At Home and at Work, Afloat

But satellite technology is more reliable, faster, and cheaper than ever before. We discovered WiFi hotspots in some of the most unlikely anchorages of the South Pacific. We also found Internet cafés and learned about Skype, international roaming plans, local SIM cards, local USB modems, SailMail, all manner of resources to help us stay connected, no matter where we were.

Of course, working, living, and traveling in a small sailboat aren’t without challenges and may not appeal to everyone. Compromises have to be made: I’m not earning as much as I was back in New York, but then again, I’ve chosen to work only a fraction of my old schedule. Our overhead has never been lower. I connect now on my schedule, checking emails in the morning and squeezing in a few hours of work sometime between snorkeling and an afternoon nap in the hammock. I still enjoy being involved with my business, and staying connected while cruising gives me the best of both worlds. I finally found the balance that I was so desperately seeking.

Some cruisers are fortunate enough to unplug and permanently leave their offices far behind. But if you need to work, would like to enjoy just a little more time on your boat, or perhaps even set up a complete floating satellite office wherever you sail, it’s a venture worth exploring, and if it’s set up correctly, it pays huge dividends. I challenge anyone to find a better view from an office window.

So while I may not be accumulating any frequent-flyer miles, and maybe I’ll never help grow the studio into an international conglomerate working from sea, the company can boast of a satellite office in Fiji, and next year we’ll be expanding to Australia. And while, perhaps, I’ll never make the cover of Fortune magazine, it’s safe to say that while working from Dream Time, I’m definitely going places.

If you see us anchored somewhere in the South Pacific, and you just happen to need an ad layout or a new branding campaign, come on over—we’re open for business. Let’s do lunch.

Follow the adventures of Neville and Catherine Hockley on Dream Time at their website.

Learn more about powering up your onboard office from Ed Sherman.