What is different about living on a boat?

Now I am not going to write about what we did, like I usually do. Because I think that some of you maybe want to know how it is to live on the boat. I will tell you what is different and then I will also write an example how an ordinary day looks (of course its always different, but I will just write the stuff we do most of the time).

Here’s a list of things that are different on a boat.

·     You are always on a different place; never stay on the same place for very long.

·     You are always on water; if you look around you will guarantee see A LOT of water.

·     The boat always moves a bit, if you’re in a marina, on a mooring buoy or at anchor, you will always wobble a bit. But after a while you get used to it and hardly notice it.

·     Home schooling. I don’t want to say much to this, but I will just say sometimes its better sometimes its worse.

·     Playing. Every time you leave a place you will probably have to make new friends on the next place. It can be quite annoying, because you maybe want to stay with the same people, but at the same time you get to know soooo many nice people.

·     Washing up. We don’t have a dishwasher and have to do everything by hand.

·     Water. We have a 920-liter tank and a water maker. 920 liters sound like a lot, but it goes fast, especially if you have showers on the boat and you also have to wash up by hand, so it doesn’t last long.

·     Electricity. We have four solar panels, two fixed in the middle and two at the back, which you can turn so they are facing the sun.   

·     On a boat there is ALWAYS something you need to fix, and something always break. You need a lot of spare parts and often need to buy more.

·     Languages. In nearly every different place they speak a different language and its good if you know different languages, also to communicate with different boats. Most of the people speak at least a little English, but some hardly speak any English.

·     If you are at anchor you have to go to shore with the dinghy and can’t just go when you want to.

·     Food. On a boat you normally do BIG provisioning’s and then don’t have to go for a while. In some places there is hardly any food or the selection is very limited, so you just be creative to create a meal with what you can get. 

That was my list about what is different on a boat. Its not complete, but it will do for now. Next I will give you an example how a day on the boat looks (in the Caribbean).

We get up at eight o clock, go to the beach to do a bit of running and exercise and then we go back to the boat and we all eat breakfast together. After breakfast we do some school (most of the time). In the breaks we go for a little swim and watch the turtles. Then some more school and after then we go to find some friends and go swimming and playing with them. After that we eat lunch and then do the washing up and then do some more swimming and playing with our friends. Then we eat a small dinner, jump in the water again, meet some other boating families for a drink (kids are playing or watching a movie) and then go to bed. So the day basically is swimming, hanging out with friends and eating (and a bit of school). OBS! Warning this is only in the Caribbean and if we are anchored or on a mooring buoy :-)