Traveling abroad can present unique financial challenges. Whether you’re studying, working, or vacationing, you need a reliable and convenient way to manage your finances when you’re away from home. Wise banking app is an excellent tool that can help you do just that. In this article, we’ll explore how using Wise can help you manage your finances while traveling internationally.

Benefits of Using Wise Banking App

Wise is a digital banking app that provides fast, secure, and affordable international money transfers. Here are some of the benefits of using Wise:

1. Competitive Exchange Rates: With Wise, you can avoid the expensive fees and unfavorable exchange rates associated with traditional banks. Instead, you get to enjoy low fees and mid-market exchange rates that are as close to the actual exchange rate as possible.
2. Convenience: The app allows you to manage your money on the go, and you can easily track your expenses in different currencies. You can also send and receive money with just a few taps on your phone.
3. Debit Card for Easy Access to Cash: Wise also offers a debit card that can be used at ATMs and for point-of-sale transactions around the world. This makes it a great option for anyone who needs easy access to cash when traveling internationally.

Use of Wire Transfers Overseas vs USA

In some countries, wire transfers are the preferred way of sending and receiving money, especially for larger transactions. In other countries, such as those in Europe, bank transfers and mobile payments are more popular. Wise has made it easier for us to adapt to these differences and make international money transfers without having to worry about the exchange rate or high fees.

Our Conclusion About Using Wise For International Banking

Wise banking app is an excellent tool for managing your finances when traveling internationally. It offers competitive exchange rates, low fees, and convenience, making it an ideal choice for anyone who needs to send or receive money in different currencies. Whether you’re a student studying abroad, an expat living overseas, or a traveler exploring new destinations, Wise can help you manage your finances with ease.

Wise (formerly known as TransferWise) has saved us a few times when we needed cash or needed to send or receive a wire transfer on short notice. Our banks at home back in the states were difficult to complete a wire through, especially an international one. With Wise, we dealt with wire transfers in Uruguay, Canary Islands, Germany and in the United States quickly and easily, for both business and personal use, all through one app. The debit card has also saved us when in need of cash or when making a purchase in a local currency. (Trust us, your USA Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express are NOT ACCEPTED EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD!) Our Wise debit card has worked where others have not.

At sweetruca.com, we are an affiliate of Wise banking app and may receive compensation for any purchases or signups made through the affiliate link provided in this article. However, we only recommend products and services that we have personally used and believe will provide value to our readers.

If you’re planning on traveling internationally, managing your finances can be a daunting task. That’s where Wise banking app comes in. With its competitive exchange rates, low fees, and easy-to-use platform, it’s the perfect tool for keeping your finances in order while on the go. We highly recommend checking it out! By signing up through our affiliate link, not only will you get to enjoy all the benefits of Wise, but you’ll also be supporting sweetruca.com and helping us to continue providing valuable content to our readers.

Ready to take control of your finances when traveling abroad? Sign up for Wise banking app through our affiliate link and start enjoying all the benefits of this powerful financial management tool today. Simply click this link to get started for free!

The post Traveling Internationally? Here’s How Wise Banking App Can Help You Manage Your Finances appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

Valentines Gift For Sailors – Men:

1. A custom-made navigation chart: Surprise your partner with a handcrafted navigation chart that shows a special route or location that you both hold dear. It can be a cherished memory or a planned destination for the future.
2. A high-quality pocket knife: Every sailor needs a trusty pocket knife for everyday use, and it can also come in handy during emergency situations. Choose a durable and practical design, and don’t forget to add a personal touch with an engraving.
3. A waterproof camera: For the adventurous sailors who love to capture every moment, a waterproof camera is an excellent gift idea. Whether it’s for underwater photography or action shots on deck, it’s a great way to create lasting memories.
4. A personalized sail bag: A sailor’s sail bag is a precious and functional accessory, and personalizing it adds an extra touch of sentimental value. You can embroider your partner’s name, a special message, or a meaningful image.
5. A sailing-themed book: For the bookworm sailors, a sailing-themed book is a thoughtful and educational gift idea. You can choose from a variety of genres, from adventure stories to technical manuals, depending on your partner’s interests.
6. A romantic dinner under the stars: A romantic dinner is always a classic Valentine’s Day idea, but for passagemaking sailors, it can be elevated to the next level. Plan a special menu, set up a table on deck, and enjoy the breathtaking view of the starry sky.

Valentines Gift For Sailors – Women:

1. A stylish and practical sailing jacket: A good quality sailing jacket is essential for any sailor, and it’s also a fashion statement. Choose a design that suits your partner’s style and needs, and don’t forget to add a personalized touch with an embroidered name or message.
2. A set of high-quality sailing gloves: Sailing gloves are not only protective but also functional and comfortable. Invest in a durable and ergonomic design, and surprise your partner with a set of gloves in her favorite color.
3. A waterproof phone case: A waterproof phone case is a must-have accessory for any sailor, as it protects your device from water damage and allows you to take photos and videos in any weather condition. Choose a design that suits your partner’s phone model and personality.
4. A personalized sailing journal: For the creative and introspective sailors, a sailing journal is a thoughtful gift idea. You can customize the cover with your partner’s name, a special quote, or an inspiring image, and leave the rest for her to fill with her thoughts and experiences.
5. A sailing-themed necklace: A delicate and elegant necklace is a great way to express your love and appreciation for your partner. Choose a sailing-themed design, such as a sailboat or an anchor, and add a personal touch with a birthstone or an engraved message.
6. A spa treatment on board: A relaxing and rejuvenating spa treatment is a luxurious and romantic Valentine’s Day idea. You can create a spa ambiance on board, with scented candles, soothing music, and a professional masseuse, and let your partner unwind and recharge.

We do earn a small amount of revenue each time something is purchased through the referral links on Amazon.com in the post above. It helps fund our voyage while we are sailing around the world and enables content creation while aboard. Want to learn more about this voyaging sailing couple, and how we stay together through challenging conditions at sea? Follow us on our YouTube Channel or visit us on Patreon for behind the scenes details of our daily lives. We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below, what do you think the best valentines gift is for your significant other on board?

The post Top 6 Valentine’s Ideas for Passagemaking Sailors – Him & Her appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

We want to note that despite the catchy title, we were very impressed by the way the BVI Customs and Immigration team handled the situation. This was at the very beginning of the pandemic when no one was sure what to do or what was going to happen. At the time this was filmed we were allowed to sail but not go ashore, this was what we were told by officials at the customs office. Since then that has changed greatly. We respect their decisions to keep their country safe.

The post [Ep. 22] Is it OVER? – Stopped by POLICE While Sailing in BVI appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

0:00 Intro

0:36 Bahamas Sailing

We raise our anchor at the deserted island in North Eleuthera Bahamas and head west. We sail through the crystal clear but shallow water of the Bahama Banks to Chub Cay, Whale Key, Bimini, and then on to Miami.

3:49 Gulf Stream Crossing

We crossed the gulf stream with a northeast wind, perfect for some downwind spinnaker sailing on the way to Miami and Biscayne Bay. We hit 10.9 knots of boat speed during some great and fun sailing conditions.

7:00 Stiltsville

We entered Biscayne National Park through the Stiltsville Cut. It was pretty cool to sail between the old houses and buildings on stilts, which have been long since abandoned. This is a tricky entrance and we must be careful as we draw over six feet.

7:25 Coconut Grove Sailing Club

We got the last open mooring ball at CGSG, which thankfully was the only one that would fit our 46 foot sailboat. We were very thankful for the clubs hospitality. What an amazing place with excellent staff and friendly members. It helped that they were a racing club and we had visited there before while racing Melges 24’s.

7:41 Sail Loft

One of the main reasons for coming to Miami was to get our staysail fixed up. When it was originally re-cut down from a #4 jib in Annapolis the sail loft there made a mistake and made the sail longer than the hoist. So we were able to have the sail re-recut and fixed in under a week. We were super thankful to get this done.

8:39 Melges 20 and Bacardi Winter Series in Miami

It just so happened that the Melges 20 Winter Series and Bacardi Miami Winter Series was going on. Was this planned? Well, it certainly was a good enough reason to sail back to the USA and see all of our racing friends. On top of that, the race committee boat broke down, so we volunteered to be the RC boat for the day. It was lots of fun, but there were a few close calls. Luckily no boats were harmed in the filming of this video and SV Sweet Ruca came away without a scratch in her Awlgrip!

12:52 Coconut Grove

We ended our time in Miami with a stroll through Coconut Grove. It is a lovely little suburb on the south side. We took advantage of this time to get our last meals out in the USA for what we be a long time. We were also invited to go to the CGSC staff Christmas party, so we celebrated the holiday in style with our new friends before we sail away again to the Bahamas.

#sailing #boatlife #bahamas #sail #sea #boat #yacht #sailboat #yachting #travel #ocean #sailor #yachtlife #boating #boats #sailingboat #sailingyacht #adventure #yachts #vlogger #youtubesailing #vlog #rescuedog #sailingdog #boatdog #snorkeling #paddleboarding #desertedisland #jboats #saltydog #saltlife #sailingvlog #liveaboardlifestyle #rocna #anchoring #cruising #sailaway

The post [Ep 15] Hard Decisions…Do We Turn Around? appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

We are sailing offshore from Cape Fear North Carolina, across the gulf stream, directly to the Bahamas. 0:32: Catch a Mahi Mahi Usually, we bring our fishing gear in at night, but this night, we forgot to. Fish On! We reel in a Mahi Mahi in the dark while going 9 knots under sail. Kate fries him up and we have a delicious fresh fish meal.

2:47 Offshore Sailing

We keep on trucking! We are almost to the Bahamas. We can feel things getting warmer, which is much needed. We needed shorts weather, rather than the nasty cold of the East Coast in November. Luckily we didn’t have to dodge any storms or hurricanes, but we did sail through some winds up to 35 knots on the way down, making for an exciting sailboat passage.

9:31 Arrive in Eleuthera

We made it to Eleuthera, the Bahamas after almost a year of hard boat work. It seems like everything is coming together. We navigate the shallow waters, dodging coral heads, on the way to Meeks Island (one of the Bahamas Pig Islands) in the crystal clear turquoise waters of the Bahamas.

10:53 Anchor Down

This is what we went sailing for. Dropping anchor in the Bahamas and cooking some steaks on the grill! Yes! Watch a beautiful sunset with us.

12:04 Good Morning

We wake up in the morning and Kate climbs the mast to get the lay of the land. What other girls would do a mast climb? Kate is a superwoman! The water is glass calm and beautiful clouds dot the horizon. We jump in and dive our Rocna 33kg anchor to see how it is set!

15:02 Paddle Boarding

It is time for some paddle boarding and to explore a beach at a deserted island in the Caribbean! Woo Hoo!!! We made it.

#sailingvlog #bahamas #gulfstream #sailing #atlantic #bahamas #caribbean #sail #sailinglife #sail #sea #boat #yacht #sailboat #yachting #travel #ocean #boatlife #sailor #yachtlife #boating #summer #boats #sailingboat #sailingyacht #adventure #yachts #vlogger #youtubesailing #vlog #rescuedog #sailingdog #boatdog #snorkeling #paddleboarding #desertedisland #jboats #saltydog #saltlife

The post [Ep 14] Gulf Stream Crossing p2 – Sailing Offshore to Bahamas: Land Ho! appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

0:00 Annapolis

We start out this youtube sailing video where the last one left off. We left the dock at Bert Jabins in Annapolis, Marlyand in the cold November rain! We had a deadline though, our goal was to be at anchor in the warm, clear blue waters of the Bahamas to celebrate Thanksgiving.

0:31 Chesapeake Bay

The Chesapeake Bay was a mess on the way out. We dodged fishing gear and huge cargo ships and freighters as we motored upwind to make our weather window. The next morning we were sailing, almost to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, the outlet to the Atlantic Ocean. After months of being coupled up in a boatyard, we have finally headed to sea again. We raised our sails and reached down the coast, headed toward Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

1:19 Cape Hatteras

Late that leaving, or should we say early the next morning, we rounded Cape Hatteras in the dark. We dealt with the choppy and confused seas driving at weird angles by the relentless current. We made it through, rounding America’s Great Cape at roughly 2:00 AM. The next morning, as if to celebrate our achievement, we were greeted by dolphins swimming off of our bow. Our first Bow Dolphins on Sweet Ruca!!!

4:20 Dolphins & Fishing for Mahi Mahi

After we crossed into the Gulf Stream the next morning the conditions subsided. And, at times even went to flat calm. We decided to do some fishing and nailed our first Mahi Mahi. Thankful to the gods of the sea for the fabulous dinner. Fish tacos for days!

7:34 Cape Fear, North Carolina

After our first offshore fishing experience, we saw the weather was shifting. To get ahead of it, and make some time in the calm, we decided to tack back to shore and head to Cape Fear, NC. A wonderful little town on the Intercoastal Waterway. We stayed the night and re-filled with diesel and icecream!

8:33 Gulf Stream in Big Breeze

We headed back out to do battle with the Gulf Stream once more. It was the only thing left between us and warm weather. The problem was, the wind was blowing from the direction we wanted to go. We saw big breeze up to 35 knots and Kate experienced a bout of seasickness as we had spray into the cockpit.

12:21 The Morning After

We made it through, but we weren’t to the Bahamas just yet. The trip would continue. We show you what the inside of the boat looks the morning after bashing into big seas offshore. Bluewater sailing at its best. Kate talks about her seasickness and Curtis is having fun discussing autopilot. He is really happy he is finally wearing shorts, a sign we are sailing closer to the Caribbean!

#sailingvlog #capehatteras #gulfstream #chesapeakebay #sailing #atlantic #bahamas #caribbean #sail #3rdreef #sailinglife #sail #sea #boat #yacht #sailboat #yachting #travel #ocean #boatlife #sailor #yachtlife #boating #summer #boats #sailingboat #sailingyacht #adventure #yachts #vlogger #youtubesailing #vlog #rescuedog #sailingdog #boatdog

The post [Ep. 13] Gulf Stream Crossing – Sailing Offshore to Bahamas in November appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

Kate gives a detailed explanation of how the rudder bearings work, and why we are changing them out.

1:47 Gooping

This is a really big project, including lots of fiberglass work and “gooping”. Meaning, it’s messy! We use lots of different glues and sealants as we time-lapse the rudder bearings back in the boat. We also add an extra fiberglass layer, with the help of Beasley Marine making them extra secure offshore. https://www.beasleymarine.me/ – Their website is lame, but their composite work and knowledge are top-notch. If you need composite, fiberglass repair, or carbon fiber work done on the east coast, Mike Beasley and his experienced team are highly recommended!

2:47 Rudder Installation

We slide the rudder back up into the boat. Carefully aligning it. We narrowly miss the wind generator with the travel lift as we maneuver the boat over the rudder. The rudder quadrant, steering cables, and autopilot are bolted in and tested.

5:38 Roxy the Sailing Dog Meets a Deer

We took Roxy for a walk in the local park. She saw a deer for the first time. She was a bit confused, and we think she thought it was another large dog that she could play with. It was really funny watching her try to jump and play with the whitetail deer.

6:15 Mast Mods and Installation

We modified the carbon fiber mast and rig to include a removable Dyneema inner forestay. This would allow us to have a cutter rig when we wished, and change back to a sloop as needed. A staysail jib which will also double as our storm headsail is hanked on and flies in high winds, or with double headsails when reaching. Once again, we enlisted the professionals at Beasley Marine for this composite work.

7:43 Back Together and In the Water

We finally get the boat back together and the travel lift comes to launch the boat on a cold November day. Thanksgiving is approaching as we prep for our next ocean sailing passage.

10:03 Tech Talk

We take a few moments to talk about how all the boat work we did in the yard has held up over the last 4000 miles as we have sailed to the Bahamas, USVI, BVI, Grenada & West Indies. We touch on the rudder bearings, carbon fiber mast, LifePO4 batteries, solar panels, boat life, and more.

#sailingvlog #annapolis #sail #sailing #sailinglife #sail #sea #boat #yacht #sailboat #yachting #travel #ocean #boatlife #sailor #yachtlife #boating #summer #boats #sailingboat #sailingyacht #adventure #yachts #vlogger #youtubesailing #vlog #rescuedog #sailingdog #boatdog

The post [Ep. 12] Back Together appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

0:23 Boatyard Fire

There is a fire in the boatyard, just one row upwind from our boat. It was a potentially dangerous situation that our friend Brian on the boat next to us noticed first and sprung into immediate action. We were working on our electrical system and could smell that it was an electrical type of fire. Worried that it was us we quickly shut everything down on our boat and gave it a full inspection. It was on another boat, but it is a sad story. The owner of the boat had been preparing his yacht for a circumnavigation for five years. He was due to finish and launch this winter. Errant current in an undersized solar panel wire likely caused the fire based on our visual inspection. The good of the story, fellow liveaboard cruisers in the marina saved the day, and likely the boatyard with their quick response.

0:53 Trip Home

We ran a few errands in Annapolis before heading home. We had to drop off our mainsail and #4 jib at the sailmaker to have an additional reef installed, reinforcements put on, and cut down the #4 to a storm staysail which would hank on our to-be-installed removable inner forestay. First, we had to return our borrowed jeep to our new friend and fellow Annapolis boater and boatyard neighbor Eric. Thank you!!!!! Then we picked up our rental car to make the 1000 mile road trip back to Toledo Ohio to see family and go to the Chicago Mackinac Awards party.

2:35 Chicago-Mackinac Race Finish

A short clip of the finish of the 333 mile long 2019 Chicago to Mackinac Race. In July, we sailed aboard Jim Weyand’s 1D35 Turbo sailboat Chico 2, hailing from Bayview Yacht Club in Detroit, MI. Kate was a driver and I was the navigator. For more about our experience on the race, see the link to our blog: https://sweetruca.com/routing-for-the…

4:26 Chicago-Mackinac Trophy

We traveled to Chicago to attend the awards party for the race in November at the Chicago Yacht Club. We were very happy to meet up with our friends from the Chico 2 crew and accept the 100+ year old Chicago-Mackinac Trophy along with the rest of the team. There just aren’t enough good things to say about Jim and his team of amazing sailors. Official results: https://cycracetomackinac.com/results…

5:38 Mast Removal

Our time in Chicago and home with friends was awesome, but now we had to shift modes from vacation and party mode back into boatyard work mode. We were doing some major re-fit work to our monohull sailboat in preparation of further offshore voyaging. First up was removing the carbon fiber mast and rig to install the Dyneema inner forestay. This would allow us to shift between a sloop and cutter rig as needed. It would also centralize the sail plan in big breeze if we were to encounter a storm in the ocean.

9:19 Rudder Removal

Next up was removing the rudder. We had decided to replace the rudder bearings. Ours were serviceable as is, but knowing that we plan to put on 25000 miles, we found it prudent to do sooner rather than later. Bert Jabin Yacht Yard in Annapolis would make our work easier as well, rather than trying to do these major projects in a far-flung tropical island.

11:54 Rudder Bearing Replacement Part 1

After we had the rudder out, a major job requiring heavy machinery. It was time to remove the old bearings. They simply had to be pounded out. Before we install the new bearings, we first must change the bearing race on the rudder itself, from composite to stainless steel. This required quite a bit of cutting, grinding, and sanding. It is always nerve-wracking to cut into such expensive parts.

#sailingvlog #CYCRTM #sail #sailing #sailinglife #sail #sea #boat #yacht #sailboat #yachting #travel #ocean #boatlife #sailor #yachtlife #boating #summer #boats #sailingboat #sailingyacht #adventure #yachts #vlogger #youtubesailing #vlog

The post [Ep. 11] What Could Go Wrong? – Champagne Sailing, Parties & Boatyard Grit appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

The dreaded sponge. If only the wolf could wash it for me.

Doing the dishes. Everyone has to do it. Is it so jarringly exciting? The sink is smaller, and there’s no dishwasher. The dishwasher has a name and two hands that get pruney three times a day. It’s ok, though. At times it’s exhausting and other times it’s calming. It’s a routine, after all. Sometimes it’s rushed and other times it’s thorough. Sometimes it’s on the transom releasing chunks into the ocean instead of down the drain- for the lack of that grinding that usually helps out the pipes. Sometimes it’s the many licks of a hungry dog’s tongue that gets the sticky syrup off the plates or the ranch dressing out of a bowl. (Dishes are rinsed with soapy water before being used again.) They sit on a towel to dry before they are inevitably used a few hours later. They are not fancy or special, but useful. Letting them build up dirty may attract unwanted flying creatures. Fortunately, that has not been an issue for us. The dishwater usually works really well. The faucet is on and off and on and off at an attempt to conserve freshwater. Cups become plates when the boat is sailing, and moving and balancing becomes a part of mealtime. Doing the dishes is not just doing the dishes. It’s maintaining this vessel.

Laundry. Turns out it’s as essential as bathing. Sometimes we combine the two. Two birds one stone? Quarters and detergent and long pants weigh heavy when the walking distance is no longer down the stairs, but down the street. Colder climates were harder as clothes weigh more. We attempt to wear little and re-wear as much as possible to save our time and efforts on this. There is no laundry machine on the boat. The washer and dryer have a name and two hands. Sometimes four if we work together. Sometimes four dirty paws come along curiously, checking out the wet items and spreading a bit of love via dog hair. Sometimes it’s a fully clothed shower. If it’s warm and a sunny day, this chore is not so bothersome. Can clothes dry in the cold on a clothesline? A special trip was made for a big orange bucket to help when the building up of clothes occurs.

Meals. It’s not exotic, and that’s ok with us. The best is experimenting with how to make something new with the same old ingredients. It’s been a hobby that we enjoy regardless if the outcome is tasty. Many of our “recipes” surprise us. Measuring and ingredient lists are often made up on the fly as we “compete” in our own episodes of “Chopped”. We try to cook quickly to conserve as much propane as possible. We factor cooking time when we buy things at the store. It’s been pushed to the limit with fewer trips to the grocery store since the pandemic. We by no means have a fancy recipe with organic ingredients and everything made from scratch. Our meals are not always complete or even the healthiest. But it is nourishment, and we experience a variety. Sometimes it’s a simple salad with a slew of chopped veggies. Sometimes that salad gets… raisins? Sometimes it’s figuring out a new way to eat a hotdog. Sometimes it’s pizza dough from scratch but with store-bought sauce. Sometimes it’s beans from a can. Sometimes its beans from a can multiple nights in a row. Sometimes it’s fresh fruit for the first time since…??? The fridge space is limited, but sufficient. Snacks are harder. In some places… a bag of chips $10? A jar of peanuts $12? Triscuits $7? Oranges $5 a lb? What will become of the types of snacks we have should we continue?

Sleep? Do you enjoy movement and constant sound while you’re sleeping? There are few calm anchorages with complete stillness and no clanging lines or squawking birds. For me, personally, it’s easier if there is less sound. Most nights are easy when there’s been a long day of work, or we can limit the clanging of lines. Sometimes the rocking is a bit disturbing as you rollover unwillingly. And I am referring to this “at anchorage”, not even moving the boat.

“Moving the boat sleeping” is another thing. I’ve yet to find a real rhythm to sleep at sea between shifts with my partner. He seems to fare better than me at this. Alarms are set for a few hours rest as waves punch the hull and you lock yourself into a space so you don’t unwillingly rollover. You experience cold and hot regardless of the temperature and feel hunger and thirst at odd times, IF you’ve been able to overcome seasickness. The grinding of sails or the rubbing of sheets on rigging echo throughout the vessel. Earplugs are nice if you can decipher your name being called for help or an emergency. When you awake from each shift you stumble to use the bathroom so you don’t need to do it on watch, regardless if you need to go. You inevitably hit your head and nearly fall over putting your foul weather gear on. Moments of calm and stars make it feel worthwhile until your heart races to make sure the wind hasn’t changed. The sails need to be adjusted while also looking at the radar to make sure you don’t hit anything while looking for buoys or looking at the screen to make sure you’re on course. Your brain wanders if your partner is getting their much-needed sleep. You see them still up after an hour off shift to get a snack and sigh to yourself. You feel sleepy yourself and wish they’d close their eyes to get reenergized. When the sun rises a sense of success washes over you and you feel energized for just a moment before you think a nap is already in order. Let’s recheck the weather and run some more routes. This could and will probably be a blog post in it’s own right someday soon.

Vinegar and H2O

Cleaning. A shop vac replaces a standard vacuum. Pipes are sensitive to chemicals as well as windows, and sensitive cleaners become the sanitation of choice. A broom mops up sand, dog hair, and crumbs. Toilets and showers request more attention for some reason. Green grass grows upside down on the hull instead of right side up in the yard. Earplugs are worn to make sure no critters make themselves a new home while the “mowing” takes place. Stainless steel and aluminum polishing become the new leaf raking or gutter cleaning or window spraying of this new home. Wood. We glance around us and wonder when we will decide to refinish the wood.

Waking up. Where am I? Oh, I’m on a boat. It’s calm. It’s noisy from the birds. It’s loud from the boat neighbors. It’s hot. It’s raining. It’s cool. Check the batteries. Is the fridge running? Will we get enough solar to balance out what we used? Check the weather. Look outside. Is it windy? Is it sunny? Did we move? Check the anchor alarm. I’m hungry. What’s for breakfast? Eggs again. Toast. Save the bread for lunch sandwiches. Just eggs. Eggs and bacon on pancakes? Do I have the energy? Do I have internet? Do the worm to crawl off the end of the bed. Don’t trip on the dog. Start a pot of water for the captain to get some coffee.

Going to sleep. Check the batteries. What are the amps? Remember where the batteries are when the sun goes down to see how much energy we burn. Check the anchor alarm. Look outside. Stars? New boat neighbors? Do we need fans tonight? Will it rain, and will we need to close the windows? Does the dog have water? Lock the dinghy. Recheck the batteries. Does the computer have enough battery for a movie? Check the anchor alarm. Is it rolly? Should we adjust the anchor? Am I hungry again? Charge the phones. Oh crap we need to run the water maker. Make water for an hour and prolong sleep. Eat a snack. Fall asleep.

Showering. Turn the water on and get wet. Turn the water off. Soap up. Turn the water on and rinse. End of shower. *Warm climate- Jump off the back of the boat. Climb out onto the boat. Soap up. Jump back in the water. Use the hose at the back of the yacht for a freshwater rinse. (Yes, salt builds up in the hair!)

There are more categories to add and much more about life that is difficult to portray in text or video! I hope this piqued your interest and shared a tiny wee bit about boat life.

The post A Little Bit of Boat Life appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.