Wednesday, November 29, 2017

top 20 things we are most looking forward to on the boat.




This lifestyle is full of amazing things. Places to see, things to do and eat (more importantly), and people to meet. After years of dreaming of this life, it’s so much better (and sometimes so much worse, but that’s a post for another time) than we ever dreamed. Life is beautiful on a boat and these things are why. It’s really hard to pick just 20 but these are the things we are looking forward to getting back to most. 
  1. Boat friends. Hands down one of my absolute favorite things. Josh might say I’m introverted but once we make a connection, I have a hard time letting go of friends we’ve made. One of our favorite boat persons is actually still in Vero Beach (a series of unfortunate events has left him there for about 11 months trying to solve some problems on his boat) and we are seriously discussing buddy boating with him over to the Bahamas (Hi John! We can’t wait to see you!). Over the months we were on the move, meeting people in similar and also some in very different circumstances has brought us great joy. Fozel would agree, especially if they have kids. 
  2. There are places we might never otherwise see. This is a no-brainer. Who doesn’t love seeing gorgeous new scenery? It can be challenging to get the lay of the land or figure out how to get what you need (provisions, laundry facilities, showers, etc), but at the end of most days we do NOT regret the change of scenery we constantly experience. 
  3. Experiencing the local “thing”. In the states this has been less pronounced but it still clings to every community we have been through. Whether it’s the signing tree where you leave a totem or some other local tradition, it’s always something interesting. Each place has it's history, lore, and culture and we love to celebrate it.
  4. Food. Some of you are wondering why this isn’t number one on the list, I’m betting. If you know us at all, you know we live to eat. We have happy food dances to prove it. I must say that trying the local specialty anywhere we go is always one of my “must do” items. We’ve had street vendor hot dogs in NYC and conch fritters in Green Turtle Cay. We hear there is a pretty rad pig roast to be had on great Guana Cay and I can only assume there is more goodness to be had. Seeing, smelling, and tasting the cuisine of every locale is always, always, ALWAYS a highlight of our travels.
  5. Utter independence is a real thing, yo. When we are on the boat, we literally answer to no one. We come and go as we please, period. The wind and the weather DO affect our lives but other than that, we go when and where we please. 
  6. Home is where the heart is. I’m dreading getting back and do all the stowing and provisioning. Putting on the sails and hoisting the dodger/Bimini doesn’t make me jump with joy, buuuut there is something about our boat. She’s home and we know her. Her creaks and groans and the whoosh of her bilge pump. It’s like a settling house and everything about her is familiar after 5 years (!) of owning her. We can sense when something sounds out of whack by ear and it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside knowing her so well.
  7. 24/7 together time. This one is a bit of a head-scratcher for some of you, but since Fozel has come into our lives, we spend almost all our time together. It’s good, it’s bad and sometimes it gets ugly, but it’s ours. Watching him grow has been the most amazing blessing and makes me a little wistful he’s growing so fast. Every day it is something new and let me tell you, lately there have been some real gems. I'm so grateful that I've been able to stay home with him from day one. These past three years have created a strong bond amongst us. Sometimes we drive each other a little crazy, but what family doesn't experience this?
  8. Life unplugged. I wish there was more of this, says the girl who is literally writing this as Internet content (facepalm). When we get places where there is no Internet or very limited Internet, I get happier. It’s like there is a direct correlation between the amount of distractions and my contentment. It is important for us to be able to check in when we reach destinations, yes, but when none of us is looking at a screen life is so much better. We are more engaged and observant and more in tune with each other and the world around us.
  9. Blooming where you’re planted is a thing. When we reach a place we will be for a bit of time, we try to engage in it. We get out and see what it’s all about. We try to find kids or where the kids go, at least and whatever else may be hiding in plain sight. We make each place home and this last season, those homes happened to be Virginia Beach, Charleston, and Vero Beach. We spent time getting the lay of the land and trying to make some roots, however briefly they may have lasted. 
  10. Fresh air and endless summer. Winter in much of the country is miserable. We LIKE being outside. We aren’t hunker down and watch Netflix all day kind of people (this may or may not have to do with having a toddler). We don’t like snow and ice and frigid temps. What we do like is sleeping with hatches open every day, eating breakfast, lunch and dinner al fresco, and being active outside. This time of year Florida and the Bahamas are perfect for this kind of lifestyle. We go for walks, runs, bike rides and just chill at the beach and park. Vitamin D for the win. 
  11. Boat life=self-reliance. Do you like doing things your way? Getting to constantly problem solve in a variety of realms? Yes? You might just be a born cruiser. We love it and hate some days. It saves us money in some respects. Plus, it keeps us sharp. Josh is happiest when he's taking something apart. He needs to be fully engaged in something and having a boat requires his attention more than I think either of us expected. He seems happiest when he's working on a project. This lifestyle is all about learning on your feet whether it be weather predicting or navigation there is plenty to do yourself. 
  12. Simplicity is our zen. Boat life has many moving parts. It also is more simple than you might think. We are self contained in many ways and so we don’t find ourselves as swept up in drama too much. It’s easy to avoid the fray of the rushing around and media-sold idea of needing more things. We like living simply. We take pleasure in the little things. We have less stuff and do less stuff. We often walk to get groceries or take transit and we just don’t over complicate our lives. 
  13. A chance to focus on varied interests. While I still find this very challenging with a toddler as the center of my universe, I will say that we have begun to have opportunities to do some of the things we like to do and often get sidetracked from on land like such as putzing around in the engine room, watercolor painting, reading, playing games, writing, taking photos, and the like. 
  14. Quiet. While this is another one that is often best observed early in the morning or late in the evening before and after a toddler is asleep, but goodness is it nice. The silence in most anchorages is heavy and warm. A perfect way to unwind without distractions. 
  15. Cost of living, what’s that? Our boat is paid for in full so we pay very little to live day to day. If we stay in a marina, of course we pay for that as well as insurance, groceries and any other luxuries we choose plus repairs but other than that, our overhead is much lower than it ever has been. 
  16. It’s always 5 o’clock somewhere. It’s no secret we love cocktail hour. With our schedule, that sometimes starts at 3 o’clock and we aren’t even mad about it. We love to have people over to share a sip (whether it be boozy or not) and socialize. It’s tough with a toddler, believe me but we’ve had many a night with some new and well-salted friends over for an afternoon drink or nightcap to discuss many of the ins and out of this lifestyle. We regale each other of our mishaps on and off the water and give and get advice from old hands and newbies like our selves. We don’t get fancy but we do have fun. There's often music too (played with whatever instruments we all have aboard or something recorded).
  17. Sunrise, sunset and the like. At least once a day we get the pleasure of watching the sky light up with the glorious colors of nature. Not many people have the luxury of enjoying them the way we do. We can sit and wonder at the "rainbow sky" together. And nature? We see so many different creatures in our lifestyle. Lizards, fish, insects, manatees, dolphins, birds, and other sea life galore. It’s such a wonderful thing to be able to learn/teach Fozel about all these creatures. 
  18. Being like snails. This is kind of two-fold. We move much more slowly on a day to day basis as well as physically. Our boat can only cover about 50 miles a day so we move considerably slower than the more common mode of transport. It gives us a chance to look around at our surroundings and actually see things. Also like snails, we move around with our home. We have all of the comforts of our home wherever we may go no matter how foreign it may feel to us. 
  19. Being the captain of your own ship. We are on our own path, moving forward towards our own destiny and that feels really good and freeing and also scary sometimes. Being the captain of your own ship of dreams requires faith, some luck and lots of planning. It doesn’t matter what the dream is, taking the first step is a magical thing to do to fulfill your dreams. 
  20. The never ending search for the next adventure. Enough said!