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‘The world kind of sucks…’: US man quits job to sail Pacific Ocean with his cat

Quitting his job and sailing into the unknown, Oliver Widger found freedom — and viral fame — with his cat, Phoenix.

Oliver Widger quits his job to sail the Pacific Ocean with his cat. (Image Source: @sailing_with_phoenix/ Instagram)

For most, giving up a secure job and embarking on the great unknown is just a pipe dream. But for 29-year-old Oliver Widger, it has become a life-altering reality. The former employee at a tyre company has gone viral online after posting about his decision to leave it all behind and sail the Pacific Ocean alone with his cat, Phoenix.

Speaking to the Associated Press, Widger said, “The world kind of sucks and, like, I don’t think I’m alone in how I felt with my work. You can be making $150,000 a year and you still feel like you’re just making ends meet, you know what I mean? And I think people are just tired of that and working really hard for nothing and want a way out.”

Widger documents his journey through his social media accounts, @sailing_with_phoenix, which now have over a million followers on Instagram and TikTok.

Watch the video here:

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A post shared by Sailing With Phoenix (@sailing_with_phoenix)

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The breaking point came when he got a neck injury and was subsequently diagnosed with a disorder that risked paralysing him. This prompted him to consider how miserable he was working—the grooming regimens, the endless routines, the absence of purpose.

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Having no savings and owing $10,000, he left his job, withdrew his retirement money, taught himself to sail using YouTube, and purchased a boat for $50,000 that he refurbished on the Oregon coast. From there, he sailed to Hawaii with Phoenix.

Now, Widger spends his days on the water capturing beautiful sunsets, enduring seasickness, repairing boats, and posting content that captures the beauty and difficulties of life at sea. Despite the problems, he says it’s all worth it if it inspires others to pursue their dreams.

“Everything I’ve done, I once thought was impossible, sailing around the world is such a ridiculous dream. Whatever your dream is, just go. Just do it,” he told the news agency.

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