Thoughts from Captain Mike

In the daily grind of a “normal” lifestyle it is easy to become immune to the little things that help the days pass by smoothly. For example, take the small everyday items you just can’t imagine living without (i.e. toilet paper or ice) and think about how infrequently you give thought to having such items. Most of you may have your bulk pack of toilet paper stored away in your bathroom cupboard or that magical box called a refrigerator that keeps your food cold and gives you ice, thus eliminating the need to think about how you will obtain these items. Living on a boat, however, turns these little everyday items into luxuries. Once you cut the umbilical cord (your dock line) and set off into the unknown, many sacrifices and improvisations must be made. Soon you start to look for those special treasures that used to make your life so much more complete while ashore or in a marina only to find out that it is not so easy to come by. Those quick trips to the store for a loaf of bread or a few simple boat parts that you got used to finding at the closest one stop shop are no longer a reality but more of a nightmare. In these small little bays you now anchor in, you long for that special oil you always used for your engine which now seems to be on the endangered species list. Instead of hopping in your car, you gingerly step into your dinghy (in our case an orange bomber of a thing that is leaking air and water and requires incessant pumping from a worn hand pump before any trip) and search for a secure dock to tie off to as you hope that you are close enough to the local grocery store, if that even exists.

Let us not forget about the inevitable necessary evil of having to get special parts (sometimes not-so-special) shipped into the closest port. It is something that almost every cruiser will have to go through at least once in their travels. Endless hours are spent on the computer researching the items you need for the best prices and availability coupled with finding a decent shipping company that won’t rip you off, all while keeping the beer steadily flowing so it doesn’t feel like so much of a chore. You seek comfort in talking to the other boats at anchor as you realize their situation is no different from yours. Why not sit back and have a rum while you wait together, at least now the time will go by a little smoother. But, you can’t get boat off the brain. You find yourself contorting into your neighbor’s engine room to help them troubleshoot their newest problem welcoming the temporary distraction from your own problems. Meanwhile, the women make countless calls to the shipping company about the parts that are long overdue, but are continually disappointed by the [said] delays due to island holidays or bad weather that have swallowed the parcels into the void of Customs and Immigration. So you drink more rum and wait your time and let the women go sun themselves at the beach. At least you’re not alone.

Boat life poses many ups and downs, but we’d like to think mostly ups. Taking the leap to live a non-traditional lifestyle is an adjustment, but well worth it. Amidst all the trials and frustrations, we find the hardest part of boating is the coming and going of new friends that we meet at anchor or in our travels. The connection is much deeper as you get to know each other very quickly while bonding over silly (or frustrating) things that don’t typically occur while living on shore. You look to your new friends to help fill that void of missing the people dear to you that you have left behind. The relationship between boaters is unique. We unite over countless bottles of rum, compare endless maintenance lists that never shrink in size, and share do-it-yourself tips that help one another evolve into self-sufficiency. With each other, those luxury items we once couldn’t live without seem obsolete as our minds have made the biggest adjustment of all: be happy and make do with what you’ve got. The change is hard at first, but once it happens you realize that life is simple and life is short. Your standard of living gradually shifts until you realize that you don’t need much to get by and you never know what might happen. We make the most of our days here as we revel in the rising and setting sun above the sea each day, thankful for this life that we lead. At the end of the day, we’ve got good friends, fun, sun, and rum, and if we’re lucky, a little ice to make it all worthwhile.

I'll drink to that!