While I flew back to California, Jacob spent a few months working on the boat and earning money. Later that year, he sailed to the Marshall Islands, another grueling 20-day passage. From there, he kept sailing, on to the tiny island nation of Vanuatu. He wandered the islands, communed with chiefs of small villages and drank a ton of Kava. As the hurricane season rolled in, Jacob pulled his boat, Genesis Earthling, out of the water and jumped on a plane back to California.
Jacob returned to his job as a fiber optics engineer in Lake Tahoe, primarily to pay for repairs and upgrades on the boat. He spent just over a year here before flying back to Vanuatu. Genesis Earthling got new sails, new bottom paint and some shining refinished rails. Now back in the water, Jacob and his girlfriend have completed the passage to the Solomon Islands and are cruising around the archipelago, surfing, fishing and diving.
If you have a minute, check out Jacob's website and/or his Facebook page. I'm really proud to know Jacob. I'm constantly inspired by how hard he worked to accomplish this and I think his lifestyle could serve as a model for many of us.