Moving ashore after 7 years of living aboard

outbackbill

After living full-time on our C-Dory since April of 2013, we recently rented a house in North Carolina. We had already made the decision to find a house this Spring before we knew that the CoronaVirus would be changing all of our lives. We found a small house in a rural area West of Winston-Salem and moved in on April 1st.

In our years of living aboard we have traveled to 41 states and 3 Canadian Provinces. We have traveled almost 19,000 miles by water and 164,000 miles in our truck. We spent our Winters in Florida and for the last 6 years have volunteered at Hontoon Island State Park on the St. John’s River from mid January until the C-Dory gathering in early March. We usually leave Florida by the 1st of April when it starts to get hot and slowly follow Spring as we migrate North. Once Summer arrives we are somewhere around the Great Lakes or in Canada and in the Fall we return South.

Last Summer we finally made the trip to Alaska. We met C-Dory friend Colby on “Midnight Flyer” at a campground in Montana and traveled together to Prince Rupert B.C. We crossed Dixon Entrance and entered Alaska on May 25th. We had a great time traveling together and enjoying the scenery and wildlife. We ate lots of fresh seafood. We provided most of the fish and Colby kept us supplied with Dungeness crabs. Colby left in mid July to head home and we stayed another month, returning to Prince Rupert on August 10th. Our total Alaska boat trip was 2,082 miles. We were in no hurry to head back South in August so on our way back we boated at Flaming Gorge in Utah and visited family in Wyoming and South Dakota. We spent a week visiting another C-Dory friend, Pat Clow, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We finally headed South near the end of September. We spent a week on Bull Shoals Reservoir in Arkansas, then a few days boat camping while we kayaked and explored the Ozark National Scenic Riverways in Missouri. We met C-Dory friends, Dale and Carol, on “ See Ya” at Kentucky Dam State Park in early October and spent 3 weeks exploring the many nice anchorages around the Land Between The Lakes.

We arrived at our daughters house in North Carolina where we officially started our trip from in late October. Our total trip was 11,000 miles. It was 4,000 miles to Prince Rupert B.C. and 7,000 miles to get back. Now that we have a house, when it’s safe to travel again we still plan to spend time in the Winter boating in Florida and to take a few other trips throughout the year.

Some things have changed since we began living aboard. We had just retired and had two grown children when we started. We now have two grandchildren that we want to spend time with. We had no idea when we started how long we would want to live aboard but it has turned out to be an adventure of a lifetime.

Bill and Becky Smith

thataway · Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2020 8:46 pm Post subject:

I nominate Bill and Becky as "Super C Brats of the year "(decade?). What wonderful trips and wonderful memories.

Does the bed rock at night?

Great inspiration in so many ways to those who follow in your footsteps. For those who have not met Bill and Becky, they are very special people! The personification of what a C Brat should be!

TyBoo · Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2020 8:53 pm Post subject:

I second the nomination!

Wonderful!

colbysmith · Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2020 9:30 pm Post subject:

I’m envious of your miles on both the boat and trailer! Alaska was a great trip and you guys made it all that much better for me! It may take a few weeks for that house to stop rocking! Lol. Enjoy those grand kids now!

1Wiley · Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2020 9:38 pm Post subject:

Ummmm I looked in the gallery and only found a few pictures of your truck tailgate,
So ya know what they say.... without pictures.. Very Happy

But honestly that’s an amazing story I’m sure everyone would love to see and hear more. Thanks for sharing
Oh yea and it’s nobody’s business if the beds a rocking ... Thumbs Up

jennykatz · Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:53 pm Post subject: Blue days

Yes Bill and Becky what a nice couple who we have seen at Hontoon for the last 5 years Congratulations on getting a house Looking forward to seeing you again at Hontoon in March Jim and Loree

hardee · Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2020 1:08 am Post subject:

Bill and Becky What a great (start) of a report. That wounds like an incredible experience. I too, immediately went to the photo album and . . . it could use some updating. Glad you had so many great times and good miles. Now that you are home and have some isolation time maybe we will see more photos. Glad your back safe and sound and now, stay healthy. Hope to see you at Hontoon sometime.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

Tony Ferris · Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2020 8:47 am Post subject:

I don't post much here and do a lot of reading, but you guys have lived my own dream. It sounds like quite the adventure. I'd love to duplicate it someday, but who knows?

Avidmagnum12 · Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2020 3:11 pm Post subject:

Congratulations on your new “chapter”. Grandchildren are quite a blessing and change your whole life. And now you’ll have a house to work on plus the “Blue Days” in between baby sitting gigs. Look forward to traveling with you again in the future. Now that I’ve learned how to really catch Lake Trout I’ll give Bill some lessons if he will give me some bass fishing lessons!

Best Wishes.....Tom and Joyce

Larry K · Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2020 10:17 am Post subject:

Congratulations on your long run of living aboard. Wendy have always enjoyed spending time with you two. Stay safe. Enjoy the time with your grandchildren.

chucko · Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2020 1:52 pm Post subject:

Welcome to landing in NC , there’s plenty of water to explore nearby when things return to normal you will be ready. We met at the last Hontoon gathering and it was a treat to hear of your adventures.

breausaw · Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2020 4:36 pm Post subject:

Wow, that’s just crazy!

Could never imagine living in such a small space for so many years; I congratulate you both!

Sometime less is more, simpler better than complex, use the KISS method and so on.

An inspiration for sure.

Will you be joining the tiny house movement now? Very Happy

outbackbill · Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2020 7:11 pm Post subject:

Thank you for all the positive comments. We have met some great people through owning our C-Dory and look forward to meeting more of you in the future. We do have lots of pictures with captions on Facebook at Becky Ogilvie Smith. Living in a tiny boat was worth doing for all the great place’s we’ve been, but no tiny houses for us. We are enjoying the many luxuries that people take for granted. 24/7 electricity, our own laundry and a toilet that doesn’t require emptying are pretty special.

Bill

hank clow · Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 9:42 am Post subject:

So now it's official. I was beginning to wonder if land
lubbing was really in your future. Grandchildren are a pretty amazing incentive to alter plans and well worth the effort.

The Camp Clow gang looks forward to your next visit with or without "Blue Days".

Pat Clow

Molly Brown · Posted: Sat May 02, 2020 6:38 am Post subject:

I have to second Bob's comments! Super nice couple. Everytime I see them I complain that they are living my dream. It was an honor to sort of cruise with them a little this past March.

Wishing you both the best and look forward to our next meal together Smile