This is a new series I've started on the blog - a chance to meet some of the diverse bunch of people who live on boats on the canals and rivers. I've asked them all to answer a few questions about themselves and their life afloat!
Meet Lucy, who tweets as @narrowboatlucy
A bit about me:
I live onboard our 1978 Hancock & Lane narrowboat Kingfisher with my husband and our cat. We live on a residential mooring but try to get away when work permits. My favourite cruise to date was the Thames ring, which we did clockwise (250 miles, 175 locks!) in just 17 days last year. A bit of a whirlwind but very satisfying. Our boat's a year older than I am, and we're continually working on some project or other (currently reinstalling the stove), but it's been liveable from the day we bought it. When we first viewed it I actually cried (with relief or happiness, I'm not sure).
I live onboard our 1978 Hancock & Lane narrowboat Kingfisher with my husband and our cat. We live on a residential mooring but try to get away when work permits. My favourite cruise to date was the Thames ring, which we did clockwise (250 miles, 175 locks!) in just 17 days last year. A bit of a whirlwind but very satisfying. Our boat's a year older than I am, and we're continually working on some project or other (currently reinstalling the stove), but it's been liveable from the day we bought it. When we first viewed it I actually cried (with relief or happiness, I'm not sure).
How did you end up living afloat?
An old pal of mine has lived aboard for 20-odd years. I never really fancied single-handing, but when my husband and I decided to move in together it seemed the right time. We viewed quite a few boats before buying, and it's safe to say we were pretty naive, but we were also very lucky. We've stuck it for several years now without getting fed up with it. Even since the cat joined us it still hasn't felt too small.
An old pal of mine has lived aboard for 20-odd years. I never really fancied single-handing, but when my husband and I decided to move in together it seemed the right time. We viewed quite a few boats before buying, and it's safe to say we were pretty naive, but we were also very lucky. We've stuck it for several years now without getting fed up with it. Even since the cat joined us it still hasn't felt too small.
What are your favourite things about life afloat?
I really love our floaty home. It's cosy and I love the style of the decor. I love the feeling of having a place for everything - as a child I loved my dolls house, and I think campervans are just ace. There's a touch of 'playing house' about it I think. I love watching boats passing by, and the I find the motion of the boat calming somehow. The birds and other creatures are great and our neighbours are supportive and fun.
And your least favourite?
We live in a really urban area and the litter really grinds me down. The wind blows it towards us and it collects by our bow. I suppose you'd get the same thing living in a land house, but somehow it really blights living aboard for me. I hope that one day our lives and careers might take us to a slightly more rural location.
Has living afloat changed you at all?
I pay a lot more attention to my environment now. I've always bit a bit of a greeny, but living aboard has definitely made it seem more important. I haven't quite given up the car and motorbike, but I now cycle to work, preserve water obsessively, monitor my energy use, recycle more fervently, haven't used a carrier bag in ages and have reduced my consumption of STUFF significantly. Boating can be expensive though so my bank balance isn't much better off! We've also become crashing boat bores - everyone we meet hears about it before too long.
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ReplyDeletePlease find a cliff, then jump off it, mush.
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