The live aboard life

TQA said:
Here is one of mine. Note the total absence of development. No houses no people often no other yachts. Just perfect peace.
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Good afternoon:

These two posts prompt me to ask something that I have often wondered about: "what is it about some yachtsmen and women that drives them to wax poetic about isolated anchorages over marinas?

Okay, there is a lot to be said for peace and quiet for periods of time but from the general tone of the posts to which I am referring I get the impression that the posters want nothing to do with other humans.

It almost seems to me that these posters dislike other human company.

One of the reasons for cruising, seems to me, is to meet other people and learn or experience something of their country which certainly can't be experienced when anchored out in a bay miles from human habitation.

Any help on this question will be appreciated.

Cheers

Squeaky
 
Squeaky - maybe your post answers the question: why is it that if we are the only boat anchored in a deserted bay, when another boat arrives it anchors so close to us that we have to ask them to move? They just want to meet us and learn about our country!
 
Marinas ahh that is where there is always

creaking from the pontoons

noisy halyards

a few singing roller furling masts

someone singing Elvis songs as they make their way back to their boat

mosquitoes

looky lous

and water the colour of mud with all sorts of interesting floaters passing you by in the morning.
 
Squeaky said:
Good afternoon:

These two posts prompt me to ask something that I have often wondered about: "what is it about some yachtsmen and women that drives them to wax poetic about isolated anchorages over marinas?

Okay, there is a lot to be said for peace and quiet for periods of time but from the general tone of the posts to which I am referring I get the impression that the posters want nothing to do with other humans.

It almost seems to me that these posters dislike other human company.

One of the reasons for cruising, seems to me, is to meet other people and learn or experience something of their country which certainly can't be experienced when anchored out in a bay miles from human habitation.

Any help on this question will be appreciated.

Cheers

Squeaky
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Hi Squeaky,

yes we do prefer quite idyllic anchorages when we are cruising. However we do go into Marinas and also enjoy them. However the solace of a peacefull anchorage with crystal clear water and a sandy bottom-well you decide.

Peter
 
TQA said:
Marinas ahh that is where there is always

and water the colour of mud with all sorts of interesting floaters passing you by in the morning.
Click to expand...

Good morning:

I wish you would think abit before posting such old tired complaints because I doubt very much if any of you have actually seen any "floaters" unless someone is using the "bucket and chuck it" system as all pipes leading from marina toilets will have a certain amount of sea water in the lower portion of the pipe and therefore any "floaters" will remain on the surface of that water until the "item" is broken up and sinks never to float again.

I admit that there might be some very very limited circumstances where some "items" might float outside of the pipe but it would be extremely limited and certainly not as often as that old canard is complained about in posts.

Cheers

Squeaky
 
Definitely each to their own, whatever works is obviously the way to go. Doubt many true liveaboards could afford to marina it all the time even if they wanted to. Living aboard tied to a pontoon, surrounded by boats; noise; unable to swim whenever; paying ridiculous fees; really wanting to cut banging halyards; considering whether to radio the marina or pop next door to join the party at stupid o'clock...

We have a "luxury" marina night once a month or so, ooh all that fresh water and electric - very indulgent. After deck scrubbing, washing machine loads done, provisioning etc definitely happy to move again.

Isolated anchorages are not that isolated, popping over to other boats in the dinghy makes new friends, returning to your own boat gives space and privacy back, no debris compared to in some marinas (note, I said some!). Befriended lovely people on an amazing trimaran earlier today, just came back from having dinner with them and are out for a spin on their yacht tomorrow.

Everything in life is about personal preference, there's no wrong or right in that.
 
SamanthaTabs said:
.
Befriended lovely people on an amazing trimaran earlier today, just came back from having dinner with them and are out for a spin on their yacht tomorrow.
.
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Good afternoon:

Others might well read the above to read: "Annoyed and disturbed the peace and quiet of another boat enjoying the solitude of our anchorage this afternoon and they were kind enough to invite us to dine with them"

My original question was not to question the enjoyment of anchorages during the summer months as most people who have posted have defended. I am more interested in the motivation of those who go on and on about the use of anchorages as if that was the "be all and end all" of living aboard.

Cheers

Squeaky
 
We don't like marinas. In Poole a few weeks ago we were rushed £37 for the joy of lecky we don't need and water we do but we had to be there for daughter to come for swmbo birthday. They even stipulated that we had to be away for midday. Next day we were off to South Deep to anchor, which would have been great if a 30ft sunseeker hadn't anchor right next to us then dragged when the thunder storm came through that night. I still know which I prefer, though.

In Brixham we had one night in the marina and were so dis-chuffed we were ready to be off next day, until one of the sailing trawler skippers suggested the town pontoon, which was much better and half the price. We stayed four days. Similar tales of Lymington, Beuliea and Weymouth.

For me, marinas mean short, wobbly pontoons, no manouvering space, overheating in sun and squeaky pontoons in the wind, banging halliyards, neighbours six feet away, often surly staff, no character, at the most extreme (Port Solent) it's like visiting a shopping mall but can't buy a loaf of bread, being away from the place you're visiting and all for a rip off price. Marina hopping seems to me like buying a camper van to get away from it all and then taking it to a car park full of other camper vans every evening. Great place to keep a boat while you're not using it if you can afford it, but not for visiting.

We much prefer anchoring, mooring bouys or even rafting on town quays. the first two give the ability to be part of the action if we want and not if we don't and rafting on town quays or pontoons are often more friendly and certainly a lot cheaper than marinas.

But let's keep the marinas full and leave more room in the anchorages and town quays.

PS; And in Brixton my Wi-Fi dongle wouldn't work in the marina, a message came on screen saying I would have to pay for their Wi-Fi connection. Coincidence? And if not, by what right can they block my telecommunications?
 
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Motivation? Hmm, if life was spent going from one marina to another constantly then I'd rather have a house and a small boat for recreational use. I also fail to see how one learns more about different cultures in a marina than at anchor. Perhaps Henri, Guiseppe, Fritz and Costas tied up alongside help?

Trimaran guys were admiring our dog on my paddle board, invited us for a drink, asked me if I knew a good restaurant, said amazing Chinese here and that we were going there, they asked to join us. Lovely evening!

I'd like to say that many of us wax lyrical about anchoring purely due to cost, but I'd be lying. If that suits you then may your pockets be eternally deep :)
 
Squeaky said:
Good afternoon:

Others might well read the above to read: "Annoyed and disturbed the peace and quiet of another boat enjoying the solitude of our anchorage this afternoon and they were kind enough to invite us to dine with them"

My original question was not to question the enjoyment of anchorages during the summer months as most people who have posted have defended. I am more interested in the motivation of those who go on and on about the use of anchorages as if that was the "be all and end all" of living aboard.

Cheers

Squeaky
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Because...

1. If I wanted to spend all my time in a boat park I probably would buy an apartment
2. I am not in the financial league to spend £200 a night (say £36000 for our summer). If I was a would have a much bigger boat and then could not afford the marina fees on that!
3. Its a mix. We anchor because we dont have the noise, disturbance, can swim off the boat and get less damage than we do in Marinas. We enjoy our once a month marina visit because then we take advantage of the marina things, like washing the boat down with fresh water. I would hate to do it all the time. We also use marinas in places that we want to visit, Cartegena being a good example where we spent a week earlier this year. What I think people are saying, is that, given a choice between an anchorage outside a marina, and going into the marina its the anchorage every time for us. And, in bad weather conditions I have seen far more damage to yachts in a Marina then any anchored (in fact last winter we very nearly moved out of the marina in a gale as we felt that would be safer)

I may be wrong, but a lot of people who praise a marina over an anchorage whilst cruising are often covering there lack of confidence in their ability to anchor or in the equipment they have. We have all made big mistakes whilst learning, but you get the confidence in the end.

For the record, we are permanent live aboards in the Mediterranean, we cruise from April to October and pick a Marina to stay in for the winter, which suits us well.
 
I'm finding it hard to understand the intolerance of many of these posts. Rivonia (who, incidentally, is in the same marina as me, and has been for the last 3 or four weeks) posted a lovely picture of his cat at anchor in a deserted bay. All very nice. But the thread has since descended into a "if you don't do things my way you're stupid" thread. We have chosen to spend this summer on Crete, that means we've spent most of our time in the marina here. We spent the whole summer here a couple of years ago too. Whilst appreciating the delights of an anchorage, especially a deserted one, we're having a most enjoyable time in the marina. I understand of course that many (perhaps most) people on here would not enjoy that type of life but that doesn't mean that we should buy a house, sell the boat, or be labelled as too frightened to leave the marina. We are living our lives in the way we want, and since we're doing no harm to anyone else I see no reason to apologise for that. We will continue to live the lives we choose and I am truly delighted that others are doing the same, even if they chose a different way of living aboard a yacht.
 
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