| It was a beautiful evening for a stroll tonight, so I | | | | US side of Lake Ontario are not as clean and |
| went down to one of my favourite places: | | | | unfortunately since 911, the American Coastguard |
| Toronto's waterfront. Listening to the melee of | | | | has become overly protective, he said even |
| languages, observing the broad mixture of people, | | | | paranoid, and the minute they see him, they |
| I was thinking about upcoming travel plans, | | | | figure he must be a drug smuggler and they put |
| business issues, articles to write for the website, | | | | him through the third degree. So he prefers to |
| and many other things. I liken this feeling to a | | | | cruise the Canadian side of the lake.Many of Ron's |
| hamster on a wheel who's constantly spinning and | | | | friends actually live on a houseboat full-time. They |
| moving. My brain was working overtime, which | | | | sail northern waters in the summer and then |
| happens a lot when I think about the website and | | | | connect through the Ohio River - Mississippi |
| all the ideas and topics I'd like to write about.So I | | | | waterway system down into Gulf of Mexico from |
| am strolling by the sailboat harbour at Ashbridges | | | | where they sail down to southern Florida. On the |
| Bay, a particularly serene place with a quiet little | | | | way back in the spring they take the Intracoastal |
| inlet surrounded by willow trees on the east side, | | | | Waterway (the "Ditch") to come back up north |
| on the north side there is a private marina where | | | | for the summer.Ron also has a lot of friends who |
| hundreds of sailboats are docked, on the south | | | | have ocean-going sailboats who spend much of |
| side there is a little peninsula with just a few | | | | their time in the Caribbean. As a matter of fact, |
| places where a variety of boats can anchor at | | | | one of his friends has a unique type of sailboat |
| the municipal docks.So I am walking, enjoying the | | | | that was recently commandeered by the |
| reflections of the evening sunshine playing on the | | | | producers of the sequel for "Pirates of the |
| water, listening to the joyful songs of the birds, | | | | Caribbean".Naturally I asked Ron about the cost of |
| observing bikers, walkers, rollerbladers, watching | | | | houseboating. Apart from the purchase costs, |
| the boats......... and then I had an idea - I might as | | | | which he estimated at $150,000 to $200,000 for |
| well interview on of these boaters and find out a | | | | a new boat, there are dockage costs, fuel, |
| bit more about their lifestyle and travel | | | | insurance, repairs. He said he spends about $1000 |
| adventures.I approached a houseboat and I saw | | | | on fuel, and about $5,000 a year for dockage and |
| that the captain was sitting on the bridge. I | | | | other operating costs. According to Ron, the |
| knocked on the glass door and asked if I could do | | | | people that do the Canada-Florida run usually |
| an interview with him. The man, a white-haired | | | | spend anywhere from about $10,000 to $30,000 |
| bearded man in his 60s, was very welcoming and | | | | for the round-trip which could take a whole year. |
| invited me in. He actually asked me to sit in the | | | | The cost at the lower end means that you are |
| captain's chair and I shyly accepted.He introduced | | | | using the on-board kitchen (or rather, galley) |
| himself as Ron, "Captain Ron", a name by which | | | | facilities, you are staying at town docks rather |
| he is well known in the Lake Ontario boating | | | | than private marinas, using the boat's shower, |
| community. Ron is a former corporate sales | | | | rather than the marina's expensive facilities. Since |
| manager, now comfortably retired, with an active | | | | Ron is a good cook, he practically always uses his |
| lifestyle. Ron still has a house in Whitby, just | | | | boat's kitchen to make his meals, a huge |
| outside of Toronto, but he spends a lot of his | | | | savings.Captain Ron has really figured out a |
| time on the houseboat, and many of his friends | | | | perfect retirement lifestyle for himself. He |
| live full-time on a houseboat.His particular boat is | | | | houseboats in the summer, goes deer hunting in |
| an Intracoastal houseboat, meaning it has a hull | | | | the fall, heads out of Ontario to Florida or British |
| and is more seaworthy than pontoon houseboats. | | | | Columbia in the winter, where he either stays with |
| It was made in 1970, and cost $17,000 when it | | | | friends and family, or rents a reasonably priced |
| was new. Ron has had it for 18 years and he | | | | apartment inland from the coast. Or, if he sees a |
| regularly gets offers from people who want to | | | | good offer in the newspaper, he might just hop |
| buy it. Recently someone offered him $50,000 in | | | | on a plane to Mexico for a quick getaway. And he |
| cash for the houseboat. But since Ron loves the | | | | loves to spend the summers in Ontario, where he |
| lifestyle, and a new boat would probably cost | | | | cruises Lake Ontario and spends some time on |
| $150,000 to $200,000, it makes no sense for him | | | | beautiful Georgian Bay where his brothers |
| to sell his beloved house on the water. He politely | | | | live.According to Ron, the key thing in retirement |
| declined the offer.The boat has an elevated bridge | | | | is health, and he works hard to stay healthy. He |
| which not only houses the "steering wheel" (is that | | | | plays tennis, rides his bike, he loves to swim and |
| proper marine terminology?), but also | | | | he works out. He said, particularly if you want to |
| accommodates a fold-out double bed. A few | | | | travel to the US as a retiree, being healthy is |
| steps down is the galley on the left, and a | | | | critical. His brother had a heart attack in Florida, |
| bathroom with a combined toilet, sink and shower | | | | and his health insurance wouldn't cover his |
| on the right. Beside the bathroom is a small door | | | | treatment costs, and he ended up a with a |
| leading down to the cabin that has 4 bunk beds. | | | | $150,000 bill at the end. No wonder Captain Ron |
| Behind the kitchen is the living room area with an | | | | considers good health a key factor for |
| eating nook and another double fold out bed.In | | | | travelling....Captain Ron gave me a glimpse into his |
| theory the houseboat can sleep 8 people, but Ron | | | | unique lifestyle, and I couldn't help but envy him a |
| said that you would not want to cram that many | | | | little. He seemed so peaceful, so relaxed, enjoying |
| people on board with just one small bathroom. | | | | the evening sun looking out over the water. I |
| Makes a lot of sense... Ron seems to be travelling | | | | realized that he's figured it all out, and he's created |
| mostly by himself, judging by the lone deck chair | | | | his perfect little niche for himself...Susanne Pacher |
| that was located on the boat's top deck from | | | | is the publisher of a website called Travel and |
| where I had a perfect view of the serene | | | | Transitions( Travel and Transitions deals with |
| harbour setting. Ron says Ashbridges Bay is one | | | | unconventional travel and is chock full of advice, |
| of his favourite spots and he was sitting there | | | | tips, real life travel experiences, interviews with |
| quietly, enjoying the evening, when I approached | | | | travellers and travel experts, insights and |
| him for the interview.Ron uses the boat about 6 | | | | reflections, cross-cultural issues, contests and |
| months of the year, he puts it in the water in mid | | | | many other features. You will also find stories |
| April and takes it out in mid October and he | | | | about life and the transitions that we face as we |
| mostly cruises Lake Ontario with it. From the | | | | go through our own personal life-long |
| 1000 Islands in the east near Kingston, a city that | | | | journeys.Submit your own travel stories in our |
| he loves (me too...), to Toronto with its islands, | | | | first travel story contest( and have a chance to |
| and St. Catharines with its Port Dalhousie harbour, | | | | win an amazing adventure cruise on the Amazon |
| he actively cruises the north shore of Lake | | | | River. |
| Ontario.He commented that the harbours on the | | | | |