Retire-VA 2021 - 45

WRITTEN BY DAN SMITH

Retiring into the Sunset
The Wemmers knew all along they'd sail away in retirement, but they didn't count on COVID-19.

HEN TIM AND

"We took off last October

GAIL WEMMER hit

[2019] with a goal of reaching

the retirement button

the [Florida] Keys and then

three years ago, the next step was clear as

sailing to the Bahamas,"

a Social Security check: get on the sailboat,

says Tim, "but then COVID-

unfurl the sails and let the wind do the rest.

19 hit and we had to winter

The Wemmers met at Ohio State

in the Keys. We wanted to

University when he was teaching sailing

go up to Maine for some

and she was a student. It was magic at

work on the boat and then

first wave.

circumnavigate" the globe.

They spent most of their working years
in Roanoke and at Smith Mountain Lake,
she as a nurse, he a claims adjustor,
sailing as often as time allowed.

But that didn't happen for obvious
reasons.
They discovered they dared not visit
foreign countries and even some American

"The goal throughout our marriage,"

ports didn't want them docking. A lot of

says Gail, "has always been to live aboard

the services in the ports that did allow

a sailboat."

them to drop anchor were not available.

That reached fruition with their 40-foot
Pacific Seacraft, which essentially has two

ABOVE:
Gail and Tim Wemmer:
"Our lives depend on
each other and the team
effort that is necessary."

"Laundry was an issue," says Gail.
They couldn't use some bathrooms (a

bedrooms, a galley, a bathroom, a living

nice shower is a big deal when you've been

area and a 50-horsepower backup inboard

at sea for days), swimming pools or some

motor.

restaurants and getting groceries back to

RETIRE-VA 2021 / Retire-VA.com / 45

Retire-VA 2021