Category Archives: Boats!

Our life on a houseboat with kids, and voyages in kayaks, sailboats, rowboats, and motorboats! If you’re curious about being a liveaboard with kids, we sometimes write about living aboard a boat.

O Nyan Nyan Nyan

Our Christmas tree is up on deck! It’s our third Christmas on this houseboat. Last night we put the best ornament on top of the tree! Then we sang a carol to our tree… SEVERAL TIMES. O Nyan nyan nyan, … finish reading O Nyan Nyan Nyan

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The Great Escape

We’re in the jungles of Florida! We keep ending up at tiki bars, eating slightly disgusting fried things. I had a piece of gator tail. On day 1, we stayed in Minneola, a tiny town right next to a lake … finish reading The Great Escape

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Boat parade on Redwood Creek

A little motorboat covered in christmas lights with a tree at the prow was idling in the middle of our end of the harbor yesterday afteroon. We asked them what was up and they told us about a lighted boat … finish reading Boat parade on Redwood Creek

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Houseboat Christmas

Draping some mardi gras beads over a ficus tree . . . that was our Christmas decor last year. This year I’m determined not to be such a grinchy slacker. The floggings will continue until the boat is decorated! I … finish reading Houseboat Christmas

Posted in Boats!, Creativity, Parenting, Parties! | Tagged , , | 35 Comments

Kids and houseboats

Guest post today from Moomin! He wrote about our liveaboard life for a school report and it didn’t come out sounding like this guy’s. It’s good to know that Moomin noticed the old sailmaker was a bit “off” since actually … finish reading Kids and houseboats

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We saw a seal!

Recently I took the kids out on Redwood Creek in the early morning at low tide in the Daisy. Very early in the morning, there’s almost no wind, and the water is glassy with gentle ripples. It’s the best time … finish reading We saw a seal!

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Voyage up Redwood Creek

Last weekend we went out in the Daisy, with its little electric trolling motor, for a voyage up Redwood Creek. We put on sunscreen, got hats and sunglasses and some water, and took off. It’s so nice that it’s as … finish reading Voyage up Redwood Creek

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Pirate flags on our houseboat

Our houseboat is decorated all over with pirate flag and pirate-themed stuff. The boat’s owner even has control knobs shaped like skulls on the dashboard. I was just thinking about this as I read about the Pirate Bay arrests and … finish reading Pirate flags on our houseboat

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Free in the sea!

Tonight while we were reading 20,000 Leagues Beneath the Sea we got to one of my favorite parts of the book. Captain Nemo gave a little speech about how much he loves the sea, where he’s free from unjust laws. … finish reading Free in the sea!

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Stalking the wily narwhal: Reading the classics aloud with children

Tonight I started reading 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to Moomin. We skipped a bit of the first chapter’s exposition. Moomin commented a lot on the long sentences that go on till you forget what they’re about. I think it … finish reading Stalking the wily narwhal: Reading the classics aloud with children

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Kayaking with glowsticks

The other night we kayaked slowly into the dark with glowsticks around our wrists and paddles. The water was glassy smooth. Boats at night should have a red light to port, green light to starboard, and a white light in … finish reading Kayaking with glowsticks

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Bayview to Breakers!

I’m excited! We’re going to Bayview to Breakers today. Though we won’t have boats, we’ll meet people and cheer on whoever is there with kayaks or art boats or weird rafts made of plastic bottles. I’ve only driven around this … finish reading Bayview to Breakers!

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A monstrous great brute of a heron

Here’s a quick book-reading update! We’ve been reading Swiss Family Robinson lately, continuing our nautical theme. Moomin’s also re-reading Swallows and Amazons, and he’s well into The Edge Chronicles, Volume 2. He read a volume of the Moomintroll comics, some … finish reading A monstrous great brute of a heron

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Kayaking to the laundry room

We had a grand expedition yesterday for lunch. Moomin and I put in the laundry, then kayaked off around the point from our tiny harbor to a dock accessible only from a huge ladder. It leads to a locked gate … finish reading Kayaking to the laundry room

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Simply messing about in boats, with maps

It turns out Moomin is great at rowing. It must be a lot like skill at dancing. He watched us row a bit, tried to correct our technique by bossing us around, and then rowed perfectly straight all the way … finish reading Simply messing about in boats, with maps

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Plans for the Coot Club

We’re reading Arthur Ransome’s The Coot Club, continuing our nautical theme. The kids in The Coot Club are boys and girls in a range of ages who sail around small rivers in the Norfolk Broads, having incredibly mild and realistic … finish reading Plans for the Coot Club

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We’re on a boat!

A month ago I moved onto a houseboat at one of the marinas in my town on the San Francisco Bay. The boat doesn’t go anywhere, but it’s awesome. Moomin and I are now “liveaboards”. Here’s Moomin looking out of … finish reading We’re on a boat!

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