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Bill and Laurel CooperA British couple who lived on a yacht for 36 years
Country:
 Great Britain |
Bill and Laurel Cooper – A Journey of 36 Years
Bill and Laurel Cooper, a British couple, embarked on a circumnavigation journey in 1976 that lasted 36 years. During this time, they visited 45 countries and sailed through numerous seas of the world's oceans. They documented their adventures in diaries and notes, read books, marveled at foreign stars, witnessed storms and bad weather. But most importantly, they were together.
Bill and Laurel Cooper sold their house for £48,000, gave away their remaining possessions, bid farewell to their adult children, and bought a yacht to set sail from their native English shores. Little did they know that this journey would only end in 2012, when Bill was 83 years old and Laurel was 82. Upon their return, they celebrated their wedding anniversary on land. Now, Bill and Laurel plan to write a book about their long journey, sharing their adventures. The book will include their experiences of the enchanting Mediterranean nights, sunsets in the Caribbean Sea, flying fish, playful dolphins, lightning strikes, hurricanes, and the mishaps that occurred at sea. They also write about their encounter with an American ship and many other experiences.
Before their journey, Laurel worked as an art teacher, and Bill served in the Royal Navy. They have two children who were 60 and 57 years old in 2012. The couple has no regrets about spending the last 36 years away from the mainland and civilization as it was their conscious choice. Laurel acknowledges, "It was an extraordinary life. We were blissfully happy together, enjoying ourselves." The idea to end their ordinary, routine life and try something new was Bill's. Although Laurel was initially not thrilled about her husband's idea, she agreed and never regretted it.
Laurel insisted on having a well-equipped bathroom and shelves for her books on their yacht. It took some time for the yacht to become a second home for the Coopers. As soon as they set sail and left the shore, they felt an incredible lightness, as if they had completed a great and difficult task. Over time, both Laurel and Bill realized that at sea, they simply enjoyed life together. They were themselves, relished each other's company, and learned to cherish each other more than they did in their previous "normal" life.
Bill grew up with the sea and navigation, coming from a family of fishermen. As a boy, he started helping his father on a fishing trawler. In the first year aboard the yacht, Laurel had to bid farewell to her long hair forever – since then, she always keeps it short. She also had to replace her daily makeup routine with sun cream and lip balm. Dresses and skirts were left behind as they were inconvenient on deck. However, Laurel does not regret becoming a "sailor" – she gained something else, much more valuable.
Bill Cooper says, "It's a very simple life. We always have a practical goal – to go from point A to point B – and there is no stress associated with mortgages, loans, and debts." Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. The Coopers' journey, which lasted for 36 long years, came to a close due to Bill's deteriorating vision. On land, their children and three grandchildren awaited them, proud of their extraordinary grandparents who had lived at sea for almost four decades.
