Uplifting beauty
The fish mumble and grumble they thought they were well rid of that rude, anti-school bunch when they crawled up on the beach and lost their gills. Counted their lucky starfish. Now not content with displacing bears, wolves, and gators, apparently, here they come again. Boomerang species warnings must be out.
The main complaint about living aboard a boat is the lack of space for storage and entertaining.
Once land gets expensive, floating homes able to move anywhere are the logical next step.
(Although I hear the sea turtles are considering copyright infringement action.)
While design and construction of modern houseboats is interesting, moving a giant eco-friendly, two-story home with an underwater basement and a sod roof from the construction site into the water is really fascinating.
Talk about needing a lift.
Not your ordinary moving, Van. It’s like Uber for giants. High capacity travel lift all dressed up and ready to go. A drive to the water is always energizing. (nauticexpo.com)
Moving a boat into the water is one thing, but a giant house? You have to see it to believe it.
- Episode 3. Innovative eco-home, Seattle, WA. (“My Floating Home.” HGTV.ca)
- Skip the construction part if you want and zoom on to where the house is placed into the water. Then fret as it is towed by a huge tug to the difficult slip with other houseboats on each side. Cringe as the tug stops and the house keeps moving forward – right into the dock.
- All’s well that ends well, though. Gorgeous house with innovations for the eco-friendly owners.
- Pictures of the house: “Floating home inspires smarter building around out waterways”.
Not a homeowners’ dream floating house, but requires similar travel arrangements. A large ocean-going vessel being carried by a marine travel lift to the water. (nauricexpo.com)
The contemporary Seattle floating home has an underwater picture window.
Not sure who’s going to be watching whom – and for what purpose.
Ocean going residents may be floating out a word to the wise and be evaluating their next moves.
You know, once they move in, there goes the neighborhood.
Like SUVs dream of being sports cars, floating homes dream of being swift sailboats. A high-capacity marine travel lift placing boat into water. (nauticexpo.com)
Mechanics and engineering are beautiful things…as long as they remembers to keep the beautiful, beautiful.
Phil, the Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge.
Something to ponder: Is it really a good idea to teach what may be the oceans’ advanced scouts about military strategy and how human minds work? After all, if they seize control of all the seas…
- “Bottlenose Dolphins Working for our military” (Dolphin Express. Nov.2015)
- “Hamas captures dolphins ‘spying’ for Israel” (New York Post. Aug.2015)
- “Russia looks to recruit new dolphins brigade” (CNN.March 2016)
- “Navy Dolphins. Historical chronology” (PBS/Frontline)
Word on the waves is that crabs are digging in with patent infringement complaints over leggy appendages and sideways scuttling. (Remotely controlled travel lift with all wheel steering. Capacity up to 130 tons. nauticexpo.com)
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Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge 
That’s fascinating. Of course, we humans have done such unpleasant things to our land, it would be a shame to do the same to our oceans (beyond what we already do, that is, which is a lot–all those cruise ships and pollution and discarded trash).
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Boats being carried around is pretty normal around here, but a house. WOW. And 4 wheel, all wheel drive with wheels that can go any way. All I can see is some kid grabbing the lift remote and having a great time.
Ocean cruises have morphed into massive apartment complexes – I thought cruising’s purpose (and that of living aboard) was to get away from the crowds, the noise and dirty/pollution of the city – and enjoy the sunset and slow pace. Different idea now. Do you ever wonder if the ships aren’t trying to do pests in like a dog with fleas – those outbreaks of Legionnaire’s disease?
Thanks for sailing in with a comment
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A cruise ship is a perfect incubator, no doubt.
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The worst would be there’s no escaping a large annoying group or a big group of sick people…and sometimes here there’s dense fog so even if the ship is close, it can’t get in to dock. Being someone who always locates the exits when I get somewhere, I’d need to pack one of those individual flyer jet packs just in case. Thanks for tossing a lifeline comment
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Wow. Pretty amazing and sort of scary.
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Those lifts remind me of dad always saying “Do not even thing about getting under a car that’s being worked on.”
It’s good we have a small garage or staff would have to have such a handy gadget….bound to be useful with all the rain we are having? Thanks for moving a comment this way
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Another inspiring message.
Thank you for elevating my spirits yet again.
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Thanks for boarding this space with such kind thoughts and slinging a comment this way
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I find this floating house stuff fascinating. Did you see the episode where they pushed/pulled the house down a ramp into the water? Talk about a heart stopping moment when that sucker was at its steepest angle, half in the water and half out. Whew. I love the idea yet the houses require so much infrastructure to attach to land – water, sewage, electrical, a berth, and a ramp to land. One house was designed with the entrance on the second floor because the berth was beside a hill. The ramp cost 10’s of thousands of dollars. The berth cost $800,000 and that was just empty water. Then there was the connections for the utilities – all of which had to withstand storms and a tidal range of 16 feet. Yikes! the owners were into the project over 1 million dollars before they even started the house itself. And there has to be some transportation from the house – so that means either buying/renting car space (remember no land with a floating house) or buying/renting water space for a boat for commuting. Alternatively you can buy/rent downtown berthing for millions that comes with traffic noise, light pollution, etc – but you can walk or use transit.
Anyway I would love to live in a floating house but it is well beyond my budget of $500 per month. 😀
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See, now you picked up what I noticed. They paid a million dollars for the slip/berth before even starting building. It isn’t self-contained with holding tanks for waste and water (so that’s different from living on an actual boat…and most live aboard sailers drive a ancient worn out car or motorcycle. Priorities ha ha).
Somehow far too easy for those with lots of money to tell others how they should be living. After a couple of magazine articles/home showcases, I think the house was sold. Wonder if fish ever complain about their light being shut off by all the hulls/foundations? Maybe it’s shade for them – with no rotating propellers to chop at them.
It’s great fun to watch a big hull splash into the water! Seriously, wouldn’t you like to drive one of those giant lifts – great for traffic? Would it count as an art car to get a license plate? Maybe drive across country – great for sightseeing! Sounds like fun? Thanks for maneuvering a comment through the bloggy waters to dock here
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I feel sorry for the dolphins… we worshipped them once as an intelligent animal just to (mis)use them for our human-stuff…. I like the idea of the Sweet Home IN The Sea (sorry Phil Collins) but if I look how much trash swims around this berths, I rather stay away …
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Unless the dolphins wander up, inquire, and are paid minimum wage, not sure they are really volunteering – rather being imposed on and they are too polite to object. (Many are kind to lesser species.)
The floating trash is pretty disturbing – hey, clean up the neighborhood – on land and water. Kids used to be taught that. My mom used to sweep the street gutter in front of our house if there were leaves or stuff. Pride in surroundings instead of “Oh, what difference does it make? If you clean it, more just blows/floats over.”
Swim, dolphins, swim – don’t let your kids grow up around humans and learn bad habits!
Thanks for dog paddling over to chat, Easy
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I’m for anything that’s respectful of the environment and the creatures that we share the world with. I enjoy the sea but I don’t think I could live on it for long (sea sick just thinking about it). I have to admit I’m a mountain girl at heart. 🙂
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I do wonder about the boat motion. Might be nice at night, but guests could get wobbly. They do have to design/construct for hurricane/storm-type waves and surges and earthquake concerns. In some places the houseboats seem very crowded together (location, location, location) and you have to mull over the quality of the water there – and the fact that sounds carry loudly and well over water. Better like your neighbors.
Mountains have a lot to offer as far as quality of life even with the rock slides. Got my vote. Thanks for rowing a comment over to this dock
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I get sea sick on a pond in a row boat. 🙂 You’re right that marinas make for close neighbors. Could be amazing fun or a nightmare.
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I’m ok with natural motion boats like sailboats, but stick an engine on it and yuck. Not sure if it’s the fumes or noise, but I’ll stick with paddles or sails. If you’re docked in a marina, you get to know your neighbors really well. Fortunately most sailors have a lot in common…like poverty and repurposing stuff without shame. Thanks for surfing back by
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I want to follow up on all the links you provided when I have a bit more time, but I did take a peek at the house (boat). I’m also a mountain lover, but we have friends who have a barge (houseboat) that they spend quite a bit of time on during the year, cruising the French waterways. I wouldn’t want to live on one full time, though. I wonder what this house on the water does for human waste. (The article may say when I get into it.)
As for the turtles, I’m confident they can find a lawyer to take their case and take it seriously. 😦 How sad!
janet
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Traveling on canals through France/England on a barge houseboat is on my bucket list. (There’s a couple of blogs that do that. You have to get a license it sounds like, but I’d be willing to try. If I can do celestial navigation, locks should be manageable?)
It seems like floating houses are hooked up to city water/sewage at the dock rather than having holding tanks like boats for water/waste (which can smell if you aren’t careful). Most marinas have government environmental regulations banning through hull disposal of waste. (but seriously, the tankers and cruise ships pollute more – offshore where no one sees/smells)
Turtles may be slow, but they are pretty determined…how many have you tried to “help” across the road only to have then bite at you saying “Idiot, I was going the other way.” And off they go again right into traffic. Never underestimate a turtle!
Thanks for splashing down here.
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Dolphins work for the military? And houses in the sea? I dunno. Sounds fishy to me. And kind of sad and muddy. If Douglas Adams was still alive he could write another book about this titled, So Long And Thanks For The Sod. 😉
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Would be a whale of a tale. Salt of the earth stuff. Thanks for towing a comment over
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Oh, my gosh. AMAZING. I like this: …” underwater picture window.” Have always wondered – though I truly don’t want to have my suspicions verified – where larger boats empty their “heads.” No sewers or septic tanks to back up, but eww. Love the moving contraption. When I first saw the image in the reader I thought it was a very extravagant bouncy-house for kinds. Haa! As to living at sea, underwater or above, no-no-no. Not unless there’s land visible and hospitable waters for swimming ashore. Claustrophobia, in reverse. ::shivers::
Had no idea this was even a thing. Thank you for showing us! 🙂
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All that window needs is Disney movie tunes playing in the background. (and we won’t tippy-toe in unknown waters…). The big floating communities along the west coast look far too much like big city apartments to me. At least with a sailboat you can sail out for a little peace and quiet, but you really have to downsize. Sailboats are the original “Tiny Houses” HA HA. Thanks for floating by to chat
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I’ve seen the “permanent houseboats” on Lake Union in Seattle…not sure I would want to live on one permanently…packed in like sardines and the motion of the water would get to me after awhile…that said, if done correctly it could augment those areas of the planet where land is scarce along the coastline….I will have to ponder the concept and wait to hear what the ocean life thinks about all of this…cool contraption to “carry” the vessels!! Great post!
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Large floating communities do exist in other parts of the world and have for a long time. Raising kids in one of those must present a whole unique set of problems.
You do have to wonder if the water dwellers complain about the lack of sunlight when the floating homes get popular and there are clusters of them. You know how some neighbors can get cranky if a tree gets too large and cuts out the sun on a garden next door. Thanks for sailing by with a comment
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That floating home seems oustanding… I wonder if you get dizzy over there…
Anyhow, your post reminded me of a film I have once watched.. maybe you did too… it is called Das Boot, a german movie which `follows the lives of a fearless U-Boat captain (Jurgen Prochnow) and his inexperienced crew as they patrol the Atlantic and Mediterranean in search of Allied vessels, taking turns as hunter and prey´ Source, http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/das_boot/
Of course, I thought of this film per contrast… 🙂
All the best to you!, Aquileana 😀
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Aquileana: Das Boot is one of my all time favorite films. My favorite scene is where the whole crew is drunk on shore leave in a sub base run by a real prick of a commander They are returning to their sub walking in the dark and rain when the commander’s car comes by and they all pull out their penises stand at attention in a line and wave their private parts at the commander driving by. I cracked up. That said the depth of emotions and the camaraderie under extreme pressure – like being depth charged and wondering if they would live – was unparalleled.
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Nothing like drunk sailors. Living aboard of sub takes a certain type of person. No way to go take a walk when you need some space or peace and quiet. Great movie. Thanks for docking that bit of a review
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Some people do get seasick sitting at the docks, but it would rock you to sleep….except in big storms…if earthquakes are jumpy on ground, how does it feel on water. Inquiring minds want to know. (Now if I can just get a research grant to pay for my life on a floating house while I study the situation. HA HA)
I do remember that movie. Small boats on big waters. A whole different reality.
Thanks for paddling over to chat
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