We're cleaning up the inside of Epiphany today. I did laundry too. Miles cleaned out and organized the drawers and I bought paper plates, bowls, and plastic utensils to avoid doing dishes. I really need to get a windsock for the fore deck hatch and a canopy to lay across the boom. We aren't facing E/W so I don't get the wonderful breeze we had last time we were here. It gets so stuffy in here. I put a fan in the cockpit near the main hatch and have it blowing in for some simulated breeze. Tonight we are going to a concert to hear the 1812 overture. I need to remember to pack snacks.
One of the joys of living out here is watching all the people sailing in and out, try to dock and attempt to teach their friends how to cast off. I saw a lady nearly fall in the water trying to jump from the dock onto a moving boat. It was slightly hilarious... but not as much as the guy that killed the engine before raising the sails and drifted into the back of a few boats. I couldn't help but laugh.
I've noticed that when I talk to people about living aboard there tend to be varying degrees of opinions.
Some people love the idea, dream of it as a lifestyle and wish like mad they could do it too. They ask questions out the wazu and some get rather silly with them. "Where do you use the bathroom?" or my favorite "Where do you sleep? Like, on the deck or something?"
There are those who live aboard and think it is great.
Some actually have central heat and air, hot water, dishwashers, washers and dryers and couldn't imagine how anyone lived without them.
They usually gawk at our "very small" boat and refuse to live on anything smaller than a 45 footer.
A few only did it because they HAD to. One lady talked about having to row to shore all the time and how horrible it was to live aboard. I thought her perspective was interesting. She said the kitchen was too small to cook so they ate out all the time.
There are the people that wouldn't even think of living on a boat with kids, much less living on a boat at all.
There are the people that wouldn't think of living on a boat at all, much less with kids. One lady compared it to child abuse and said I was horrible for forcing my children to live such awful lives. She also hates grass, sand, children that run, walk, breath too loudly, blink too often, or are within 1000 feet of her. So I didn't really pay much attention to her. But some actually have honest concerns about boat living. Like, is it harder to make a meal on board? No, not really.
Anyway, I wanted to hear your concerns. You can post them in the comments section which will come straight to my email. I am going to start a FAQ and a LFAQ (less Frequently asked) label on the blog. Eventually I will work out these labels and get them organized too.
Until then, ask me questions on what you want to know about living aboard or whatever.
Til then,
Happy sailing!
Dotchi
