Two Years: Boat Life Q&A

Two years ago, we bought a sailboat. It was a one-way ticket to a wild ride of joy, chaos and everything in between.

We’ve seen breathtaking places and made memories beyond comparison. Boat life has expanded our limits. It’s not always fun or beautiful or easy, but it’s real and deeply ours.

In honor of our two-year boat-aversary, we want to answer a few of the questions we get often. We both sat down and answered these questions separately. Surprisingly, most of the answers are different.

What was the biggest adjustment to living aboard full-time?

Tom: Dealing with waste and being very conscious of the trash you create. Especially out in remote places, there’s rarely a place to discard trash and when there is, you pay per bag. The islands don’t have a good way to dispose of trash either so we try really hard not to use single-use items. In the states, unless you are walking distance to a state park, public land or marina, most dumpsters are private property. There’s also a lot more to it than just flushing a toilet. We are required to go at least three miles offshore to empty our holding tanks or regularly pay for pump out at a dock.

Nina: As someone who loves lifting and running, exercise was the biggest change. When we don’t have access to land, we do workouts on deck with bands and dumbbells. When we do have access to land, we walk everywhere. It seems like we either get 1,000 or 20,000 steps in a day. There’s no in-between.

What’s your favorite place you've visited so far?

Tom: Morgan’s Bluff on Andros Island. It’s quiet, the locals were very welcoming and the cliffs are pretty spectacular.

Nina: Shroud Cay, which had the most stunning blue water and a natural lazy river. It’s part of the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park.

What destination surprised you the most, good or bad?

Tom: The tidal swings in Georgia were crazy! There were days we saw a 9 ft difference between high and low tides, causing the current to rip through our anchorages. When you're used to a 2-3 ft swing, it's a huge difference!

Nina: The Florida Keys. We've visited the Keys hundreds of times but the first time we sailed down, we found it very underwhelming. So many boats are dilapidated and it's not a great place if you're not ICW-friendly, meaning we can't duck under bridges to the Gulf side for wind protection.

What’s the scariest thing that has happened?

Tom & Nina: The lightning strike, no doubt.

What’s the biggest challenge about living aboard day-to-day?

Tom: Fixing things before they break. There’s so much proactive maintenance to do and we try to stay on top of things before any sort of failure. When things do break, it’s usually at the most inconvenient times.

Nina: Work-sailing balance. We often miss out on amazing weather windows and sit in one place longer than we want to because of work demands.

What do you miss most about living on land?

Tom: Access to mail for receiving packages. You don't realize how much you order online until you no longer have access to a mailing address. Shipping anything now requires planning with a USPS, UPS or FedEx store or a family member to receive it (and pickup the next time we're close by).

Nina: Making plans that are not dependent on the weather. There are days you plan to go out to dinner or run errands, but unexpected rain or wind completely change your day.

How has boat life changed your perspective?

Tom: It’s too easy to get stuck in a rut (on land). You go to work, grocery shop, do yard work, etc. All of a sudden, years pass by. Out here, no two days are the same.

Nina: You need so much less than you think you do. The absolute best times are filled with activities and adventures, rather than things. The simpler life becomes, the happier we are.

What are the plans for the near future?

Tom & Nina: We're heading back to the States to complete a few necessary maintenance jobs. At some point this summer, we will haul the boat out for a new bottom coat of anti-foul paint and sail drive maintenance. We have some projects on the docket too, like giving our dinghy Milton some cosmetic love.

We plan to get an earlier start next fall to make our way further south to the Caribbean.

We have so much gratitude and respect for our floating home, and this is wild, unpredictable, magnificent life. Can’t wait to see where it takes us next!

Remember, it’s always easier not to… but where’s the fun in that?