A WOMAN has shared how she escaped the “London rat race” to live on a boat with a man she’d never met – but it wasn’t plain sailing.
Emma Bamford, 31, revealed that she felt “incredibly vulnerable” at times while out at sea.
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The sailor once had to be on the lookout for Somali pirates after reports came in that an American couple had been killed following a shootout between the pirates and the US Navy.
Emma also recalled the time when they were forced to sail without one of their rudders.
The ex-news editor decided to leave her job and head for a life on the ocean after reading about others who had done the same.
“Over the next few days, it became clearer and clearer that sailing could perhaps be my passport out of the repetitive London rat race,” she said.
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Emma joined a website which partnered her up with a sailor and a boat and set off on her adventure just months later.
However, the 31-year-old was wary as she’d never met the person she was going to be living on a boat with.
I found sailing for days at a time with no land in sight incredibly humbling
Emma Bamford
Steve was the first crew member she travelled around with – but Emma claims it was awkward between them.
He had previously been sailing with his ex-girlfriend but it didn’t work out between them.
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The former journalist noticed that he might’ve been looking for more than a crewmate, which she “definitely wasn’t interested in”.
Tension between the two escalated after Steve tried to kiss her.
We were sick of being trapped by our £2.7K rent each month so bought a boat to live on instead – we can’t shower but it saves us £500 a month
After that, Emma learned how hard it is to live on a boat with someone she wasn’t too keen on.
She added: “I quickly realised how claustrophobic boat life can be – how tensions rise when you can’t get more than a few feet away from one another.”
The experience inspired her to write a fictional novel about a couple whose relationship deteriorates while living on a boat.
After spending nine weeks together, the pair decided to part ways.
She joined a new crew with an Irish skipper called Tyrone.
Emma revealed she made it clear to him that she wasn’t interested in a romantic relationship to avoid what had happened with Steve.
The now-experienced sailor has travelled to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka.
“I found sailing for days at a time with no land in sight incredibly humbling,” she said.
Emma continued to live on boats for two and a half years before running out of money.
The author returned to London where she decided to return to University and later wrote her first draft of her book, “Deep Water”.
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If it wasn’t for Emma’s experiences out at sea, she never would’ve decided to become an author, she claims.
She is now urging others who are craving adventure to take the leap and “go for it”.
The realities of living on a boat
What it’s like To live on a sailboat, according to Sailing Mutiny.
- Small Space
A lot of the space inside a boat is taken up with cupboard space and each area is already predetermined with what it’s going to be.
Imagine living in the space of one room of your house but everything has to fit in there – your sofa, your dining room table, your kitchen, a pantry, your bed, your toilet, a chart table, and engine, lots of tools and spares, a bookcase and anything else you need to live.
Safety on a boat is key.
You’ll need plenty of safety equipment on board just in case with the hope that you’ll never need to use it.
Think like a boy scout – always be prepared.
You have to check what the weather is doing on a regular basis and know exactly what’s predicted so you can make sure that you are anchored in the most protected spot.
Knowing what the weather is doing is also vital for passage-making.
You want the wind and waves to help you get to your next destination, not hinder you or make it a very uncomfortable experience.
It can be so much cheaper to live on a boat rather than land but it can also easily cost more so you have to be careful.
Anchoring is free (the majority of the time).
- No Privacy
On a boat, you can hear everything and you better get used to sharing.
You will get to know who you live with very well indeed, put it that way.
So, I hope you really like whoever you choose to live on a boat with.
What you need to consider before living on a boat, according to Discover Boating.
- Is this just for a period of time before you go cruising or is this a lifestyle choice?
- Are you comfortable with repeatedly defending your choice to your friends and family?
- Are you living in a climate that is boat-friendly year-round?
- Are you handy and a good problem solver?
- Who will accept your Amazon deliveries and are you ready to grocery shop frequently since there won’t be room to stow much?
- Are you ready to become your own maid?
- Will you feel comfortable with your kids being in this new environment?
- What’s Plan B if it doesn’t work?
Cost of living on a boat.
- Boat mortgage payment
- Slip fees
- Boat Insurance
- Waste management
- Gas
- Food and water
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