The Interview With A Cruiser Project

[Livia]

My name is Livia and about 7 years ago I founded the Interview With A Cruiser Project with which some of you may be familiar.

I completed over 100 interviews with cruisers who had been actively cruising outside of their country for at least two years. After about 100 interviews I had two feelings: 1) I had accomplished what I had set out to do and 2) I was about to head off into some remote areas on my own cruise and I didn't want to be committed to the "every Monday" interview goal I had set out for myself.

I put the project on intermission and left it up as a free and open resource.

Fast forward 5 years and I'm back on land having completed my own cruise. The world is different than it was in 2010 and so is cruising.

I've decided to revive the project but haven't made up my mind exactly in what form I will do so.

If you have input, I would be very interested in hearing it. As I said on the site:

Here is your chance for input before the project gets up and rolling again!

What did you enjoy about the project? What did you find lacking? Did anything annoy or frustrate you? If you could run the project, what would you do differently? What subjects fascinated you? Which subjects weren't covered enough?

Comment here, on the site, or on the same topic on our Facebook page.

[Celestialsailor]

"The world is different than it was in 2010 and so is cruising".


I certainly don't disagree but wondered what in particular you were referring to. The last 4 years of cruising on and off have drawn some conclusions for me.

[Pelagic]

Hi Livia and welcome back

While 7 years is not that long..I think framing your questions in a;
"Now and Then" perspective with examples and details would be far more interesting for me to better appreciate the changing cruising scene in different countries

The Good: like perhaps improved communications
The Bad: Are there more local regulations and costs?

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

"The world is different than it was in 2010 and so is cruising".


I certainly don't disagree but wondered what in particular you were referring to. The last 4 years of cruising on and off have drawn some conclusions for me.

I didn't have a specific issue in mind, more of a general sense that the recommendations I read before I started cruising in 2010 often didn't seem to apply to the cruising that I actually experienced.

Pelagic, good suggestion. When I mentioned that things have changed what I meant was that I think the answers to the question bank would be different now on many fronts that they were when I stopped the project. Not just because the world has changed, and technologies have changed, but maybe different people are going cruising, and more often cruising in seasonal/part time patterns.

[Celestialsailor]

For me, I have seen a negative while cruising in Mexico. I pay $500@month when I need a slip. In Northern Ca., I pay less than $300. Keep in mind that Mexico's economy is approximately 5:1 of the US. Then there is the 90%+ that get around $5US a day in wages, in Mexico.
The other one is the attitude and mind set of people cruising the last 10 years. They seem to be part of the "me" crowd. Other than cruising with the Baja ha ha, they pretty much keep to themselves and seem suspicious of everything. Maybe it will be better in the South Pacific.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Livia

I didn't have a specific issue in mind, more of a general sense that the recommendations I read before I started cruising in 2010 often didn't seem to apply to the cruising that I actually experienced.

Pelagic, good suggestion. When I mentioned that things have changed what I meant was that I think the answers to the question bank would be different now on many fronts that they were when I stopped the project. Not just because the world has changed, and technologies have changed, but maybe different people are going cruising, and more often cruising in seasonal/part time patterns.

Livia I see 2 major events that will cause changes in your reporting.

1...You have changed, now subconsciously comparing the experience of others, with your own.

2...Unfortunately Obama, with his attack on the wealthy, inadvertantly demonized all yacht owners as somehow cheating the system and citizens from receiving their "fair share" of wealth in the form of social services and entitlements.

This emboldened ALL administrative agencies world wide to go after yacht owners in various forms of new regulations and fees that would generate income.

So there is now a subliminal "Us & Them" mindset about yacht owners, where before there was a much more open relationship of welcoming families following their dream.

[Sea Dreaming]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

The other one is the attitude and mind set of people cruising the last 10 years. They seem to be part of the "me" crowd. Other than cruising with the Baja ha ha, they pretty much keep to themselves and seem suspicious of everything. Maybe it will be better in the South Pacific.

That's interesting. I've read so much about the friendliness of cruisers and now, here I am on my own boat and meeting people has been a slower process than I thought. But!
I also see that it took ME to be more open with new people. Months in fact. Once we lightened up we have met some great social tutors and are making more friends.

One thing I've really noticed is that, as a newbie cruiser, I've had to put my ego it check. It so tempting to believe you know "enough" but that means it's also tempting to avoid anyone who might really know to preserve your own illusion! Haha!

To the OP: I would also like a then and now approach. So very much has changed in the past few years. It would be really nice to see what others experiences are.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Livia I see 2 major events that will cause changes in your reporting.

1...You have changed, now subconsciously comparing the experience of others, with your own.

2...Unfortunately Obama, with his attack on the wealthy, inadvertantly demonized all yacht owners as somehow cheating the system and citizens from receiving their "fair share" of wealth in the form of social services and entitlements.

This emboldened ALL administrative agencies world wide to go after yacht owners in various forms of new regulations and fees that would generate income.

So there is now a subliminal "Us & Them" mindset about yacht owners, where before there was a much more open relationship of welcoming families following their dream.

I thought political opinions were Taboo on this forum.

[Pelagic]

No intent to be political or rant. [emoji111]

Just an observation of changing perceptions where the evolution of when full time cruisers were once consdered rare and a romantic oddity to changing perceptions for a variety of reasons from numbers to economic opportunities.

[Celestialsailor]

Well yes I agree but it has very little to do with opinions on political party's one way or another. That in it's self is a perception.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Well yes I agree but it has very little to do with opinions on political party's one way or another. That in it's self is a perception.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Livia I see 2 major events that will cause changes in your reporting.

1...You have changed, now subconsciously comparing the experience of others, with your own.

2...Unfortunately Obama, with his attack on the wealthy, inadvertantly demonized all yacht owners as somehow cheating the system and citizens from receiving their "fair share" of wealth in the form of social services and entitlements.

This emboldened ALL administrative agencies world wide to go after yacht owners in various forms of new regulations and fees that would generate income.

So there is now a subliminal "Us & Them" mindset about yacht owners, where before there was a much more open relationship of welcoming families following their dream.

Yea, I can just see how that logic got deep into the psyches of the officials clearing me in in El Salvador or Tonga. Not!

[Sandibar]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Yea, I can just see how that logic got deep into the psyches of the officials clearing me in in El Salvador or Tonga. Not!

Yes. On behalf of myself, and maybe some others from the non-US audience on this site, I can say with conviction Obama's policies have not made a change in the perception of boat ownership or emboldened local agencies to go after boaters here in the Baltics .

[JPA Cate]

It's undeniable that there have been changes since we started cruising. One of the critical events of that time, was that some Australian cruisers who preceded us, taught us to go and introduce ourselves to everybody in the anchorage, even if it took creating an event, like a sing along, or drinks, or pot luck on the beach, in order to have a focus. It gets strangers mixing. Make an effort to get to know the locals, wherever you go. One of my women friends had lots of meaningful discussions with local women, doing washing in streams with them.

One year, sadly, our second season in New Zealand, some Kiwis asked us, "what's wrong with this year's cruisers?" It was a good question, and it was their first year of rallye yachties, who, already enmeshed in friendships with mainly other Yanks, were not in a mood to return offered Kiwi hospitality. To me, it was a great shame, look at all the cultural experiences from which they were cutting themselves off, plus it made the other US people look really shabby!

One year, someone from San Diego said to us, "This year's cruisers have too much money and too little experience." That was just about right, too, as we saw them play through.

It is up to you, the new cruisers coming out, to consider how you want to be treated and included--or not--and then, become as you wish to be. There are many options, and some of my favorite memories are of campfire sing-alongs, all cruisers, who met with food and whatever musical instruments plus lots of spoons (for rhythm section) so that everyone could make music and sing along. There were sailor written songs, with refrains that we could all relate to, [I remember "The ITCZ Blues"] old fashioned folk songs, some new, but there was a kind of magic with everyone conspiring to make music together.

So, y'all choose what you want to do. You'll either be part of the solution or the problem. Magic is where you make it or find it.

If you happen to be saddled with the "me generation" way of thinking, my heart goes out to you, it will be a difficult change to make, to become more collectively inclined.



Ann

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by Sea Dreaming

That's interesting. I've read so much about the friendliness of cruisers and now, here I am on my own boat and meeting people has been a slower process than I thought. But!
I also see that it took ME to be more open with new people. Months in fact. Once we lightened up we have met some great social tutors and are making more friends.

One thing I've really noticed is that, as a newbie cruiser, I've had to put my ego it check. It so tempting to believe you know "enough" but that means it's also tempting to avoid anyone who might really know to preserve your own illusion! Haha!

To the OP: I would also like a then and now approach. So very much has changed in the past few years. It would be really nice to see what others experiences are.

I find this interesting, and I think it depends on where you are. I left Australia via yacht in 2010 and are now back on another yacht. I wave to people that dinghy past, overseas its (where I've been) its just natural that cruisers acknowledge each other. My girlfriend commented today how few wave or look for a wave in the three Australian anchorages weve been in so far. Maybe it will be different further north, but its seem different than I remember.

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