Junonaut

In late 2019, I moved from London to Rochester, Kent.  Working remotely gave me the flexibility to relocate.  Moving next to the Medway river I became the proud owner of a 26-foot Westerly Centaur.  I had thought I was going to buy something smaller, as this was my first boat, and intended as a stepping stone towards my eventual goal: a spacious liveaboard.

Buying a boat just before Covid Lockdown: I acquired Juno in February 2020, intending to sail her from Tollesbury, Essex, to the Medway River by the end of March. But lockdown measures took effect just two days before my planned departure, stranding Juno in Essex until June. Then, with the unexpected challenges of furloughs and personal injuries, I had to re-evaluate the timeline for enjoying Juno and when to potentially get a bigger boat.

My enthusiasm waned slightly as progress seemed to stall.

Over the past few years, I’ve intermittently set sail on Juno. True to the nature of older yachts, she has required her fair share of maintenance.  The maintenance I expected and always thought it would be educational.  The Centaur gave me opportunity to experience more fully the setup of a bigger boat.  I think if I was under 6 foot I would quite happily try a stint of living on one, but being just over 6 feet, I find I crunch up a bit.  Anyhow, my career has demanded much of my attention and changing fortunes have been a roller coaster.  So now for me, a change in direction beckons; I won’t be staying local to the Medway for ever.

As 2023 comes to an end, I will be putting Juno on the market.  Early for 2024, I think £4000 will be a fair price for a well-kept 1971 Westerly Centaur.  As boats are lifted out from my club creek, I have a place alongside the creek wall, and this will allow for me to ready Juno for sale.  There will come a time that is right to buy and until then I’ll sail her a little longer with pleasure.  So perhaps a prospective owner will make find the right moment to make an early start for next season and buy Juno ahead of Spring 2024.

This platform was intended to document the maritime adventures of Juno and her crew. Alas, I couldn’t dedicate as much time to it as I’d hoped, and now I know I have to move on.  Rest assured, the spirit of a “Junonaut” will endure.  As one chapter closes, another begins. While I once dreamed of a larger boat, this year brought clarity: I need a more significant change. My career in software development is leading me to the exciting frontier of AI. If I don’t adapt and delve into this evolving domain, I risk obsolescence. So, rather than navigating the UK coast, I’m tempted by the allure of distant shores. I aim to reduce living costs, work part-time, whilst I immerse myself in AI studies.  Perhaps eventually embrace life as a Digital Nomad, journeying on Shanks’s Pony.

And should fortune smile upon me in this new venture, my maritime dream of a bigger boat might just set sail once again.