Family of 5 lives aboard a sailboat for seven years

Washington Post Article


"The close quarters stayed remarkably clear of clutter. They even got rid of the small refrigerator, not wanting to run the smelly engine just to keep beer cool. At sea, they lived on fish and canned goods. Ashore, they delighted in taking jitney buses to the market each day, living a local's life."

Nomad Blood

It's a constant, just forgotten by the layers of modern societal duty piled over it.
It feels like it's struggling to be fed and fighting for it's life under the mess and stress of the daily grind, that constant ache that feels like something is quietly dying, and I am sitting idly by and letting my life kill me.
The death and mourning happen simultaneously, as if this is all inevitable and unchanging.
Of course I know better.
I'm not afraid, either, so what is it?

France

France. Oh, France.
I have been eyeballing properties and tracking the weather in different towns and cities (Dijon seems like a relatively mild climate, very comparable to the central valley of CA).
http://www.sextantproperties.com/ is a great website for browsing France properties.
I laugh at the 3 different conditions you can choose from:
-Full renovation
-Habitable
-No Work Required

Many properties listed as habitiable would NOT fly in the US as such. It makes me giggle; such a new country as US and so incredibly uptight and clueless as to what types of dwellings a human can occupy.

The lack of suburban sprawl and preservation of old barns, towns and structures in general is astounding and comforting.
It's just what I've been looking for, to be franc (ha-ha).
It's pretty reasonable, pricewise, from what I see. I'm sure there are other fees tacked on to the sale of a building, but for now, please let me dream.
lots of dreams. hehe.

A lot of the homes are hundreds of years old, made out of stone, with a bit of work to be put into it, but wouldnt it be fun?

Plus, who wouldn't mind waking up to a view like that every morning?

I've never learned to dive

...and I want to live on the open water?!

Go ahead and laugh.
I think I was damaged, dropped on me noggin as a wee one, because I cannot bring myself to go in headfirst.
Now that I think about it, yes, I'm quite sure I've been beaned in the head, because my head feels like it's ready to pop right off my spine at this very moment.

I've got to ask my mother about that.

sacrifice? naaaaah.

It's funny; I spoke with a few folks this weekend and we got on the topic of boat-living.
Many said they wouldn't be able to do it; space constraints and sizing down to a more practical number of "stuff" being the major sacrifices for most.
It's nearly impossible to consider it a sacrifice when the world suddenly and truly becomes one's oyster.

I could tell you how I feel, locked in a 9-to-5 office job 5 days a week and just "making it" to be able to pay my bills and rent. You probably already know.

The worst kind of captivity is the self-induced kind. I know that if I continue this path, I will be that old lady, regretting the things I never ended up doing and will die in my recliner armed with only a dream to get me by.

I can't fool myself.

 I've tried.

Somethin's gotta give? No.
I gotta start takin'.

My ideal boat doesn't need anything from anyone

My goal is to create a vessel that is completely unreliant of outside sources.


It's got solar panels for electricity, a composting toilet and a water still to desalinate and purify seawater (amongst other things).
Adding these items will throw expenses thru the roof but they will most definitely pay off in the long run!
Once they're purchased, they are mine!
Aside from eventual maintenance,

Solar energy: free
Composting toilet: free (no fees since there is no blackwater (sewage) to dispose of)
Potable Water: free (water water everywhere+just a bit of knowledge on condensation)

I will have to figure out the specifics (water and electric consumption per week, for example) but that's for a later post.


*********

...and now for something completely different: Earthship Biotecture!
Awesome site. Click around; you'll be blown away by the stuff on there. :)

Dreams of True Freedom

My realisations become ever clearer as another year passes

For example, flushing my money down the toilet with my monthly rent with a place I will never own. It pains me to think of how much money I've spent over the years on rent alone!

Seems perfectly silly.

It is definitely got me thinking of alternatives to my current living situation, which brings me to my current dream: the liveaboard.
Of course, the necessary (root of all) evil is the cash to buy the boat and get started, which would take approx. 2 years of rent money to purchase a small and simple boat.
Then we've got additional monies for practical upgrades to ensure that the vessel is safe and secure and able to accommodate the simplest of creature comforts.

I'm a pretty low-maintenance human, comparatively, and find that most of my possessions are unnecessary and act as a weight on my life, which ultimately do nothing to satisfy my existence.
All the electronics, movies, televisions or clothes and shoes and cars will make me forget about my yearning for a moment, but it always comes back, ever stronger.

I've decided to document all my ideas to help me escape this fruitless way of life.
It'll take some doing, which is the main thang, really.

Advice, tips and comments very welcome.