Boating in winter

boating is a very romantic occupation but all boaters will tell you that winter is tough. The reason for this is the stoppages on the canals and rivers (for repairs) which hinder travel, and the general anti social attitude of the british in the dark. As autumn progresses the nights become longer and the days shorter. Meeting people on the canals in winter is tougher than any other season because we are all indoors. If you can make it through a winter, you can make it through a life aboard. I started living afloat during an October, and it is tough - but I loved it. The frosty mornings, the coldness as you step outside your doors into the big open world. The fresh air in the mornings. It is a beautiful time of year. Two of my boating chums (see the links - Maffi and Westwood) are about to set sail to embark upon their lives aboard. Keep an eye on their blogs as they start this new life at a difficult time of year - especially as, like me when I started out, they are going to be continuous cruisers experiencing the waterways from a transient way of life.