In the wise words of Sebastian, the cranky crab in the Disney movie The Little Mermaid: “Up on the shore they work all day. Out in the sun they slave away. While we devotin?
Full time to floatin? Under the sea.”
Due to the unavailability of oxygen, it is not advisable for a human to embrace the carefree life of a fish under the sea. However, for a human, the spirit and soul of Sebastian’s words can be encompassed through life on a boat. Here are a few reasons why living on a boat is better than life on land:
- Simple living is happy living.
Psychologists say that when people own more clutter than they know how to manage, their brains go into a state of anxiety. In the materialistic culture we live in, this state of mind is almost the norm. Living on a boat forces you into a simplistic lifestyle that is healthy for mind, body, and soul. You don’t have the space to hoard junk that you do not need. While life on land can become an exhausting cycle of running from one event to the next searching for fulfillment, when you live on a boat, you have no choice but to live with few obligations and find joy in the simple things, like the smell of the ocean breeze and a beautiful sunset. - Luxury is always at your fingertips.
Living on a boat doesn’t have to be like your own personal season of Survivor (unless that’s your thing). Many boat dwellers spend part of their time in some of the best vacation condominiums across the world. The beautiful partnership of permanent boaters and vacation condominiums is so strong that many vacation condominiums make special accommodations just for our breed. You’ll find oceanfront vacation condominiums that provide free boat docking and access to boat maintenance resources when needed. Unlike land dwellers, boaters have the perfect balance of peace and solitude on their boat, and also the nightlife, cuisine, and activities that come with the vacation rental accommodations at their next port. - The cost of living is next to nill.
If you own your boat, you have no mortgage or rent to pay for the roof over your head. Most boats are equipped with solar recharging batteries so that you don’t have to pay for electricity. With inexpensive equipment, you can clean your own water for drinking. Your monthly bills might only include a small amount of diesel and vacation rentals costs when you go on land. It seems like a way of life for humans to be so bound to the debt and expenses of living that they can’t actually live. Life on a boat gives you the freedom to enjoy life without the confines of bills. - You learn to be self-reliant.
When your boat needs repair in the middle of the ocean, you figure out how to fix it yourself. You become an expert handyman (or woman), a confidant chef, a resourceful creator of goods that you need in between ports. When you don’t see civilization for days at a time, you figure out island fishing and preparing your own meals with the food you’ve caught yourself. There is such an enormous sense of satisfaction realizing that you are capable of living off of the product of your own hard work. - You leave less of a carbon footprint on this planet.
Even the most energy-conscious people create a certain amount waste on land. Their houses might be lit with electricity that comes from a non-renewable source. They use resources that were manufactured in ways that used energy. They shop at grocery stores that contribute to the incredible waste humans produce.Life on a boat is about as green as it gets. You use far less water than you ever would on land. Your electricity probably comes from a renewable source, such as solar panels. Most of all, you find yourself recycling as if it’s a religion. Space is limited and your next stop might not be for a while; you won’t bring anything onto your boat unless it serves several lifetimes of functionality for you.
Have you ever experienced life on a boat? Please share the highlights of your experience in the comment section below!
