In the search for affordable housing, I came accross an unconventional idea: living on a sailboat. Since I work at a restaurant that overlooks the bay, I was greeted with a daily view of inspiration: achored sailboats, flocks of birds, and the sunset. The prospect of free rent, peaceful solitude, combined with a million dollar view, was too enticing to dismiss. After a month of intensive research I settled on a 29ft Columbia sailboat, and a bank loan which would essentially leave me bankrupt. But hey, it's home owner-SHIP, right? Excuse the pun...
The challenge was that the home port of this lovely boat (to be named the Tabula Rasa), was in Long Beach; given my very limited sailing experience, the prospects of my surviving a single-handed 200 mile journey up the coast to Morro Bay seemed dim. As luck would have it, the owner of the boat volunteered to sail with me to Santa Barbara, to give me a "sailing lesson". I had also met a recent graduate from SF's Marine Institute, who, even though her expertise was with navigating container ships, was convinced that this was an adventure worth undertaking. Lastly, a tall ship sailor turned massage therapist (friend of mine) took pity on our plight - "Point Conception ain't no piece of cake" - and joined our eclectic crew on the last minute.
The only imagery that comes to mind, when I think of that memorable sailing trip, is that of a sadistic rollercoaster, taking hellish drops before careering into a heavenly ascent. The speed at which everything would turn into the chaos of black proportions, and then swing into dream-like order, was astounding. An overheating engine, a leaking gas tank, the ensuing seasickness sprouting from gas fumes, were some of our tribulations; cruising under sail with dolphins, basking in the sunshine enroute to Santa Barbara, singing and storytelling during the nighttime 4 hour shifts, were some of our more blessed moments. Unpredictability! how invigorating.
When we pulled into Morro Bay Harbor, I felt very fortunate indeed. Of course, the difficulties didn't just cease; there remained issues of safe anchorage, battery power for my lights, the porta-potty, access to drinking water, etc... After some serious organizational stress though, I managed to arrive at an ideallic situation: my little taste of free ocean-side living!
