For the past four years, Riley Whitelum and Elayna Carausu have been sailing the world and documenting their travels on their YouTube channel, Sailing La Vagabonde. The pair met on the Greek island of Ios while Whitelum was sailing a monohull single-handedly and Carausu was playing live music.
For the past four years, Riley Whitelum and Elayna Carausu have been sailing the world and documenting their travels on their YouTube channel, Sailing La Vagabonde. The pair met on the Greek island of Ios while Whitelum was sailing a monohull single-handedly and Carausu was playing live music.
Sailing La Vagabonde
A month after meeting Whitelum, and accompanying him on a couple of day sails, Carausu quit her job and joined him to sail around the rest of the Greek Islands before she flew back to Australia. She then returned to join Whitelum on the boat full time.
A month after meeting Whitelum, and accompanying him on a couple of day sails, Carausu quit her job and joined him to sail around the rest of the Greek Islands before she flew back to Australia. She then returned to join Whitelum on the boat full time.
Sailing La Vagabonde
The couple try and live as sustainably as possible onboard, from catching and cooking their own fish, to limiting the plastic they use and raising awareness of the harm it does oceans and wildlife.
The couple try and live as sustainably as possible onboard, from catching and cooking their own fish, to limiting the plastic they use and raising awareness of the harm it does oceans and wildlife.
Sailing La Vagabonde
When they first started sailing together, they were on a 2007 Beneteau Cyclades.
When they first started sailing together, they were on a 2007 Beneteau Cyclades.
Sailing La Vagabonde
Last year, however, Whitelum and Carausu struck a deal with Outremer and the shipyard supplied the couple with the $740,000 (€640,000) catamaran for a discounted price, which they are now paying off, all thanks to their social media following.
Last year, however, Whitelum and Carausu struck a deal with Outremer and the shipyard supplied the couple with the $740,000 (€640,000) catamaran for a discounted price, which they are now paying off, all thanks to their social media following.
Sailing La Vagabonde
"Riley and Elayna were willing to travel around the world and live onboard, this is exactly the purpose of our owners, and they had the same philosophy we promote," explained Outremer's sales and marketing manager Matthieu Rougevin-Baville.<br />
"Riley and Elayna were willing to travel around the world and live onboard, this is exactly the purpose of our owners, and they had the same philosophy we promote," explained Outremer's sales and marketing manager Matthieu Rougevin-Baville.
Sailing La Vagabonde
The couple are now expecting their first child, and they say the new catamaran made such a difference in their lives that it was one of the contributing factors in them deciding to have a baby.
The couple are now expecting their first child, and they say the new catamaran made such a difference in their lives that it was one of the contributing factors in them deciding to have a baby.
Sailing La Vagabonde
Some fans of the couple's YouTube channel choose to go the extra mile to support the couple and pay between $3 and $200 per video episode via Patreon -- a membership platform for creators to monetize the work they do. By becoming a Patron, fans can get access to episodes a week before they're released to the public,merch, a chance to randomly be selected to join them onboard and various other announcements.
Some fans of the couple's YouTube channel choose to go the extra mile to support the couple and pay between $3 and $200 per video episode via Patreon -- a membership platform for creators to monetize the work they do. By becoming a Patron, fans can get access to episodes a week before they're released to the public,merch, a chance to randomly be selected to join them onboard and various other announcements.
Sailing La Vagabonde
"We find a lot of our patrons are people who are wanting to do the same thing as us, or maybe they can't," said Carausu. "There are a few patrons who are bound to a wheelchair and it's like people want to live vicariously through our eyes and they feel the need to support that and they want to see us keep going and growing and getting better at what we're doing."
"We find a lot of our patrons are people who are wanting to do the same thing as us, or maybe they can't," said Carausu. "There are a few patrons who are bound to a wheelchair and it's like people want to live vicariously through our eyes and they feel the need to support that and they want to see us keep going and growing and getting better at what we're doing."
Sailing La Vagabonde
Onboard La Vagabonde, the couple have established role. Whitelum takes care of boat maintenance and everything logistical -- like checking the weather and planning ahead of sails -- while Carausu takes care of the cooking, cleaning and editing videos for their<a target="_blank" target="_blank"> YouTube channel.</a>
Onboard La Vagabonde, the couple have established role. Whitelum takes care of boat maintenance and everything logistical -- like checking the weather and planning ahead of sails -- while Carausu takes care of the cooking, cleaning and editing videos for their YouTube channel.
Sailing La Vagabonde
The couple have sailed more than 65,000 nautical miles, sailing anti-clockwise around the world from Europe to New Zealand and crossing both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
The couple have sailed more than 65,000 nautical miles, sailing anti-clockwise around the world from Europe to New Zealand and crossing both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Sailing La Vagabonde