Coping…..life on a boat is not like living in a house on land. We take for granted the comforts of living on the land and when we step on a boat it changes….
We have no TV reception…..it takes some getting used to and what I miss the most is the news. I have contacted satellite services here in the states and asked if they serve the Virgin Islands and I can’t get a definitive answer. When we get down there I will find out who services the area and make some arrangements….
Wifi….. I installed a wifi booster on the boat this summer. It locates accessible signals and boosts the signal and runs it through a 12 volt router I installed. It’s great at marinas or places where you anchor close to shore and restaurants. The problem we are having at the boatyard is that there is no wifi signal……we are making do with trips to bars that offer wifi. But it is a pain.
Sounds…. There are “sounds” on boats. It is important to understand “normal” sounds and “different” sounds. We listen to the boat…..to understand what it is doing. After a few days running the boat we learn what is “normal”. Any thing else needs to be investigated and/or identified.
Toilets…….toilets on boats are different than on land. They are noisy, slow to respond and need constant attention. I’ve found rebuild kits for the existing toilets and I am planning overhauls to each one as we travel.
One of the advantages of our limitations is that we are relying on each other for entertainment. Susan and I have been playing cards in the evenings. Rummy…..and she usually kicks my ass….