Seattle Press on Line - Living Lightly on the Water

Roger's Home Journal

Roger's Home Journal

Living Lightly on the Water

Sep 13, 2001 -- On a recent public radio broadcast a fellow was talking about simple appreciation of the natural world as an excellent way to be subversive in our consumer-oriented culture. This was part of his argument that the best hope for our planet is the evidence that acquisition of expensive things is not a reliable path to happiness.

A day or so later I was feeling pretty subversive as I rowed a little dinghy along a particularly beautiful Canadian island and looked up at multi-million dollar mega-yacht roaring by at full throttle. Its captain had an unusually stern face, and all of the passengers looked uncomfortable. One man peered down at me as I turned in preparation to surf their wake. With cupped hands over his mouth, to ensure that I alone could hear, he stated that I seemed to be having much more fun than their party. The truth of his observation was striking, and I waved a hand and wiggled bare toes in agreement.

Like most people, I love to be close to lakes, rivers, and oceans. Just standing by the shore or walking on a dock are satisfying and soothing activities. Exploring in a small boat, however, is wonderful by another order of magnitude. I contend that more nearly universal ownership of rowboats and kayaks would make our world a better place. Since they can often be purchased for less than the cost of a television, I’ll reject the notion that my idea could be considered elitist. In my vision a huge fleet of small boats will nearly eliminate all sorts of conflict, stress, traffic congestion, pollution, or any other bad thing you might think of. And if boating replaces TV viewing, these benefits will be multiplied!

Once we’re all out on the waterways, exploring little coves and peering down at life forms growing on reefs and rocks, additional discoveries will follow. It’s not exactly a secret, but it is certainly fascinating to find that some people have figured out ways to actually live over the water. A few places, such as Lake Union and Portage Bay, have more than a one-hundred-year history of attractive little homes built on rafts. These so-called “houseboats” are permanently tethered by chains, power lines and sewer pipes. They’re packed tightly together, but due to the charm of their setting, neighbors are usually quite friendly to each other. Shortage of parking space for cars is one of the minor departures from perfection in this peaceful paradise.

Some marinas permit a certain number of their tenants to live aboard their sail or powerboats. Breakable or unstable stuff tends to accumulate on these live-aboard boats, often making it impractical for the owners to actually cast off, face the wind and waves, and visit the liquid-covered areas of our world. I’ve noticed that the really clever marina resident parks a big old cargo van nearby and uses it as a storage unit. This allows the boat to remain ready for the sea.

The most fascinating homes over the water, for me, are those anchored in the middle of a protected harbor. Most waterfront communities don’t tolerate permanent anchoring in their bay, but in the places where it is allowed, a few brave and hardy souls inhabit small boats, ships, barges, rafts, and floating objects that are sometimes difficult to classify. They make occasional trips to a public dock to take on water and discharge sewage holding tanks, and generally commute to shore by rowboat.

In Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge Island, Fulford and Ganges on Salt Spring Island, and several other pretty bays around the Northwest, people have abandoned the conveniences of living on solid ground for a watery setting of incredible beauty. They get splashed by playful seals, become acquainted with individual herons and eagles, and have to worry about dragging the anchor during winter storms. None of them pays a cent in rent, so this lifestyle is free, but certainly not easy. It’s probably not suitable for everyone, but I wonder if it might be just my cup of tea, as they say.

To those who live on the water in harmony with their surroundings, I wish you calm weather and a bilge pump that never fails.

Roger Faris is the director of the Phinney Neighborhood Association Well Home Program and Project Impact Earthquake Retrofit Program. He can be reached at (206) 789-4993.

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