–by ARLO
We moved onto Debonair four weeks ago, and we are starting to develop and settle into the new way of life. But it is still a world away from riding my bike in Alameda. One of the biggest differences from life in Alameda has been school. School on the boat is so different from ACLC. We only have one teacher and only do an hour or so of school a day, but our education is happening all the time. Our curriculum varies in every
way from what is taught in ACLC in every class but math, in which we just follow along in our textbooks. We also learn some stuff that is not taught at ACLC, like oceanography, in which we see stuff from the text book in all parts of our life, from kelp beds to gray whale migration patterns, to being bullied by 4,500 pound bull elephant seals, and we get extra practice on subjects like Spanish, that we can go ashore and listen to and speak.
Another big difference is getting around. To go to the grocery store, we have to get in the dinghy, row ashore, either to a dock or to the beach, and if we land on the beach, we might have to make a surf landing. When there is a lot of surf on the beach, and you need to get ashore, you have to position the dinghy just right, and wait for the smallest wave that you can find, and then time it just right so that you surf in on the back of it. Once you hit the beach, you hop out into the ankle deep water and haul the dinghy up the beach, while waves break over you and go into the dinghy. You had better hope you put your phone in a dry bag. When you return from your trip to the store on foot, you have to launch the dinghy through the surf. You put the person rowing in the boat, and then the other people wait for a the smallest wave that you’ll get, and then push the dinghy out until you are knee deep, and then jump in, and yell at the person rowing to row like hell. We also have a two person inflatable kayak that we can use for smaller expeditions.
Once we return from shore, if we wanted to make lunch, we could either use the fresh food that we just picked up at the store, or use some of the five minivans full of non-perishable food that we jammed into every nook and cranny on the boat. For breakfast, we usually have cereal, either oatmeal or cold cereal. Dinner is the meal that is most like what it was at home. My mom will make something tasty, like soups, or pizza, and occasionally we will go out for dinner. All in all, the eating is much better than one might expect on a boat.
As for sleep on the boat, that is one of the few things that is pretty much the same. I have learned to like waking up at six in the morning, to the engine running, and hearing the boat leaving port, with my parents driving the boat up on deck, and then going back to sleep for another hour or two. When you finally do come up on deck in the morning in your pajamas, looking out at the coastline 5 or 10 miles away, with you bowl of cereal in your hand, you might sit around for a while, and then have to tend the main sheet, or rig a fishing line. This is all just part of life on the boat.
One of the only downsides of life on a boat as a kid is the lack of people your age. I haven’t talked to anyone under 35 in a month! But in the end, there are many more upsides than downsides, and living on a boat for a year is definitely worth it.
What an awesome experience, and thank you for letting the rest of us experience it through you and your words. Hopefully you get to speak to a few “young people” when you go ashore. Us “Oldies” are enjoying all of the wonderful updates.
Love from Kansas,
Lou Anne
Hey Arlo!
These updates are so fun- I love living vicariously through your adventures and reminds me of my own on Anasazi. Are you reading any good books? I remember finishing 7 books during my trip and how much I enjoyed reading on deck. That wasn’t exactly school but I completely agree when you said that you’re learning things that school couldn’t teach you- Anasazi taught me so much!
From Arlo–We are reading all the books that we can get our hands on, both paper and digital. I went through 6 books last week, and have done at least 4 or 5 this week. Thank you for reading and commenting on the blog.
Love to read your comments and wait for the updates every day
Arlo
Espe and I marveled at your photos and descriptions of life on Debonair. Going ashore with and against the surf sounds like waaay more fun ( sea water dunking) than our drive or walk to the store!! Wind, snows and low clouds pale by comparison! I imagine bailing buckets accompany each shore visit?
You and your Dad hiked a couple thousand feet above Santa Catalinas’ shore.. what a great photo that was as well!! You appear to be taller than even your Dad now?
Love JEpc
From Arlo–I am definitely taller than my dad, I passed him up back around christmas. the hike above santa catalina was fun, although we did not see any of the foxes or bison that live on santa catalina.
Cáitlin[0] and Jason, yagotta stop feeding fertilizer to those kids! By voyage’s end they’ll have overgrown the boat!
[0] the Irish orthography!
I love this! It’s so cool what the kids learn in this alternative educational setting. Good job all around!
Hi Arlo,
My name is Isaac. My mom sailed with your mom and dad about 20 years ago.
We are reading your blog because someday we are going to cruise like you.
I cannot believe you are sitting on the end of boom! Weren’t you scared? How old are you? What grade are you in? I am in second grade and my sister, Ava, is in 4th grade.
Where do you and Alma sleep? Do you have to share a room?
Thank you,
Isaac
From Arlo–
Hi Isaac,
Thanks for writing. I am in 8th grade, and I was in school at Alameda Community Learning Center until we went sailing. Now we do all of our school work at the the table in the in the main cabin on the boat. I am 14 years old. My sister Alma is 11 years old, and she is in 6th grade. My sister and I both sleep in the forepeak, in bunk beds built against the wall. We will be posting pictures of the inside of the boat in about 10 days when we get to fast wi-fi in Los Cabos. Feel free to ask more questions–we will try to keep up with them. Thank you for following the blog.
–Arlo
Hi Arlo,
I’m really enjoying your pictures and descriptions of boat life. One question: doesn’t Alma count as someone under 35? 🙂
Kira
This story reminds me of something similar in my past. Family friends, both of them high school teachers, had a John Alden Malabar which they’d sailed coastwise for several years. The summer before their two daughters were to enter 9th and 11th grade they set sail for Hawaii. With more of the summer ahead of them after several weeks cruising the state, they decided to explore more of Oceania, and ran out of summer. Equipped with a full curriculum, the parents started school aboard and under way, and after completing a circumnavigation[0] both daughters had a diploma and several years of college under their belts. As far as I know they still sail, professionally, and so do their offspring.
[0] with time off for having the boat hauled in Marseilles while they hired a narrowboat to cruise to the North Sea and back
Hallo all! I’m learning along with you! Being a land lubber, I never knew how to land a dinghy! Now I know thanks to your very informative blog! I’m sitting here is very cold Chicago and thinking of you which is warming my heart! You guys seem to be sea astronauts in a way. Keep writing, we love to hear from you all!
That was one of the most heart felt pieces of work I have read in months. Your voice as a writer is truly blossoming in your experience of the world directly. The insight distilled thus far is impressive Arlo!
Best Wishes,
Daniel
It is great knowing that you’re reading this. Thank you for the compliment on my writing. I’m lucky that I’ve had such great teachers. (Especially my 6th and 7th grade history teacher.)
Arlo
What a charmer!! Have fun Arlo 😀
Hey Arlo!
What a beautiful excerpt of your daily life. We love reading all the details about cooking, getting to a new location, and waking up. I can only imagine some little things such as landing on a beach in the dinghy are quite a tricky task. But you are finessing your practice very well and knowing you, you’re already quite an expert at a few tricky things by now. Thank you so much for keeping us informed, and dreaming…
ingrid
Catching up on the blog and ohhhhh boy the nostalgia hit me hard on this one!! Growing up a boat kid on those grey and foggy ocean sails (mine rarely got as far south as you all are), waking up to the engine and the adults making noise on deck and falling back asleep (yes! Exactly!), and then stumbling bleary-eyed topside in jammies and a jacket with a bowl of oatmeal crammed with whatever additions the chef of the day decided to put in the pot? Some of my absolute favorite things! Thank you for that spot on reminder, Arlo!