From an AP story by Maria Versa headlined “Australian castaway recounts comfort he felt adrift at sea, thanks to meditation, swimming, and dog”:

MANZANILLO, Mexico (AP) — He quit his corporate job and moved to Mexico to pursue his dream of sailing solo across the ocean.

Australian Timothy Shaddock, 54, bought his 30-foot catamaran two years ago in the Mexican Pacific resort of Puerto Vallarta. He needed a place to live and he liked the isolation.

“Of course, living on a boat and sailing on a boat is two different things and that was more of a challenge,” Shaddock told the AP Wednesday after stepping onto land for the first time in months.