current situation...In January, 2019 we bought our next boat in Sidney BC, a 36 foot NON-trailorable, real ocean worthy boat. Ally sold her house in Canmore and moved aboard for the summer of 2019!
At the time of this interview, Ally admitted that the future felt uncertain. The questions she gets from other people makes that feel even more real! How long will we sail? Will we sail up to Alaska? Will we take the boat to Mexico? Or further? Where will we go in the winter? Will we drive our van to Mexico (this is my vote )
The truth is that we don't know yet. This has been our dream for so long that we haven't had time to plan beyond the next few months. Find out what's been going on by following on You Tube at Sailing the Free Life.
More on sailing Baja Link to Justin & Loree's blog (Ally's sailing companions) including our trip down the Baja:
http://storiesofjustdreamin.blogspot.com/2016/11/san-diego-to-cabo-san-lucas.htmlhttp://storiesofjustdreamin.blogspot.com/2016/11/cabo-san-lucas-to-la-paz.html
Arriving by sailboat in Cabo Are you ready to make adventure your lifestyle and create the life you want? Check out the book we wrote, The Dirtbag's Guide to Life: Eternal Truth of Hiker Trash, Ski Bums, and Vagabonds. It definitely applies to sailors! Listen to Ally's Baja sailing story in Episode 130 of the Boldly Went Podcast.
While you're here, can you throw a $1+ in the pot to help support this work by joining us on Patreon? Become a Patron!
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