Meet Mike and Rosie Holaus and their dog, Holly. The Clearwater family owns a 1996 Sea Ray 400 Sedan Bridge called Swing Set, which is “part of the family now.” Both Mike and Rosie have been retired for about 10 years after leaving their native Missouri.

In 2012 they “sold everything we owned that wouldn’t fit on our boat and set off down the Mississippi River, living and traveling on the boat for almost four years before buying a home in 2016,” said Mike who has owned boats since age 14. The couple bought their first boat together in 1979.

Where do you like to take Swing Set?
We lived on the boat at marinas in Key West and Marathon. We chose to move up to the Tampa Bay area not only to buy another home, but because the barrier islands between Tampa Bay and Tarpon Springs — particularly between Clearwater and Anclote Key — provide for some protected anchorages in almost any wind condition. The beaches are as beautiful as any in the Keys.

What are your must-have items on board?
Since our outings typically involve anchoring out, we must have our dog, Holly, and beer. We have a din- ghy but it’s not necessary for Holly because she is trained on potty pads and she has use of the second head on the boat where her potty pad is kept in the shower. Holly doesn’t go on the sand. That’s for other dogs.

Where have you traveled by boat?
We have traveled extensively in the Bahamas after coming down the Mississippi River to the Ohio and to the Tennessee River. We traveled the complete navigable length of the Cumberland River and the Tennessee River before backtracking to the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway.

After waiting out Tropical Storm Chantal in Long Island, Bahamas, we motored over to Rum Cay. We spent our allowed six months in the Bahamas, enjoying time in Bimini, the Abacos, Exuma, Eleuthera, Georgetown and Nassau before head- ing back to Key West in late 2013.

What has been your biggest challenge?
That would be mechanical failures in the Bahamas and the Keys. Good help was sparse or nonexistent. I had to do a lot of work myself and have the scars to prove it.
In Marathon, I had contracted a marina to bottom paint our boat. I was told the person hired to do the work was in prison and I had to do it myself. They did offer a member of house- keeping to help and she actually did a great job, as she was happy to be outside.

What would be your dream boat?
We don’t dream, we do. Swing Set is the perfect size. We know the boat and can fix most anything that breaks unless it’s major engine work. The boat is kept up and looks nearly new even though it’s 25 years old.

Don’t let anyone say that a saltwater boat cannot be kept looking like new, but it takes work. Even though we live about an hour away, we’ll drive to the boat just to wash it ourselves.

Best advice to new boaters?
Take a boating safety course. We both have com- pleted the Coast Guard’s safety course. We have no re- spect for people who claim to have a “boat guy” who fixes everything and captains their boat for them. Those people don’t boat much.
To read more about Mike and Rosie, go to their blog at swingsetonthehook.blogspot.com.