10 Favourite Things About Living on a Sailboat

10. The Bacteria

Alright fine, it’s not just any bacteria. It’s bioluminescent bacteria and this may sound silly, but at night I fall in love with these tiny underwater stars. Bioluminescence is one of the many incredible and beautiful wonders of nature. There are many types of luminescent organisms, but my favourite is by far the bacteria. A splash made in the dark sparks thousands of tiny blue explosions, and riding the dinghy in the night is like being propelled by a jet stream of glitter. On clear nights we can sit on the deck and look up at the stars, then down at the underwater galaxies that live and sparkle beneath them.
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9. The Scarcity

Perhaps another odd thing to like… Yet living on a sailboat has taught me to really appreciate things I took for granted before. Simple things like freshwater become much more precious when you know how limited your supply is, or how far you have to hike to the waterfall to find it. Even buying groceries is a complex endeavour, usually involving several forms of transport, language barriers at the local market and finding a way to lug everything back on board. The fact that everything is just that little bit harder to do makes life on a sailboat much more rewarding.

8. The Wind

A more obvious choice, the power of the wind has impressed me time and again during my years on a sailboat. I am still awestruck every time the sails are full, and we are propelled towards our destination by one of nature’s invisible forces (keep in mind the boat weighs about 9 tonnes!). You can see the power of the wind on the waves, with the sea quick to rise to its call. The trace of strong winds on the shores of islands where the trees all slant the same way. And best of all, on hot tropical nights, the cool wind coming in through the open hatches.

7. The Isolation

Living on a sailboat is at times like living in your own personal bubble. You can actually choose how far you want to remove yourself from the world. Far enough so that you don’t see people on the shore, far enough so there’s no land in your horizon, far enough so that no phone signal can reach you, and far enough so that nothing else seems to exist except you, the boat and that moment.

6. The Birds & The Dolphins

Living in nature always introduces you to new and amazing creatures. Living on a sailboat, we are lucky enough to be able to enjoy some animals even without leaving our little floating home. Birds are always a welcome sight; seeing one after four days at sea lets you know you are close to land miles before you see it. Seeing dolphins play and swim alongside the boat is a pretty indescribable luxury.

5. The Moon & The Stars

I have always been partial to the moon for its quiet beauty. In the city it’s easy to forget to look up at the moon and after some time you lose track of its phases. On the water, the importance of the moon takes on a whole new level. It not only provides us with light on dark nights, but also controls the tides. In certain anchorages, the moon determines when we can or can’t go to land!

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4. The Solidarity

One of the most beautiful aspects of living on a sailboat is the sailing community itself. Although its members may come from all walks of life, and live or work on all different types of vessels, I am constantly surprised by the strong camaraderie that unites them. Around a bonfire everyone is equal, and at the end of the day, a sailor will always help out another sailor in need.
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3. The Rain

I must admit that I would feel differently about this if I weren’t living on a sailboat in the tropics. But around these parts, the squalls come and go quickly and bring us welcome relief from the thick humid heat. On land, it’s always impressive when the monsoon season arrives and you see the vegetation swell with vivid lush greens. On board, rain also means plenty of freshwater to replenish the tanks with and more occasions for me to wash my hair!

2. The Intimacy

Philippe Jeantot said that every year spent with your significant other at sea is worth three on land, and I couldn’t agree more! Living with your partner in such a confined space creates a very special relationship. This bond is one of the things I most treasure as it develops through learning from each other, facing engine problems, storms and unknown territory together. You are each other’s Captain and Crew as well as sole source of comfort, frustration, laughter and everything else in between.

1. The Freedom

By far my favourite thing is the feeling of complete freedom that comes with living on a sailboat. As you travel with your floating house in tow, you are completely free to decide on the destination. Sailboats are self-sustainable and with the right weather and preparations you can be free to roam to your heart’s content!