What do live aboards do in winter?

[longjohnsilver]

Having read good reports about Catagena on here, we wandered around yesterday with the view of possibly moving our boat to the Med and enjoying some winter sun.

Cartagena is a lovely city, the old bull ring and Roman amphitheater fascinating, the wide streets inviting and clean, but after a pleasant lunch and a few drinks, I started to wonder what you guys (& girls) who live on board during the winter actually do with your time. As someone on another thread said, lots of people who have apartments here in the Med, their day revolves around UK papers and drinking. Ok, we have the Internet, which maybe replaces the papers, but almost inevitably our days here end with a drink or two at a local bar or restaurant, enjoying the low low prices compared to back home, so maybe those observations were close to the mark?

Talking to my other half last night, she basically said the same, what would we actually do with our time each day, away from relatives, neighbours and friends from home? The lure of the sun is great, and I can see that we can do more outdoor activities in comfort, walking and cycling for us, but every day, and all day? What goes on in the live aboard community? And is it a community or just a mixture of people thrown together for 4 or 5 months during the winter? I want to do something different in retirement, but am struggling to convince myself, let alone my other half, that living aboard in the Med is the answer. Am I missing something obvious?

Comments and observations appreciated!

 

[ripvan1]

Being content with one's own and partner's company has a lot to do with it I feel. One doesn't have to be "doing" something all the time. I found that doing chores and maintenance on boat, daily shop, trying different cafes, talking to various others met on walks etc, reading, cooking evening meal followed by evening stroll - along with occasional trip away all took time. Trying to "plan" winters as a liveaboard I found didn't work as you never knew what was going to happen from one day to next - be it helping someone else with problem with their boat or other problems. I always carried an extensive tool kit aboard for my own use and others should they need help. Even carried chainsaw on board which ended up cutting some driftwood for use in woodburner on one chap's boat. Oh and don't forget your siesta.

 

[lindsay]

In the Mediterranean, on sailing yachts at least, THEY SAIL!!

 

[longjohnsilver]

In the Mediterranean, on sailing yachts at least, THEY SAIL!!

Do they? In 2 weeks I've seen a handful of sailing boats out at sea. Sitting now looking over a big marina on Mar Menor on a beautiful day, a few small monos have moved but not one yacht. Much the same in Cartagena, , Javea and Moraira

 

[Peroo]

In our neck of the woods live-aboards over the winter take advantage of cultural events run by the council, participate in various locally promoted fitness schemes, take advantage of cruiser promoted events - games evenings, quizzes, music evenings - jamming and learning, walks, computer clubs, dancing classes, beach activities, fun sailing (i.e. racing), sail in fair weather, cinema evenings, etc. and local opportunities such as learning to surf, land yachting, go-karting, dive and indeed sky-dive, learn a language, art classes, visiting wineries etc. There is a lot of boat maintenance, socialising, helping fellow cruisers, learning experiences from other cruisers for the next summers plans, and indeed hosting visitors!

Life here over the winter is potentially very busy - the skill is often working out how best to combine activity and relaxation! Time flies. Quite a few cruisers here-abouts have been here for many years.

The answer is probably what do you want to do and find a place that meets your needs. We will be back next year.

 

[duncan99210]

We found that by the time we'd shopped, had a coffee, chatted to others, taken a widget to bits and rebuilt it, talked to the marina about lifting out, looked at flights to UK for grandkids birthdays, written a blog, repaired a flat tyre on the bike, cooked a couple meals and eaten them that there wasn't that much time left to wonder what to do.

Seriously, we always had a list of work to do on the boat, some improvements, others fixing broken items. By the time we'd sourced the spares and done the jobs that left fairly minimal down time which we spent exploring the surrounding countryside. Social life was usually busy and we certainly never found ourselves looking round thinking 'god I'm bored, why did we come here'.

 

[jordanbasset]

In our neck of the woods live-aboards over the winter take advantage of cultural events run by the council, participate in various locally promoted fitness schemes, take advantage of cruiser promoted events - games evenings, quizzes, music evenings - jamming and learning, walks, computer clubs, dancing classes, beach activities, fun sailing (i.e. racing), sail in fair weather, cinema evenings, etc. and local opportunities such as learning to surf, land yachting, go-karting, dive and indeed sky-dive, learn a language, art classes, visiting wineries etc. There is a lot of boat maintenance, socialising, helping fellow cruisers, learning experiences from other cruisers for the next summers plans, and indeed hosting visitors!

Life here over the winter is potentially very busy - the skill is often working out how best to combine activity and relaxation! Time flies. Quite a few cruisers here-abouts have been here for many years.

The answer is probably what do you want to do and find a place that meets your needs. We will be back next year.

We found that by the time we'd shopped, had a coffee, chatted to others, taken a widget to bits and rebuilt it, talked to the marina about lifting out, looked at flights to UK for grandkids birthdays, written a blog, repaired a flat tyre on the bike, cooked a couple meals and eaten them that there wasn't that much time left to wonder what to do.

Seriously, we always had a list of work to do on the boat, some improvements, others fixing broken items. By the time we'd sourced the spares and done the jobs that left fairly minimal down time which we spent exploring the surrounding countryside. Social life was usually busy and we certainly never found ourselves looking round thinking 'god I'm bored, why did we come here'.

Agree with all of that.
The question could easily be what do people find to do all day in winter when living at home in the UK.

 

[Koeketiene]

In our neck of the woods live-aboards over the winter take advantage of cultural events run by the council, participate in various locally promoted fitness schemes, take advantage of cruiser promoted events - games evenings, quizzes, music evenings - jamming and learning, walks, computer clubs, dancing classes, beach activities, fun sailing (i.e. racing), sail in fair weather, cinema evenings, etc. and local opportunities such as learning to surf, land yachting, go-karting, dive and indeed sky-dive, learn a language, art classes, visiting wineries etc.

You make it sound like Bayview Retirement Home

 

[vyv_cox]

You make it sound like Bayview Retirement Home

+1 Quite a few years ago we spent the winter at a 'rally' in the motorhome in Portugal, where the itinerary was fairly similar to that one. By far the worst winter we have ever spent. Now we stop at home doing stuff we want to do, rather than 'events' dreamed up by somebody else for 'our entertainment'.

 

[capnsensible]

The question could easily be what do people find to do all day in winter when living at home in the UK.

Bang on, I was going to say exactly the same!

 

[tcm]

Having read good reports about Catagena on here, we wandered around yesterday with the view of possibly moving our boat to the Med and enjoying some winter sun.

Cartagena is a lovely city, the old bull ring and Roman amphitheater fascinating, the wide streets inviting and clean, but after a pleasant lunch and a few drinks, I started to wonder what you guys (& girls) who live on board during the winter actually do with your time. As someone on another thread said, lots of people who have apartments here in the Med, their day revolves around UK papers and drinking. Ok, we have the Internet, which maybe replaces the papers, but almost inevitably our days here end with a drink or two at a local bar or restaurant, enjoying the low low prices compared to back home, so maybe those observations were close to the mark?

Talking to my other half last night, she basically said the same, what would we actually do with our time each day, away from relatives, neighbours and friends from home? The lure of the sun is great, and I can see that we can do more outdoor activities in comfort, walking and cycling for us, but every day, and all day? What goes on in the live aboard community? And is it a community or just a mixture of people thrown together for 4 or 5 months during the winter? I want to do something different in retirement, but am struggling to convince myself, let alone my other half, that living aboard in the Med is the answer. Am I missing something obvious?

Comments and observations appreciated!

Good answers in this thread already. Note that you don't have to find something to do FOREVER - just for one winter. The following winter you could be in the Algarve, and so on.

Anyway, what was the "something different" that you wanted to do in retirement? Or did you mean just not loafing around? Loafing around is ok, yerknow? I mean EITHER you have to keep busy and productive and industrious... OR you could get used to slightly loafing around. I can read a book in a day, and have got Netflix which means TV with no adverts. There is a danger of joining the "live aboard community" a bit too much - often shorthand for drinking cheap wine on other people's boats. That's ok now and again - not every day, as you say.

Community v "bunch of thrown-together people .... er aren't all "communities" just "a bunch of people thrown together", really? I'm afraid I'm with Maggie on that word. Some bunches of thrown-together people have movers and shakers and do interesting things, and some don't. Sometimes the thrown-together people get to know each other personally and meet up several times a month/week and pool resources to a greater or lesser extent, and under those circumstances they could be called a "community" - but even this loose definition means that a bunch of people living on yachts in a marina isn't much a "community".

At the moment I am contributing towards the Atlantic Crossers Grouo which community-wise is just a bunch of people who have signed up to share emails, so they haven't even got to the stage of being thrown together. Quite fun. Did I have health insurance? (nah) And what about courtesy flags? (nah) and so on.

The main reason that Med cruisers don't much sail around in the winter is that a) it's colder and a good time to get things done b) lots of places are slightly shut over winter c) the weather can cut up quite rough in winter (remember?) and d) it is super- cheap to stay in one place with a 6month contract in winter - not so cheap if you start moving about.

Best would be to perhaps do something else with slightly nicer weather. Like go skiing? OR you could stay in the caribbean? I'm looking for a house-sitter for Nov-end Feb next year but then you have exactly the same problem as with Cartagena - and no fascinating bull-ring or any of that stuff. Hum.

 

[vyv_cox]

Bang on, I was going to say exactly the same!

Well, where to start?

1. I'm writing a book.
2. We are making a large, complex awning for the boat
3. I have given several talks already with a couple more planned. All take some preparation time
4. Rebuilt a lathe, including welding a new framework
5. Couple of trips in the motorhome
6. A number of visits to our second little 'project' boat and short trips
7. Written a couple of articles for the magazines
8. Concreting in the garden until weather got too cold
9. Installed two double-glazed windows bought on Ebay to the workshop
10. Bought and sold (and delivered) several other items on Ebay
11.Cut down and logged several trees

I could come up with lots more but they are the first ones that come to mind.

 

[longjohnsilver]

Thanks Matt, yes I do remember! Was even worse here on Sunday!

I just knew that someone would pick me up on the community remark as soon as I posted it, had to be you...

Thanks to the other posters, all interesting stuff.

 

[TQA]

Well in the Eastern Carib we go sailing. I wander around the area from Trinidad to St Marten all year round but staying at the Southern end during hurricane season.

Also I play with the cat and fix boat stuff.

Did I mention playing with the cat?

View attachment 55943

 

[capnsensible]

Well, where to start?

1. I'm writing a book.
2. We are making a large, complex awning for the boat
3. I have given several talks already with a couple more planned. All take some preparation time
4. Rebuilt a lathe, including welding a new framework
5. Couple of trips in the motorhome
6. A number of visits to our second little 'project' boat and short trips
7. Written a couple of articles for the magazines
8. Concreting in the garden until weather got too cold
9. Installed two double-glazed windows bought on Ebay to the workshop
10. Bought and sold (and delivered) several other items on Ebay
11.Cut down and logged several trees

I could come up with lots more but they are the first ones that come to mind.

So just like everyone else, there are those who prefer to be busy and active.. Equally around are those who prefer to go slow.

No difference really ashore or afloat, its your own character that motivates your fulfillment.

Whatever path you choose, personally I'd do it in the sun!

 

[sailaboutvic]

Well, where to start?

1. I'm writing a book.
2. We are making a large, complex awning for the boat
3. I have given several talks already with a couple more planned. All take some preparation time
4. Rebuilt a lathe, including welding a new framework
5. Couple of trips in the motorhome
6. A number of visits to our second little 'project' boat and short trips
7. Written a couple of articles for the magazines
8. Concreting in the garden until weather got too cold
9. Installed two double-glazed windows bought on Ebay to the workshop
10. Bought and sold (and delivered) several other items on Ebay
11.Cut down and logged several trees

I could come up with lots more but they are the first ones that come to mind.

Other then concreting the garden ( and you could do that if you had a concrete boat ) and cutting down trees , you could do it on a boat in the sun .

 

[sailaboutvic]

(Talking to my other half last night, she basically said the same, what would we actually do with our time each day, away from relatives, neighbours and friends from home? )
For a start you will have a lot more Neighbour and friends over a winter stop over then you can ever imagine , most ready to give you an helping hand at a moment notice and for relatives , you have plenty of time to visit them , no different then if you was back in an house .
( The lure of the sun is great, and I can see that we can do more outdoor activities in comfort, walking and cycling for us, but every day, and all day?)
Give me the warm weather any day , we reading all the time bout the rain and cold back home while most days we enjoying good sunny days and not so many cold nights , just ideal for any outdoor activities unless you want to ski and nothing stop you from sailing in the winter , we have some great sailing days /weeks better at time then summer days back home .
( What goes on in the live aboard community? And is it a community or just a mixture of people thrown together for 4 or 5 months during the winter? )
What make the Liveaboard community interesting is the mix of people from all walks of life , we do need help line if we have a PC ,engine or Heath problem one call on the VHF will soon have someone call , most are very helpful , I never known neighbours on dry land who are so helpful , they are most likely to be moaning about something .
( I want to do something different in retirement, but am struggling to convince myself, let alone my other half, that living aboard in the Med is the answer. Am I missing something obvious? )
Liveaboard don't stop you doing any thing , it's not for everyone , thank god or there be thousand out here , it seems to me , your a bit lost , for now anyway , you haven't got a clue what you what to do and until you do my suggestion would be stay put .
Our biggest fear is what are we going to do when the time comes when we have to move back on land .

 

[vyv_cox]

So just like everyone else, there are those who prefer to be busy and active.. Equally around are those who prefer to go slow.

No difference really ashore or afloat, its your own character that motivates your fulfillment.

Whatever path you choose, personally I'd do it in the sun!

Doing the mostly indoor things for six months in winter helps to pay for six months in the summer sun Which reminds me, I have had to purchase and have made several parts to keep the boat going. It would not have been impossible to do this in Greece but considerably easier and better done in UK.

 

[vyv_cox]

Other then concreting the garden ( and you could do that if you had a concrete boat ) and cutting down trees , you could do it on a boat in the sun .

Your boat may be big enough for a motorhome but I have to confess mine is not.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Your boat may be big enough for a motorhome but I have to confess mine is not.

Ok maybe not an motor home ,
but we do have two liveaboard here this year who also have a motor home parked in the Marina and one with Couple motor bike .
Oh yea one has his jet parked in the local airport .