Can you Live off the Bounty of the Sea?

[GaryMayo]

Many sailboats have fresh water capture systems built into their manufacture or if you help the design along a little. Mine does. Captured water needs to be filtered even if you keep the boat clean.

Vitamins can have a pretty long shelf life, no absolute need for fresh fruit.

On a reef, in a snorkel and a speargun handy, there would always be a somewhat varied diet available.

Being on the move, there would always be land somewhere in your path. Those times, you restock.

I don't think the OP was asking about a waterworld existence.

Books, journal, naps, hunting, cooking, water needs, cleaning, mending, repairing, repeat.

Endless days of that would seem like heaven to some, hell to others.

There could be weeks of bad weather where nothing gets done except holding on and listening to the sounds of the elements eating away at your boat.

If you could plan your voyages so you always sailed in fair seas, with plenty of local fish and foods to hunt and trade for, you would have a great time living at sea.

[gjordan]

Beware of the idea of eating local fish when depending on locales to tell you what is safe. When I was in the Marquesas I was friends with an Anerican doctor that spoke French. He was invited to dinner with the local French doctor. The local doctor told my friend that the hospital was full of locals with fish poisoning. So much for the idea of locale advice on what fish to eat. When I was in the Carribean some friends got fish poisoning following local advice and could not come outside of the cabin of their boat for three monthes because of the results of fish poisoning. Beware,Beware of locale advise._____Grant.

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by gjordan

Beware of the idea of eating local fish when depending on locales to tell you what is safe. When I was in the Marquesas I was friends with an Anerican doctor that spoke French. He was invited to dinner with the local French doctor. The local doctor told my friend that the hospital was full of locals with fish poisoning. So much for the idea of locale advice on what fish to eat. When I was in the Carribean some friends got fish poisoning following local advice and could not come outside of the cabin of their boat for three monthes because of the results of fish poisoning. Beware,Beware of locale advise._____Grant.

Agree there, sadly i don't think a test kit is available now, i have mates who maintain if flies don't settle on the fish don't eat it, through to getting a cat to try first finally to wiping a small piece on your lips to test sensitivity.
We always avoided larger fish.....

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by CCBullseye

Maybe some do not understand the meaning of "meat on the hoof". That is buying live animals. That would mean I inspect the farm, see how the animals are raised, what they are fed, the general health of the herd, and then I butcher the animal myself. I do not eat meat from animals that have received vaccanations, that is a real no no in my boat. (pun intended). As far as dairy, I will be present to observe the animal and milking and processing. I do not buy dairy nor meat here in America from chain grocery stores now, that stuff will kill you. If I don't produce it myself, I buy it from farmers I know and personally inspect their farms and their methods.

Mate, I humbly suggest that you not go cruising away from your home waters, for you are gonna starve to death if you follow the above practice.

Ones food fetishes are pretty hard to support in foreign areas, especially third world spots. Adaptability is an essential skill for cruising, and it sounds like you may be lacking in that quality.

Cheers,

Jim

[DumnMad]

Originally Posted by Lagoon4us

Agree there, sadly i don't think a test kit is available now, i have mates who maintain if flies don't settle on the fish don't eat it, through to getting a cat to try first finally to wiping a small piece on your lips to test sensitivity.
We always avoided larger fish.....

I carry antihistamine with me. Rescued my my mate from a severe reaction after he had too much local cuisine. He thought he had coral poisoning but I was sure it was the quantity of local lobster he ate(Big guy.) The antihistamine was a quick fix.

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by DumnMad

I carry antihistamine with me. Rescued my my mate from a severe reaction after he had too much local cuisine. He thought he had coral poisoning but I was sure it was the quantity of local lobster he ate(Big guy.) The antihistamine was a quick fix.

So the antihistamine dilates swelling is that the logic? What form tablets/puffers?

Sounds interesting..

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Mate, I humbly suggest that you not go cruising away from your home waters, for you are gonna starve to death if you follow the above practice.

Ones food fetishes are pretty hard to support in foreign areas, especially third world spots. Adaptability is an essential skill for cruising, and it sounds like you may be lacking in that quality.

Cheers,

Jim

I can imagine walking into a village where the pigs are like dogs and the chooks are roosting on the verandah rails with a list of demands, sure to get a laugh like it did here today.........PMSL

[K_V_B]

You have to keep in mind that those primitive tribes living entirely "off the bounty of the land" have a very different concept of "living" than we do.
I you're content with dying early of some trivial disease, and seeing a lot of children die before their first birthday, then go ahead, live as an Inuit, or a Pacific Northwest Indian.
Us modern people need infrastructure, which means that you need to keep trading with the rest of civilization... So either have a lot of money, or a skill you can trade on.

[DumnMad]

Originally Posted by Lagoon4us

So the antihistamine dilates swelling is that the logic? What form tablets/puffers?

Sounds interesting..

Histamine forms in you as a result of an allergic reaction. Antihistamine in pill form just helps neutralize it.
I've had a histamine reaction from eating canned tuna.

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by DumnMad

Histamine forms in you as a result of an allergic reaction. Antihistamine in pill form just helps neutralize it.
I've had a histamine reaction from eating canned tuna.

Ok cheers and thanks.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by DumnMad

Histamine forms in you as a result of an allergic reaction. Antihistamine in pill form just helps neutralize it.
I've had a histamine reaction from eating canned tuna.

not much good with cigutera poisening,which is common through much of the pacific and caribean

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by atoll

not much good with cigutera poisening,which is common through much of the pacific and caribean

Absolutely correct! Ciguatoxin is a neurotoxin which affects the central nervous system. Its effects are always unpleasant and can be fatal. It has been a leading cause of death in many island groups in the past. The French do treat symptoms with antihistamines, but they do not work in acute cases.

We've had two friends near death from ciguatera, and have had three cases ourselves... fortunately less severe... and can attest that it is no joke.

For a while there were test kits available. They were pricey, had a short shelf life, and were not free of error. Ask us how we know...

Bottom line is that we don't eat fish in tropical waters as a rule, and I hate that!

Cheers,

Jim

[NewEnglander]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, NewEnglander.

Thanks! Glad to be here.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by CCBullseye

Maybe some do not understand the meaning of "meat on the hoof". That is buying live animals. That would mean I inspect the farm, see how the animals are raised, what they are fed, the general health of the herd, and then I butcher the animal myself. I do not eat meat from animals that have received vaccanations, that is a real no no in my boat. (pun intended). As far as dairy, I will be present to observe the animal and milking and processing. I do not buy dairy nor meat here in America from chain grocery stores now, that stuff will kill you. If I don't produce it myself, I buy it from farmers I know and personally inspect their farms and their methods.

I think you will have 2 choices:-

a) become a vegetarian .

or

b) Bring your own .

[SunDevil]

Originally Posted by CCBullseye

This tread brings up some interesting points. As I plan my cruising adventure, one thing which worries me is getting the right healthy foods aboard a boat. I currently live on a farm and most of my food comes from my farm, mushrooms,honey, cheese, milk, butter, lard,corn, wheat, eggs, poultry, beef, pork, venison, fruit and vegetables. I now spend less than ten dollars a week at grocery stores (coffee and fresh fruit mostly). I know I will need to outfit my boat with a grain mill to grind flour and meal, do a lot of canning, and spend a lot of time seeking out farmers near the waterfront to purchase healthy foods.

Noah's Ark Replica Schagen Netherlands Photo Gallery by PaultheDane at pbase.com

Here's a good boat where you can take the farm along with you.

Originally Posted by GaryMayo

Many sailboats have fresh water capture systems built into their manufacture or if you help the design along a little. Mine does. Captured water needs to be filtered even if you keep the boat clean.

Vitamins can have a pretty long shelf life, no absolute need for fresh fruit.

On a reef, in a snorkel and a speargun handy, there would always be a somewhat varied diet available.

Being on the move, there would always be land somewhere in your path. Those times, you restock.

I don't think the OP was asking about a waterworld existence.

Books, journal, naps, hunting, cooking, water needs, cleaning, mending, repairing, repeat.

Endless days of that would seem like heaven to some, hell to others.

There could be weeks of bad weather where nothing gets done except holding on and listening to the sounds of the elements eating away at your boat.

If you could plan your voyages so you always sailed in fair seas, with plenty of local fish and foods to hunt and trade for, you would have a great time living at sea.

Sounds great to me right now. After a few years, I might worry a little about it being too repeative and hard.

But, I would try sailing to where the weather is nice both North and South.