Neal and Ruthie Schneider just recently returned from their eight year circumnavigation around the globe on their sailboat, Rutea. The Schneider’s spoke about their journey through the years, life on the boat, and a slew of information about their many, many stops.
Neal and Ruthie, before beginning their cruise, were local business owners. After a competitor gave them an “offer they couldn’t refuse,” they sold their business and decided what better adventure to take than to sail around the globe!
Neal and Ruthie begin by telling us about their love for sailing. They told stories of sailing and homeschooling their children when they were younger and told stories of some heavy weather they encountered in the day.
In 2011, Neal and Ruthie started their journey out of San Diego and began sailing from one location to the next. They spoke about the research that went into planning their route, how they made decisions and how they chose their locations appropriately. They told the story of their adventure and reviewed a variety of the countries and islands that they visited from New Zealand, to South Africa, South America, etc.
In their travels around the globe, Neal and Ruthie experienced a wide range of cultural differences which they tell stories about. They spoke about some of the surprising factors of their trip, like spending an entire year in Thailand before continuing their trip. The Schneider’s told stories of specific instances where they were put out of the normal comfort zone and had to comply with the current countries traditions.
Neal and Ruthie also spoke about the different ways you can cruise, solo or rallies. They covered the time they decided to go with a rally and told the story of their extravagant welcome. Continuing through the episode, Neal and Ruthie explained their route, some of their favorite locations, and scary passages along the way.
After telling more about where Rutea took them around the world and some of their significant and exciting stops, Neal and Ruthie began talking about the emotions of the ride home. “It was just unfathomable to be that we would actually sail around the world… and make it!”
Ruthie talks about the challenges now of keeping a simple lifestyle in a busy world. Neal would like to make way up the coast and cruise again someday. For now, the two will enjoy being back in San Diego and will continue to tell their story to friends, family and strangers alike.