Marin(a) Life

"Sometimes you choose to live on a boat to isolate yourself and sometimes you do it to be with yourself."  J. Abravaya

People who live on their boats are called "liveaboards" and are an interesting group of people.  Some live permanently in one marina and others are transients, stopping into a marina now and then, maybe to do laundry or just take a break.  Now I have not met many liveaboards, but I've met a few at our old marina and some at the new temporary marina where we are having our repair work done on Nalani after the lightning strike.  Liveaboards are tough and can live through some wild weather conditions.  We had the pleasure of meeting a gentleman the other day who has been living aboard for 28 years.  He and his kitten are at our old marina now to get some transmission work done. 

Some of the boats go places; some are permanently docked with frozen motors in their slips.  I've been curious as to what drives a person to step outside what is considered the mainstream life as a dirt dweller and go afloat--to go from a safe, seemingly stable existence on land to one on water, which is about as fickle as Mother Nature can become.  One minute the water is like glass and the sun is shining bright and the next minute the waves are pounding the sides of the boat and the rain is pelting sideways, happily showing you where all the leaks are in your vessel.

For some, the life does not come the easy way.  They move onto boats because they have encountered troublesome times; a death or a divorce or a job loss.  Sometimes short on funds, life on a boat is a respite from high rents or mortgages.  Singles and couples occasionally have this as an only recourse.  Would they ever go back to land if they could?  Some would, but many would not because they love the lifestyle so much.

For others, living on the water has always been a lifelong dream and as soon as the chance arises, they are moving in lock, stock, and no barrel, because downsizing is an important part of moving aboard.  If you trade in living in a house for living on a boat, very little of what is in the house can accompany you to your floating home. 

Others may have come to a point in their lives where they've stashed a little money away or invested well and can no longer justify the long commutes or long hours of their jobs.  They have reached the end of their rope and figure that with some careful budgets and odd jobs here and there, they can live quite well on a boat where ropes are seen only in a positive light.

Living on a boat brings you so much closer to nature, whether you are stationary or moving.  Wild things nibble at your hull, jellyfish float ethereally by, herons feed at the water's edge, seagulls with a call that sounds like a sick cat fly over your boat and you hope, hope, hope it doesn't let go of its digested earlier intake of food.  Cawing crows litter the treetops and sound like they are in constant disagreement with each other:  Uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh!

Living on a boat will change you.  It will make you appreciate the space you used to live in, no matter what the size.  It will make you appreciate a big shower!!!  A dishwasher!!!  A washer and a dryer!!!  A full-size refrigerator with an ice maker!!! A toilet you don't have to pump!!!!

Liveaboards are a special breed in other ways, the most important in being so incredibly welcoming, even to transients.  We've been on the receiving end of meals, invitations to yacht club breakfasts, priceless advice, borrowed tools, great conversations, and doing things that we may not have even considered, like watching football games and drinking beer at the local bar. 

With some of the competitive constraints of the work world erased, people will go out of their way to help in any way they can.  Most like nothing better than helping out their fellow boaters; whether you are a newbie at the lifestyle or an old salt, help is always just a finger pier away.