After following out boating adventures for a couple months, one of our friends (a friend who travels frequently in an Airstream) asked us that question. It's a good question. From the perspective of RV travel it probably seems like a lot of moving. When we're on the road with the Airstream our goal is usually to travel to a great spot, set up camp and enjoy that new place for a while. Driving from campsite to campsite is not really the best part of road travel. Sure, it can be scenic and pretty, but I believe that the majority of our enjoyment on the road is getting to set up camp and stay put for a few days, exploring the new place by foot or bike or car while our cozy little home awaits in the pretty spot we found for it.
With the boat, so much of the enjoyment is moving and being on the water. I'd even say it is often the best part. Yes, finding the cool anchorage or quaint marina and exploring the harbor or hiking the hills is also great, but…well….whales, and seals, and eagles, and the sound of the water swishing past as we navigate to the next place, the motion of the boat and the smells of the sea…it makes the place-to-place travel SO enjoyable. We love it. (Can you tell?)
Also, while under way by boat we aren't 100 percent captive at the helm as we travel, like we are at the wheel of the truck. The autopilot on the boat reduces the second-to-second workload, and we can walk around, make a cappuccino or some lunch, go to the head, etc. It's easier in to be traveling for longer periods of time by boat than it is in the truck towing the Airstream, so it's easier to be moving more often. (Don't worry, one of us is always at the helm watching out though.)
Here is every place we've stopped or stayed overnight since we got our boat at the end of September (several places more than once):
1. Fidalgo Island (Anacortes, home base)
2. San Juan Island (Roche Harbor, Friday Harbor, Griffin Bay)
3. Orcas Island (Deer Harbor, Rosario Resort, West Beach Resort, Massacre Bay, Skull Island)
4. Patos Island (Active Cove)
5. Sucia Island (Fossil Bay)
6. Matia Island (Rolfe Cove)
7. James Island
8. Shaw Island (Blind Bay, Blind Island)
9. Jones Island
10. Lopez Island (Fisherman Bay, Spencer Spit State Park)
11. Stuart Island (Prevost Harbor)
12. Whidbey Island (Coupeville, Langley)
13. Port Townsend
14. LaConner
There are so many more places we want to go!
