Liveaboard Life in Alaska - views from the boat.

[AlaskaProf]

It has crossed my mind to fly to Juneau and pirate that boat away. Walk out onto the dock, wave at dock neighbors, act like we own it, "Hey, how you doing, yeah, just taking it for a quick spin...through the Panama Canal and up the Mississippi and Missouri..."

Save yourself some money. It'll be on the broker's dock in Gig Harbor til " breakup".

 

[backinblue]

I grew up in a small fishing village in Rhode Island. It was quiet with only those that lived or worked there coming around. Back in the late 70's the major newspaper of RI ran a front page article on their Sunday insert about human interest. It was headlined, "The best kept secret in Rhode Island". I thought "we're screwed". As you point out, the rest was history. It is now a thronging congested tourist trap with every out of state a**hole in the world (well at least from New York & Connecticut) over running the place. Good luck.

Hey! I'm from CT and not an a-hole, but like to visit RI by boat and car. Guess I'm not welcome.

 

[ronobrien]

Hey! I'm from CT and not an a-hole, but like to visit RI by boat and car. Guess I'm not welcome.

I didn't say that everyone from CT was an a**hole, just that all the a**holes from CT came here. LOL Stop by the Ocean Mist in Matunuck. We need all the good guys we can get.

 

[OldDan1943]

Hey! I'm from CT and not an a-hole, but like to visit RI by boat and car. Guess I'm not welcome.

Mystic Seaport may not have been much other than a quiet fishing village and historic boat yard until it was "improved".

 

[backinblue]

I didn't say that everyone from CT was an a**hole, just that all the a**holes from CT came here. LOL Stop by the Ocean Mist in Matunuck. We need all the good guys we can get.

That's good, enjoy the a-holes, we have plenty. lol

 

[koliver]

Seaking of "Spoiled":
We just returned from 3 weeks on Maui. What a difference from other trips! Of course Covid adds levels of difficulty to tourism, no matter where you go. Places like Maui get all of the financial advantages of increased tourism when they are "discovered", but at considerable cost. They need more infrastructure to handle the boom, but the cost of sufficient infrastructure is high. How can they keep the boom going and still pass on those costs? Or, like Maui, does infrastructure lag the increase in tourism by decades, creating problems in traffic, power generation, housing for those in the service industry, etc.
Maui may just be an obvious example, but with the boom in tourism generally over the past couple of decades, there are few places that have succeeded as a tourist destination and have coped successfully with the huge costs associated.
To a much lesser extent, my home of Saltspring Island is also struggling with those problems.

 

[Alaskaflyer]

What is wrong with Juneau? I plan to visit there next summer among other places. Not spending more than a day or 2 there, but still interested in any local feedback.

Absolutely nothing, other than the usual cruise ship congestion in the summer. So in this regard they do understand what much of the rest of the state has to deal with.

 

[rpackard]

Why is it that people who live in tourist destinations complain heartily about the influx of people but then love it when they sell out with a big profit and go to live in another tourist destination.

 

[rpackard]

I wanted to comment on a previous post that suggested that cruising Mexico, especially the Sea of Cortez might be dangerous. We have been spending the past 14 winters cruising the Sea and have never felt the least bit in danger from anyone. In contrast, near our home in the SF Bay Area we do not go downtown after dark. But in San Carlos, Sonora we would not hesitate to be out at midnight.

I should mention however that in the interval from December to end of February the sea can be very boisterous when the wind blows strongly from the north. And there are few harbors of refuge that offer the security of the PNW.

 

[klee wyck]

I should mention however that in the interval from December to end of February the sea can be very boisterous when the wind blows strongly from the north. And there are few harbors of refuge that offer the security of the PNW.

We are headed back down tomorrow and noticed on PredictWind that this Saturday will be one of those 'boisterous' days!
Looks like a good day for chores in Port.....

 

[backinblue]

Why is it that people who live in tourist destinations complain heartily about the influx of people but then love it when they sell out with a big profit and go to live in another tourist destination.

Good point. W/O tourism, some places would barely exisit as it is their main source of revenue.

 

[backinblue]

I wanted to comment on a previous post that suggested that cruising Mexico, especially the Sea of Cortez might be dangerous. We have been spending the past 14 winters cruising the Sea and have never felt the least bit in danger from anyone. In contrast, near our home in the SF Bay Area we do not go downtown after dark. But in San Carlos, Sonora we would not hesitate to be out at midnight.

I should mention however that in the interval from December to end of February the sea can be very boisterous when the wind blows strongly from the north. And there are few harbors of refuge that offer the security of the PNW.

It's a shame that some of our country's greatest cities are being ruined by the increase in crime and the reluctance to enforce the law and prosecute the crims. San Fran is a good example. So is Portand,OR and Seattle. Two cities I really loved but would hesitate to visit today. I live a short drive from NYC and would often go there and had no concerns walking the streets at night or jumping on a subway to get around. Now I make a concious decision about whether I'll visit and where I'll go when I am there. I'm now only comfortable with driving and places within a short walk of where I'm staying. I know people who live there and won't use the subways today. The amount of money these cities are missing out on must be staggering. I hope people wake up before these places are lost beyond repair.

 

[SteveK]

Mad Max came to mind after your post backinblue. That show portrayed as fiction could become reality long after we have departed. But they can thaw out demolition man.

 

[OldDan1943]

When people leave the state, any state, the remaining people must pick up the taxes

 

[backinblue]

When people leave the state, any state, the remaining people must pick up the taxes

Very true. Unfortunately the people leaving are tax payers and the ones that remain may not be, which makes the problem even worse.

 

[OldDan1943]

very true. Unfortunately the people leaving are tax payers and the ones that remain may not be, which makes the problem even worse.

+1 bingo!!!

 

[slowgoesit]

Please post on topic

Folks, the topic of the thread is "Liveaboard Life in Alaska", so let's please stick to that and avoid more contentious subjects, shall we?

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Folks, the topic of the thread is "Liveaboard Life in Alaska", so let's please stick to that and avoid more contentious subjects, shall we?

Thank you

SEAK is becoming a popular place to live aboard. There are waiting lists involved, but once you get a slip the cost is reasonable. Wrangell and Petersburg the most popular. After last summer there was an influx of fplks from Washington looking at living on their boats.

 

[CharlieO.]

Kevin, how are you doing with all the snow?

 

[ksanders]

Kevin, how are you doing with all the snow?

Funny about Seward, it started raining and melted the snow!

I am away from the boat for a few days. Have a run of four night shifts starting tonight to get through, and it's a bit too far to drive back to Seward, get some sleep and drive back to work. 12 hour shifts only allow for sleeping and chow during your off time.

39 more shifts to go

In two weeks I'm flying to Baja, for a few weeks in La Paz. That way I can get a feel for things, and reserve a slip for next winter if I like the town.

Staying right next to two of the harbors so I can see what life is like, vs staying at one of the resorts.

If any TF'ers are in La Paz I would be happy to buy a beer or lunch and chat.

 

[CharlieO.]

I can sense your excitement for your upcoming adventures. I currently still have friends in Seward that keep talking about shoveling all the snow.

 

[ksanders]

I can sense your excitement for your upcoming adventures. I currently still have friends in Seward that keep talking about shoveling all the snow.

I am excited! I got out of tech school in 1982, and have never missed a paycheck since then. Not one.

Raised my kid, did what was expected of me for four decades. Now it's my time to go play.

Although this year has been unusually cold, at sea level in Seward it typically snows and then rains. You get a few stretches of really cold north winds in January and February, but otherwise it's surprisingly mild. Think Seattle -10 degrees and you have the idea. Boats generally need to be shoveled only a few times a year.

Seward is built on the side of a mountain. Go up hill just a bit and it Really snows.

 

[ronobrien]

I am excited! I got out of tech school in 1982, and have never missed a paycheck since then. Not one.

Raised my kid, did what was expected of me for four decades. Now it's my time to go play.

Although this year has been unusually cold, at sea level in Seward it typically snows and then rains. You get a few stretches of really cold north winds in January and February, but otherwise it's surprisingly mild. Think Seattle -10 degrees and you have the idea. Boats generally need to be shoveled only a few times a year.

Seward is built on the side of a mountain. Go up hill just a bit and it Really snows.

Congratulations on your up coming adventure. I have 2 years left in construction in New England. Cold today, snowed last night. I bought a 1973 Grand Banks last November and it is on the hard for a 2 year refit before I head got warmer climates. Best of luck. Be safe.

 

[backinblue]

Record warmth in New England in the coming days, hang in there!