Life on the Dock: Adjusting to Living Aboard Bella
At the beginning of August, I saw one of my childhood dreams come to fruition: I moved onto a sailboat! Living on a boat is pretty much the only goal I’ve held consistent in my mind’s eye for the duration of my 22 years of life. This dream began forming long before I was aware of it. My parents had lived on a 37’ sailboat for over seven years before I was even alive, and their stories of sailing and traveling by way of the water naturally seeped into my subconscious over time. I imagined their adventures as though they were a movie trailer for my own life to come. My parents’ stories and photos were accompanied by stacks of sailing magazines, maps, Jimmy Cornell's book of world cruising routes, and of course, 6 years of Sailing La Vagabonde Youtube episodes. I didn’t know when or how I would eventually make this lifestyle a reality, but it’s been at the forefront of my mind for as long as I can remember.
I began by throwing clothes out my bedroom door to a very helpful Evelyn, one of my close friends, who sat, folding and sorting them for me to sell and donate. I gradually moved onboard Bella, plant by plant, basket by basket. Besides clothes and food, those are really the two main categories of my belongings: plants and baskets! (I really am my mother’s daughter.) It didn’t take long before I had organized my little boat pantry, bookshelf, and closet. The rest of my items were put away in a small storage unit until I decided what to do with them. I love the idea of stripping down to minimal items. It provides such a sense of lightness and freedom–I could now easily gather up my things and drive across the country, or throw stuff in a backpack and fly off to Indonesia! But I won’t be doing either of those things anytime soon, now that I am comfortably settled on beautiful Bella.
I know saying “beautiful Bella” is a bit redundant, but I can’t help it. She is beautiful, and I am quite happy to call her home for the time being. I am equally happy to be learning all her many beeps, squeaks, and other boat-y noises that are important to know, alerting me of anything that might be wrong. But such sounds are only the beginning of the learning process. Bella has MUCH to teach me: her complicated electrical systems, two big diesel engines, generator, watermaker…the list goes on. All this learning is, however, exactly what I’ve hoped to do with my life after college.
Upon graduating with a BS in Marine Biology and a BA in French, I am currently working in neither of those fields…Rather, my USCG Captains License has been at the core of my post-grad career thus far (three whole months!). This is not to say that I don’t see myself using those degrees–I most definitely do–but sailing is what I see being the center of my work life for a while, at least.
In my eyes, sailing is a great practice in balance. There is the technical element of sailing, which in itself, can be either very high energy or very slow going. There is also an inherent respect for the dynamic environment that comes along with sailing: ever-changing wind, tides, weather, and even different cultures (if traveling by way of sailboat). Lastly, there is a balance between teamwork and independence. My job of captaining requires competency in people skills, communication, and leadership, but also carries a lot of individual responsibility. When it comes down to it, the captain calls the shots, and carries the consequences. I don’t know of any other job that would bring me joy, keep me learning, challenge me, and strengthen my confidence in the same way that sailing does.
Living aboard, especially at my place of work, is another game of balance altogether. It’s simultaneously simpler and more complicated than life on land. Spatially, I have less. Less room, fewer clothes, less yard (ha!)... Logistically, I have more. More technical systems to learn, more safety concerns and weather to prepare for (talking about you, Idalia), more steps to take the trash out, get groceries, or do my laundry, and most of all, more difficulty distinguishing between work and life. Several times a week, I have to get my house ready for charter, cleaning before and after. But even charters don’t really feel like work. Rather, they kind of feel like taking my dog for a walk. Bella stays on the dock, restless and eager to sail, waiting for cocktail sails and day charters to book, and when they do, she gets to stretch her legs and do what she is meant to do–sail. (The same goes for me!)
Boat life is basically aquatic van life. Onboard, you have everything that you need to feel at home, while also having a means of transportation! I can’t think of a better way to travel. The cruising lifestyle has gained popularity in recent years, largely thanks to the internet and spread of sailing YouTube channels, Instagram influencers, and good ol’ fashioned bloggers. Not to mention the many opportunities for working remotely in this day and age. However, it’s not all pina coladas and snorkeling, like it may seem from social media. Boats are a LOT of work! But real-life dreams do not happen without work. They come with plenty of challenges, some that are fun, some that are not. This is something I’ve known right off the bat, thanks to many of my parents’ less-than-perfect stories of boat life. Thus, I am nearly as eager to overcome such challenges and learn from them as I am to snorkel and drink pina coladas! It’s all part of the dream. And now it’s all part of my life.
— Phoebe (and Bella)
