
This is the story of a 25-year-old Washington mechanical engineer who decided to quit his high-paying job, sell and donate his belongings and travel from the state to Chile.

But first, Dwyer Haney needed a boat. And to learn how to sail.

It was on The Rascal, as he lovingly dubbed his 1960 Seafarer Tripp 30, that Dwyer would embark on his life-changing two-year voyage.

His goal was to ski into the fjords of Chile, but along the way Dwyer sailed under the Golden Gate Bride, swam with dolphins and weathered more than a couple of storms.

Dwyer Haney was 25 when he decided to give up his mechanical engineering job in Washington and sail to Chile

His goal was to ski into the fjords of Chile, but along the way Dwyer sailed under the Golden Gate Bride, swam with dolphins and weathered more than a couple of storms

A number of friends joined Dwyer throughout legs in his journey and one party was so massive it almost sunk the boat, dubbed The Rascal

It has been a complete 180 from his life back home.

'My life has gotten infinitely simpler and I'm completely and totally free to do whatever I want, whenever I want' Dwyer wrote on Imgur.

'The wind costs me nothing and drives me wherever I want to go.'

Dwyer had $75,000 in the bank before his journey, saved up from four years of intense work in the mechanical engineering world.

He knew he needed an adventure, deciding between the sailing trip, a dirt bike trip around Alaska, or living in a log cabin in the America West.

'I eventually decided that the sailing trip would bring me furthest from my comfort zone,teach me the most, and have the lowest impact on the environment' he wrote in a Reddit IAmA.

'I dedicated myself wholly to researching and planning the trip before I finally put in my notice at work.'

The 12,000 mile trip began in Bellingham, Washington, the starting point before Dwyer sailed down the Oregon and California coasts to Mexico.

Dwyer saw plenty of Dolphins throughout his journey, which started in Bellingham and saw him sail down the Oregon and California coasts

By the time he reached Mexico, half of Dwyer's diet was form the sea (although he let this fish go because he knew it would spoil)

Dwyer had $75,000 in the bank before his journey, saved up from four years of intense work in the mechanical engineering world

He knew he needed an adventure, and deciding on the sailing trip because it would bring him the furthest from his comfort zone

Dwyer rode out hurricane season in the Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California, but one storm almost cost the life of a friend watching his boat when he flew back home for a family reunion.

They communicated back and forth through text messages as Hurricane Odile hit, but after Dwyer found out the boat's anchor chain broke off and the boat was swept on the beach there was silence.

'The hours that followed were the most horrifying of my life,' he wrote. 'I wasn't sure if she had just lost cell service or if something had gone horribly wrong.'

'I eventually got a call from the Air Force that my emergency responder had been activated.'

'My friend had been swept from the bow of the boat b ya massive wave and had spent 8 hours clinging to the mangroves, battling hypothermia, and waiting for dawn and rescue.'

Dwyer's friend was fine and Rascal survived with just a bit of scratched paint.

There were other storms and a particularly scary engine fire, but there were also visiting friends, boat parties and plenty of beers - not to mention being surrounded by the beautiful simplicity of the sea.

'There was no single experience that changed me the most, instead its the sum of the last year of beauty,' Dwyer told Reddit.

'Every sunset, every dolphin escort, every volcano I skied, and every beach I walked is a part of me now. I'll be able to carry them with me for the rest of my life.'

Dwyer bought The Rascal and learned how to sail before his epic 12,000 mile voyage

On one leg of the trip Dwyer sailed 37 days non-stop by himself across the Pacific

Dwyer made it a point to never miss a sunset or a sunrise throughout his journey

'I really and truly treasure this planet in a way that I would never have been able to comprehend before I left.'

The Voyage of the Rascal also gave Dwyer, who at one point sailed 37 days non-stop and solo across the Pacific, a new sense of confidence.

'I exposed myself to a lot of challenge and a fair bit of risk during the last two years and that's definitely changed my personality,' he wrote.

'I'm much more confident and sure of myself than when I started because I know what I'm truly capable of.'

By the time he got to Mexico, almost half of Dwyer's meals came straight form the sea. And he made sure not to miss a single sunrise or sunset.

And in December Dwyer finally accomplished the goal he first set for himself two years ago and skied off the Rascal and into the fjords of Chile.

Only a month later, he announced that the voyage was officially complete.

Now Dwyer is gearing up for his next unknown challenge. Meanwhile, the Rascal is up for sale in Chile, waiting for its next adventure.