Two Lost Souls Living in a Fishbowl

When we were living aboard in Alton, IL, there was an antique boat show there one weekend. The concept sounded pretty kewl. People would be bringing all kinds of old boats (mostly old, restored, wooden classics) to the marina for the public to view. Most of them were trailered to the marina. Some remained on their trailers (in the parking lot.) Others, however, were launched into the water, and were then displayed in-water at dockside. Some LARGER boats motored to Alton for the weekend, and filled the transient dock. Many arrived days in advance of the weekend’s activities.

What we didn’t expect, was to become a part of the show ourselves!

I guess (technically speaking,) that our boat IS INDEED a classic. We will even be registering it as a classic vessel when we finally get back to Florida. (Any vessel 30+ years in age, with its original propulsion system, is considered/eligible for “classic vessel registration” in Florida.

So, you can imagine our surprise, when we woke up the morning of the classic boat show, and climbed from our stateroom, into the main salon – to find STRANGERS gawking and peering into the windows of our boat!!!

All weekend thereafter, people would walk up to our boat, and check it (and us) out. They ASSUMED that we were only there for the show (they didn’t realize that this is our “home” on the water.)

How would YOU feel if you woke up every morning, and people were staring into YOUR bedroom or living room window?!!!

Well, here at the marina in Alabama (and pretty much ANY marina along the way,) we continue to have our share of gawkers. I don’t think that they really intend to invade our privacy. They are simply walking the docks, and admiring the boats. Ours just seems to have the biggest, clearest windows of them all, and we are in the boat (thus our action/activity draws their attention/looks/stares.)

With all the glass around us, we truly feel like we are in a fishbowl or aquarium – on display for the world/passers-by.

Many boats have tinted windows these days. I guess that would afford us some extra privacy, but I don’t think that it’s in-sync with the age/style of this boat. So, I guess simple curtains will be our next effort…


We arrived in Gulf Shores Monday evening. We then enjoyed three FULL “down days” from cruising. We performed some scheduled maintenance on the boat; went shopping to reprovision; and spent a full day at the beach with the Rasch Family and Claudia.

By the time we stopped in Gulf Shores, we had been on the water (and locked-up in the boat) for a long, LONG time. The boat is more comfortable than most, and has a lot of room and convenience (for a boat.) But, after weeks aboard it – you begin to feel pretty cooped up!

I think Kelly “hit the wall” before I did. It’s not that she hit the wall, and I didn’t. It’s simply that she hit the wall a couple of hours before I did. After WEEKS aboard the boat, and dealing with breakdowns, and being held-up in poor marinas and ditch-based anchorages – we NEEDED SOME SPACE!!! We needed to get OFF the boat, and even AWAY from each other for a bit.

It took us two full days to decompress from the boating stresses. By the third day, we were FINALLY able to let our hair down, RELAX, and enjoy ourselves. (It was our best day of the trip thus far – a day at the beach.) A big THANK YOU goes out to the Raschs and Claudia for inviting us to come crash their vacation for a few days. Not just crash their vacation, but pick us up, lend us their car, ferry us to and fro, help in troubleshooting the generator, etc. THANKS!!!!! 

I think socializing with their two girls (Marissa & Sydney) was a HUGE help, too! They helped us to get our minds OFF the boat, and into “life.” We played cards, did magic tricks, played at the pool, combed the beach, had a BBQ, searched for creatures on the beach at night, -- all OFF of the boat!


Oh, and I was a bit of a pirate…

We arrived at the marina after the harbormaster went home for the night. So, when I went into the office the next morning and asked for a slip for two nights, he dated my receipt for the NEXT two nights (not realizing that I had already spent one night there.) And… I didn’t correct him… Thus, our first night was (um…) free? ;-)

Likewise, after our paid two nights, I told them that we would be departing Thursday night. But, instead, we stayed the night, and left in the morning before their offices opened. Thus, our last night was (um…) free?

Four nights for the price of two – that’s our high seas piracy story!


Argh!