Liveaboard Life in Alaska - views from the boat.

[ksanders]

This is Liveaboard life in Seward Alaska.

A cup of good coffee sitting in the pilothouse on a Saturday morning in October.

The sun is just peeking over the top of the mountains to the southeast and it looks to be the makings for a pretty nice day.
The temperature is a brisk 36F and with the sun I am hoping to get into the high 40's this afternoon. As you can see from the photos winter is almost here.

This is my last Alaskan winter, and although I love Alaska, I yearn to wear shorts and flip flops.

 

[ofer]

nice!
do you know EZ?

 

[localboy]

...I yearn to wear shorts and flip flops.

I know the feeling. Being recently retired, The Admiral and I have been trying to figure out what the next chapter is and WHERE it will be lived. Tired of cold. Tired of drizzle. Tired of being cooped up, indoors, for months. The sun is calling...

 

[ksanders]

I know the feeling. Being recently retired, The Admiral and I have been trying to figure out what the next chapter is and WHERE it will be lived. Tired of cold. Tired of drizzle. Tired of being cooped up, indoors, for months. The sun is calling...

Yep, I turn 60 in a very few months, and my last day at work is a month later May 1st.

I figure that I have maybe 15 years left of good health and body strength to live life to its fullest.

To me that is not cooped up inside for 6 months out of the year. I am an outdoors creature.

 

[localboy]

Just turned six-0 this year and I agree; the clock is ticking. The ideal scenario would be sell pretty much everything we own, up-size to something we could live on full time and leave the world behind. Convincing The Admiral of this is the issue as I’m 8 yrs senior and her parents live 5 minutes away.

 

[AlaskaProf]

I dunno Kevin, that "termination dust" is getting pretty low.

 

[ksanders]

I dunno Kevin, that "termination dust" is getting pretty low.

Winter is here as it should be. it is October after all.

You of all people can understand the need to migrate.

You also understand the grip Alaska has on a person. Robert Service said it best in "The Spell of the Yukon"

 

[Ken E.]

We are going to migrate this winter, a first for us. Planning on Arizona through the winter and then SE AK next summer. Tired of freezing in the NE wind that blows here.

 

[GFC]

I know the feeling. Being recently retired, The Admiral and I have been trying to figure out what the next chapter is and WHERE it will be lived. Tired of cold. Tired of drizzle. Tired of being cooped up, indoors, for months. The sun is calling...

Mark, hire a shipper and have him head south to AZ. We just drove down from Pasco to Sun City West, AZ. Took our time and did the trip in 4 days. 86* when we arrived at 5:00 accompanied by blue skies, light breezes and palm trees.

Life is good.

 

[ksanders]

We are going to migrate this winter, a first for us. Planning on Arizona through the winter and then SE AK next summer. Tired of freezing in the NE wind that blows here.

The idea of snow birding on your boat, or reverse snow birding is a good plan.

Winter where it is warm, and summer in the PACNW where the cruising is good and the weather is nice but not too hot.

 

[klee wyck]

The idea of snow birding on your boat, or reverse snow birding is a good plan.

Winter where it is warm, and summer in the PACNW where the cruising is good and the weather is nice but not too hot.

Snow bird, reverse snow bird....one boat? or one boat in both places?
If one boat, how and when will you manage the trip North each year?

 

[ksanders]

Snow bird, reverse snow bird....one boat? or one boat in both places?
If one boat, how and when will you manage the trip North each year?

Since my boat is home I plan on migrating south in the winter and north in the summer.

How far north I do not know
How far south I do not know

I'll do this exploring as I want, and seek the solitude of familiar ports when I want.

Some summers I might make it all the way back to Alaska. Some summers I might explore places like the California Delta, or the Columbia.

Winters exploring the Sea of Cortes, and along the Mexican Riveria.

If this gets boring then I'll get a Yacht Transport to the East Coast and do the Great Loop.

This will continue until my body dictates a home port, or a condo somewhere.

 

[localboy]

Mark, hire a shipper and have him head south to AZ. We just drove down from Pasco to Sun City West, AZ. Took our time and did the trip in 4 days. 86* when we arrived at 5:00 accompanied by blue skies, light breezes and palm trees.

Life is good.

We have contemplated this. Even did a trip prior to the Covid insanity. Looking possibly north of Tucson. We shall see.

 

[localboy]

The idea of snow birding on your boat, or reverse snow birding is a good plan.

Winter where it is warm, and summer in the PACNW where the cruising is good and the weather is nice but not too hot.

We had been in contact with the owner of a Willard 40 that is currently for sale in San Marcos, Mexico. He provided a lot of interesting details on wintering (boating) in the Sea of Cortez region. My main concern is the “instability” of the country. He has been wintering there for like 14 years IIRC. But things have changed of late.

We decided to hold off for various reasons but the thought of wintering there and then coming back to the PNW is probably the most realistic option for us, should we go full time live-aboard. We have family here (WA State) and my son, DIL and g-kids in north Idaho.

 

[AlaskaProf]

This is my last Alaskan winter, and although I love Alaska, I yearn to wear shorts and flip flops.

Have you asked the dogs about this?

 

[ksanders]

Have you asked the dogs about this?

The dogs are sitting out this trip unfortunately.

I wanted to take one of the ones in the photo, the black shepherd but was denied.

 

[Bmarler]

Winter is here as it should be. it is October after all.

You of all people can understand the need to migrate.

You also understand the grip Alaska has on a person. Robert Service said it best in "The Spell of the Yukon"

alaska holds it's grip on a person for a very long time. i was born in sitka, absolutely loved living there. been in washington state for thirty years or more but still long to go home. i loved fishing the s.e. with my family, and the long summer days, but don't miss the dark of winter. i could only go back for summers now, i'm not interested in doing a winter there any more.

 

[CharlieO.]

Ideally I'd like to buy a boat I Seward and cruise PWS for a couple years then start heading south over the course of a few years. If you see anything around for sale feel free to let me know. I've been watching the usual places. I graduated Seward High in 1990. I do enjoy seeing your pictures from the docks.

 

[timb7734]

Always nice in South Florida, but good luck finding a dock.

 

[rsn48]

You also understand the grip Alaska has on a person. Robert Service said it best in "The Spell of the Yukon"

That same Robert Service wrote the majority of his stuff in Cowichan Bay BC, not exactly "there are strange things done in the midnight sun....." There is a commemorative plague to him in a very very small park there.

 

[socalrider]

There is a commemorative plague to him in a very very small park there.

I hope never to be commemorated with a plague.

 

[localboy]

Always nice in South Florida...

I'll trade you.





Currently, 54F and pissing rain...

 

[Rob]

Kevin and I go back several decades in Alaska. Kevin my friend, you have done your time! When I first moved outside about ten years ago I really wasn’t sure that I was going to be able to deal with all of the rules and regulations here in the PNW, but we are doing just fine! Running the boat north and south from Puget Sound sounds like it would be a great plan but you will find that it’s quite a commitment time wise and maybe not what you’ll want to do every year. Remember all of those guys we worked with that were going to live outside in the winter and spend there summers in Alaska, how many years did most of those guys make the round trip? Anything I can do to help you, you know where I’m at!

 

[Prudence]

Alaskan to the end.

Raised in Alaska. Moved to Seattle for 20 years. Alaska kept calling. Moved to Juneau in early 2000’s. Now have a home is Meyers Chuck and work in Juneau living on our boat. You can have the heat, crowds and bad air. It’s like my father used to say “when I die freeze me flat and pound me in the ground”.

 

[AlaskaProf]

Wait...what!? Not on "the marge of Lake Labarge?"

 

[Scooby5959]

I don’t beat animals alive or dead but I’ll be beating that lehman drum every chance I get somebody needs to

 

[ksanders]

Wait...what!? Not on "the marge of Lake Labarge?"

From memory

There are strange things done in the midnight sun, by the men who moil for gold.
The arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.
The northern lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see.
was that night on the marge of lake Lebarg when I cremated Sam Mcgee

 

[ksanders]

Kevin and I go back several decades in Alaska. Kevin my friend, you have done your time! When I first moved outside about ten years ago I really wasn’t sure that I was going to be able to deal with all of the rules and regulations here in the PNW, but we are doing just fine! Running the boat north and south from Puget Sound sounds like it would be a great plan but you will find that it’s quite a commitment time wise and maybe not what you’ll want to do every year. Remember all of those guys we worked with that were going to live outside in the winter and spend there summers in Alaska, how many years did most of those guys make the round trip? Anything I can do to help you, you know where I’m at!

Thanks Rob!

 

[Nepidae]

Liveaboard life

I wish you 'youngsters' would quit with the 'hope I have 15 more yrs'.

At 75 this month I'm looking forward to 15 or maybe even 20 more before the boat becomes my Viking funeral.

Think positive and remember, everything in moderation, that will help you to stay on the right side of the dirt.

 

[ronobrien]

I have 2 years left on what will be my last construction project. I have recently begun the refit of my 1973 GB36. I have just these sorts of visions in my head, although I will be East coast US. Looks great. Congratulations. Live well.