Sometimes Liveaboard life is not so easy

​Sometimes Liveaboard Live is not so easy. Today is one of those days.

I am in Seward Alaska chuckling at my misfortune.

I returned to the boat last night after having a great Thanksgiving with my son and his family. It is 13F outside, and the wind is blowing with 40 mph gusts.

That cold wind sucks all the heat out of my uninsulated boat. I have all three furnaces going, as well as the generator and the built in electric heaters in the Master and the Salon. With all these going I can keep the inside temps in the mid to high 60's. Without the electric the boat would be in the high 40's to low 50's right now.

If I wern't already traveling in December I would be on Alaska Airlines site looking for a cheap ticket to someplace warm. Actually I might just do that anyway, we'll see how my morning goes.

I'm not complaining mind you, just pointing out that Liveaboard life is not all sunshine and sand between your toes.

At least not this winter. Next winter is another story. Next winter I will either be on the Baja or will have died trying.​

And yet I envy you and your adventure. A balmy, windy, rainy 43 degrees in LaConner this morning!

That's ridiculously cold

Hi Kevin:


Thirteen degrees Farenheit... that is painfully cold. Even the sixty degrees inside your boat is uncomfortably chilly.


Pray tell, what is keeping you there in Alaska? If a job, I hope it pays well.


Hubby Dan (who is from Cleveland, and married me, a Floridian) has an expression regarding the cruise/migration from cold climes to warmer climes:


"From North to South, its all downhill."


Cheers,
Mrs. Trombley

Miz Trom said:

Hi Kevin:


Thirteen degrees Farenheit... that is painfully cold. Even the sixty degrees inside your boat is uncomfortably chilly.


Pray tell, what is keeping you there in Alaska? If a job, I hope it pays well.


Hubby Dan (who is from Cleveland, and married me, a Floridian) has an expression regarding the cruise/migration from cold climes to warmer climes:


"From North to South, its all downhill."


Cheers,
Mrs. Trombley

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Alaska is a gorgeous place in the summer! Winter not so much.

This winter I am just running out the clock on a 40 year career. Retirement is May 1st and as of this morning I have 39 twelve hour shifts to work between now and then.

Leaving my working years behind represents a freedom that I have never experienced as an adult. Like many I went to work right after tech school/college, raised my family, did what I thought was expected of me and thankfully never missed even one paycheck in all that time.

Now I am free with zero responsibility, and no worries. I have my boat, and a bit of money, and a good safe retirement income. I am almost 60 and if I can keep my health and mobility for the next hopefully two decades life will end up being quite the adventure.

Things could be worse, except for the wind and cold...

i grew up in sitka and miss it dearly, but i'd not want to spend the winter aboard up there any more.
puget sound is bad enough. my old boat was pretty well insulated, i could keep it mid 70'5 easy with forced air heat.
new boat, not insulated, not sure how the hydronic heat will do yet. so far it's good, but it's not freezing yet either.
i'm surprised you're not running a dickinson cook stove. we had those running all winter long on the fishing boats. did a great job keeping the cabin warm.

The only thing worst than cold is cold and wet. Feel your pain.

“Next year will be in Baja, or have died trying”.

I like that. [emoji57]

Liveaboard is a lot of things but "easy" is not something I ever assumed! Good luck with the winter and your upcoming retirement. I'm probably looking at retiring next year as well. I would have already except they keep paying me to stay home and do very little. I'm kind of practicing at retirement now. My life was very similar in some respects. Worked hard all my life, as many hours as possible to earn as much as possible, night school to earn degrees, etc. My son's generation has different priorities, but maybe they are right!

I once met a guy who was on the verge of retiring from his Alaskan job. When asked where he was going to retire to he said he would strap a snow shovel to the top of his car, drive south and stop when some one asked "what's that?". ?

GoneDiving said:

I once met a guy who was on the verge of retiring from his Alaskan job. When asked where he was going to retire to he said he would strap a snow shovel to the top of his car, drive south and stop when some one asked "what's that?". ?

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heard the same story about an ice scraper hanging from the rigging...

cardude01 said:

“Next year will be in Baja, or have died trying”.

I like that. [emoji57]

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Me, too.

Hi Kevin:

Delighted - actually tickled pink - to hear of your impending retirement! Big Congrats!

I'll bet that being 39 twelve-hour shifts away from a financially well-planned retirement makes tolerating the present blustery COLD a bit easier.

I love reading here about our members' cruising adventures in the PNW, having never boated there. On your way to Baja, please take lots of photos and share them with us.

Cheers,
Mrs. Trombley

Yes Kevin, living aboard can be hard. I say this as I find myself stuck in Anacortes un able to make it home to Seattle due to heavy winds all because I thought I would take my home for a Thanksgiving spin to the San Juan Islands. Life would be so much easier if I was just sitting in a house watching football all week like everyone else.

Bmarler said:

heard the same story about an ice scraper hanging from the rigging...

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...electric plug hanging out the car grill.

AlaskaProf said:

...electric plug hanging out the car grill.

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lol, like yours better.

tiltrider1 said:

Yes Kevin, living aboard can be hard. I say this as I find myself stuck in Anacortes un able to make it home to Seattle due to heavy winds all because I thought I would take my home for a Thanksgiving spin to the San Juan Islands. Life would be so much easier if I was just sitting in a house watching football all week like everyone else.

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LOL!!! Yep!

Wifey B: It's turned cold here now. We came inside the house as it's dropped to 65 degrees. Of course, almost 10:00 PM. Today and tomorrow mid to upper 70's and out boating in open boats. :lol:

I loved our trip to Alaska, but it was summer and our winter temps. I've found people nice everywhere and could live anywhere except for climate. Lived in NC and boated as much as possible, but once you hit year round boating, you can't imagine giving it up.

I laugh when Floridians don't know what a diesel heater is and then again when PNW'ers don't understand why all our boats in FL have A/C.

Although we’d rather not, we’re spending the winter in the northeast this year. Uncharacteristically I put a positive spin on it. It’s quiet and serene, we will get to visit friends and family more often and our dog will be able to play in the snow. I have a shovel and broom for the deck and I’ll get a snow shovel for the dock. I can’t say I’m looking forward to it with rabid anticipation but, not dreading it either.

It might violate one of our two liveaboard rules- no more winter coats. But if we layer with what we have, we will remain in technical compliance.

Porgy said:

Although we’d rather not, we’re spending the winter in the northeast this year. Uncharacteristically I put a positive spin on it. It’s quiet and serene, we will get to visit friends and family more often and our dog will be able to play in the snow. I have a shovel and broom for the deck and I’ll get a snow shovel for the dock. I can’t say I’m looking forward to it with rabid anticipation but, not dreading it either.

It might violate one of our two liveaboard rules- no more winter coats. But if we layer with what we have, we will remain in technical compliance.

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Wifey B: I strongly advise a trip to Academy Sports or similar and ski jackets like Columbia or their house brand. Best purchases we ever made as good for movement and amazing for warmth. Plus get headgear and gloves. The house brand is far less expensive than you'd expect.

We’re good. Lived up this way until we retired. Spend most winters in Charleston where it does get a cold snap now and then, even snow one year there. Have been in Key West where it didn’t crack 70 for a few days and I thought that was cold. Acclimation to weather is a weird thing.

Hey Kevin,

When you head south, make sure your AC is in great shape before you cross the border….Summers are brutal in the Sea of Cortez. But, I miss the shorts and flip flops. Started wearing shoes and socks again….boy does that feel weird!

I feel your pain. Doubt it well get over 80 degrees F here in San Diego today.

Crusty Chief said:

Hey Kevin,

When you head south, make sure your AC is in great shape before you cross the border….Summers are brutal in the Sea of Cortez. But, I miss the shorts and flip flops. Started wearing shoes and socks again….boy does that feel weird!

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AC? What is AC?

Is that the reverse of my three furnaces?

In all seriousness i'll have to see where that one goes. After being trapped inside for six months out of the year for three decades I am not anxious to be trapped inside ever again.

My current thoughts are that I'll be migrating. South in the winter, and out of hurricanes reach, into the temperate climate of America in the summer.

There is so much to explore!

Someday I'll settle down but like many new retirees the first thing I want to do is see all the little things we miss when we take a couple, two week vacations a year.

One summer I want to hike the redwoods. Another explore the California Delta, or do like you did, explore the Columbia basin.

Alaskans are a different sort. We rarely leave the state in the summer because summer is what we live for. We tend to vacation in warm places like Hawaii, and Mexico. What we miss out on is everything in between.

Great example... next July I have a week reserved at the inner causeway in Victoria Harbor. That sounds like a wonderful place to explore. Perhaps I'll try to get a slip reserved for the week of July 4th in Anacortes for that celebration.

ksanders said:

​S

I will either be on the Baja or will have died trying.​

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Hope you make it. Sounds way to cold to ever be comfortable on a boat.

Some places are too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter. Some people escape the cold northern states and move to FL but often it's not much different. In either place you cann have 6-9 months of great waether and then 3-6 months where you are stuck inside. Your choice if that means sitting in a heated or A/C environment.

backinblue said:

Some places are too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter. Some people escape the cold northern states and move to FL but often it's not much different. In either place you cann have 6-9 months of great waether and then 3-6 months where you are stuck inside. Your choice if that means sitting in a heated or A/C environment.

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The most perfect weather on this planet is Southern California from about Morro Bay south to Ensenada Baja.

Little need for AC or furnaces

ksanders said:

The most perfect weather on this planet is Southern California from about Morro Bay south to Ensenada Baja.



Little need for AC or furnaces

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I can’t imagine no need for AC or heat. That sounds wonderful.

Also, no hurricanes. I spend so much time planning for/trying to dodge hurricanes.

What’s the availability of slips in this area?

cardude01 said:

I can’t imagine no need for AC or heat. That sounds wonderful.

Also, no hurricanes. I spend so much time planning for/trying to dodge hurricanes.

What’s the availability of slips in this area?

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San Diego has private marinas and it seems like plenty of slips available. Pricing for a 50' slip seems to be in the 1000-1200 range.

Ensenada Baja is about half that.

Don't know about the other parts.

ksanders said:

San Diego has private marinas and it seems like plenty of slips available. Pricing for a 50' slip seems to be in the 1000-1200 range.
.

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I visited San Diego last spring and visited most of the marinas. No availability whatsoever for my 72'. I couldn't even get anyone to put me on a waiting list

~Alan

One of my retirement rules is: "follow the whales."

North in the summer (that's been screwed up last two seasons)
South in the winter to my little piece of paradisio in Mulege.

I would argue best weather happens more often there vs Ensenada. Kinda cold waters. And Ensenada has grown exponentially last 10/15 years. My place, poco poco. Cervesa es muy frio! Come visit.

ksanders said:

The most perfect weather on this planet is Southern California from about Morro Bay south to Ensenada Baja.

Little need for AC or furnaces

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True, except that it's in California! lol