Movin' ON UP

Leaving Florida for anew coastal home.in thegreater-Sout took some time but was well worth the effort.

- Roger Hughes

My wife, Kati, and I are among the million boaters who helped to make Florida the state with more registered boaters than any other in America. We've lived in Orlando for three decades, cruising our 50-foot schooner, Britannia, all around the sailing haven and beyond to the Bahamas. Florida really is a paradise for those of us who love to take to the water. For so many boaters, it can be hard to imagine living anywhere else.

But last year, Kati and I reached a pivotal moment: We needed a fresh start in a new place, even if it meant bidding adieu to all we held dear.

So, we looked to the north. Yes, there were drawbacks to this idea. Venturing north would elongate the return trip to the enchanting Bahamas, a paradise we longed to frequent.

We didn't want the biting chill of winter to necessitate an entire wardrobe overhaul. Nor did we care to wrestle with the tedious task of winterizing our boat's engine and generator each fall. We weren't seeking wholesale change, but instead an adjustment; we still wanted to live in a haven that would allow us to sail Britannia year-round.

A nautical map of the Eastern Seaboard drew our attention to a vast expanse of water on the eastern shores of North Carolina-Pamlico Sound, accompanied by its slightly smaller northern sibling, Albemarle Sound. Intrigued by these alluring destinations, we embarked on town of a weeklong exploration.