So you’re coming to visit us! Great! We are so excited to have you. We always get a list of questions and we like to try to prepare people for the experience of living on a boat. So here is our how-to list for being a good guest.
- TO arrive to the boat at anchor, and then to arrive back at shore, we always ride in our dinghy. That means all your luggage, and you, might get splashed on the way over. We suggest packing light, and being prepared to climb in and out of a small inflatable boat.
- We are a shoes off household- we put our shoes in our dinghy, and leave them there for shore excursions only. On the boat, we are barefoot, so you will be too! Some people like to wear socks- that’s totally fine, but I suggest embracing the boat lifestyle and being barefoot.
- Water usage: All water on the boat is made by our desalinator. It is a machine that is touchy sometimes, and we cannot run it all the time. So water is precious on the boat. If you are washing your hands, turn off the sink. Washing dishes? Turn off the sink. Showering? Be spare with water use! We use salt water for all non fresh functions, including some cooking and dish cleaning. Which leads me to…
- The toilet. The toilets are marine heads with a pump flush, using salt water. We do not put any toilet paper AT ALL in the toilet (straight into the trashcan provided). Here is a video to help you: How to flush a marine toilet
- If you ever have any problems with the head-please tell us immediately. These problems will not resolve themselves. I mention that they use salt water to let you know not to skimp on flushing water through the marine head- that is a GOOD use of water!
- Everything on the boat was brought here by us- aboard a dinghy, back and forth, and all trash must be removed, also via dinghy. All the cooking gas, we pick up, put in the dinghy, walk on shore to get it filled, then return. There’s a lot of schlepping stuff around. So please be mindful about what you bring and use. Which leads me to my next point—–
- If you want to bring a gift, We have an Amazon Wish List. We love when guests bring water filters, reef safe sunscreen to leave behind, or a bag of almonds from Trader Joe’s. Whenever Paul and I travel, we always return with things we can’t get easily in the Caribbean, so we are always grateful when people bring items.
- Our boat is our home! But our home is a BOAT. It is comfy and cozy as can be, and we will do everything we can to make you comfortable. However, you probably will bonk your head or bruise yourself because we are gently rocking at anchor. You must also secure your items so they don’t roll around or break- a glass bottle on a counter is a bad idea! Just put it back in a secure place and you’re fine. Most of our items live stowed away and get taken out for use-and put back before we leave, always. You never know when a big boat wake will cause our home to rock back and forth.
- Be prepre to sweat. We do not have air conditioning, and we live in the Caribbean. It gets hot. If it rains, you will have to close your hatches, and that feels like a green house. Whenever you close your hatches, make sure they are completely dogged. Whenever we leave the boat, make sure every window is closed and dogged.
- Great ready to have a good time and go with the flow! Boat life is different from land life, but you’re going to have fun. We wake up to the sunrise, and watch the sunset over the sea. We talk to our boat neighbors, and listen to the marine radio every morning for other boat news. Get ready to immerse yourself!
- If you forgot it- there’s a good chance we got it. Don’t stress, and pack light!
We can’t wait to host you on board. See you soon!
Love
Paul and Lindsay
TIBURON MARINO 