Friends on the Dock

As we are moving towards the 8 month mark of living aboard Salish Aire we both agreed that we really aren't ready to move.  Since the whole idea of a moveable residence is the ability to pick up and leave with a minimum of fuss this came as a bit of a revelation.

I was considering if it was time to change positions with my employer and one option was to move to our corporate office about 40 miles south.  The problem is that 40 miles south means traveling through Metropolitan Seattle on either Interstate 5 or 405 - now listed as 2 of the most congested roadways in the USA.  (We joke that I-5 is a speed limit sign rather than a road marker.)  This led to the thought of moving across Puget Sound to Bremerton where the marina is offering 2 years or moorage for the price of 1 year (and a much lower base rate than we currently pay).  The commute is still time consuming but much of it is via the state ferry system and bus rides.

When Clarice and I discussed this idea we both commented that we like our current neighborhood.  We lived in our last home for about 10 years and really only knew a couple of families on the block well.  We have lived in the marina for less than a year and frequently stop and talk with other live-aboard families.  In other words, we have more friends here than we did after a decade in our terrestrial home.  Its amazing how quickly you get to know people when everyone HAS to walk a block up the dock to get to their car.  We can't just put the dog in the back yard to do his doodle (he will happily pee on his designated fake grass pad if it is raining but that doesn't provide much exercise and he doesn't poop there unless it is the last option) so we walk him about 3 times a day - along with every other live aboard owner who has a dog.  When its below freezing and the Port shuts down the black water pump system we all strive to conserve precious tank space by plodding up to the marina bathroom - jammies are considered acceptable attire so all sense of decorum goes out the window.  When there is a storm we all run up and down the dock making sure everyone's lines are secure and boats and people are safe.  In a way this is our own little version of a village were people can't hide in there house and car and never interact with their neighbors.  Add that to a common love of boats and everything water borne and you have a place to call home.

Back once again to the infamous Hurricane furnace - we believe we have won the battle, click on the link for chapter 5 in the index and you can get the full story.