Living on a narrowboat on the canals of the UK changes your life drastically and makes you become more involved in finding self-sustainable ways of enhancing your daily life. Some of the areas you'll first start to become more responsible about are your energy consumption, water consumption, and you pay closer attention to your waste disposal. In other words, you become more environmentally conscious.
Being on a narrowboat also gives a constant reminder of how amazing nature is when we care about preserving and maintaining flora and fauna as green spaces help to calm the mind and the wildlife animals are adorable.
When the light hits the right hour of the day, you get stunning colours :)
Power Supply is different from living on land
Relying on an alternative power supply is a given for narrowboat living, and as you chug along you'll see impressive investments made by other boaters for a truly sustainable and comfortable living.
The power supply for Badger, our narrowboat is solar-powered with an Eberspacher Diesel heating system, not a traditional wooden burner, something we inherited from the personal preference of the previous owners. What this means is that yes, we always have power (if monitored correctly), and on days when the sun is in full beam, our batteries top up and perform at an optimal.
It is Spring, yet it has been reported to be one of the coldest springs in the UK within recent years, so some mornings the solar panel tends to be frosty and covered with leaves. I like to give it a quick wipe down to maintain and enable the full force of the sun to activate quickly.
Deeds to Help Restore Earth
We all have busy schedules with good intentions, but sometimes our actions tell a different story. However, everyday living on a narrowboat along the canals forces you to be more vigilant of energy conservation such as:
- Switching off all lights, not in use and only turning on when necessary, unplugging all appliances (except the refrigerator), turning off computers, and unplugging USB chargers
- Taking shorter showers, turn off taps in-between brushing and rinsing of teeth, turn off tap in-between scouring and rinsing dishes (or fill sink) to avoid running water unnecessarily.
- Turning off our oven 10 minutes before cooking time to use the residual heat.
- Opening the oven after using to heat the boat/living environment.
Canals and narrowboats are a tremendous part of UK history and heritage.
You have the option of living on a narrowboat at a marina, or you could be a continuous cruiser, which gives you the opportunity to explore the UK canal network by being on the move and mooring up at designated mooring spots for short term stays. If continuous cruising is your option, you'll have an increase in physical activity opening and closing locks, when living on the narrowboats.
Canal Locks
The engineering of the olden days created a system on the canals known as locks. Locks are basically ascending or descending of hills. Since canals are manmade, you have to imagine that they needed to be built according to the layout of the land, and since the Uk consists of hills, valleys, and plains, the locks allow boaters to get from one level to the next.
For something that was created by man over 200 years ago, I feel so privileged to be utilizing the network in the twenty-first century.
Bridges And Tunnels
'Great workout opening and closing locks and gates and an increase in walking or cycling into towns which reduces carbon footprints.'
Facilities
With a narrowboat being your home with a functional engine, facilities such as Garbage Disposal, Sewerage Disposal, and Water Filling Stations are dotted along the canals.
The use of these facilities is part of the Canal license we pay for the year.
Recycling and DIY Habits and Practices
I've always had the tendency to collect items with the hope of recycling them for use in the future, and living on a narrowboat has brought that practice of mine to another level. Before I throw away any container after using a product, I take a good look at it and think, what could I re-use this for? Can I recycle it and use it to make something useful on the boat? I guess it's a bit like what some of us saw our grandparents and in my case of parents do. My mum always reuses things like butter cartridges, ice cream tubs, and even foil, whenever possible.
I reuse jars and bottles to make my own natural air freshener and surface cleaner: Here's a recipe that I like:
DIY Air Freshener / Surface Cleaner
- Peel of 2 Oranges
- half cup Neat Vinegar
- 8 to 10 drops of essential oil such as Rosemary, Tea Tree, Lavender, Eucalyptus, or Peppermint Oil.
You can add it to your spray bottle to refresh your house/narrowboat, it can also be used to wipe surfaces for a nice fresh scent.
I am a bit late on sowing seeds for a herb garden, but I have a few purchased and gifted plants that I tend to in the bow of the boat.
Laundry Days
As narrow boaters, we diligently do simple things like sourcing biological and eco-friendly products, which are also big on recycling their containers use bio-friendly detergents and washing-up liquids which can be found at boathouses or marinas, as well as in regular supermarkets.
At the moment, I do not have a washing machine, but we intend to buy a semi-automatic washer that is compact and eco-friendly to fit on our boat. So in the interim, I hand wash small items and hang them out to dry in the bow. The ball of fire might not be flaming, but the wind dries the clothes quickly enough.
Ummmm, what you see being hung to dry was a rather large load, as we had been low on water supply due to non-availability at our closest mooring spot for a period of 10 days.
Normally to lighten the burden and get clothes dried in a timely manner, as well as monitoring of water supply, I tend to wash small items daily and also top up our water supply whenever we pass water outlets.
Resourcefulness
Another thing that's handy when living on a narrowboat is having good housekeeping tips and life hacks.
My husband and I had a little dilemma about a blocked kitchen sink. Although we try our best not to wash food items down the drain, somehow we got a massive surprise of a drain that was stubborn and the water decided it was going nowhere. Without a plunger or plumber at our disposal, we successfully unblocked the drain using our own DIY "Liquid Plumber".
In the past, I've always relied on Vinegar and Baking Soda for removing scum marks and for cleaning around my cooking gas hob. However, occasionally while mixing my cleaning supplies for the shower in a hurry, I'd accidentally mix vinegar and baking soda and it forms bubbles and swell up my spray bottle attempting to burst open. So I thought, ok, maybe if we mix the same intentionally and pour it down the drain, this could do the trick...almost! We still needed a bit of plunging.
My makeshift plunger that did the trick was this cup suction:
Oh yes! A plunger is on our shopping list on our next shopping trip when we get to the next town.
Do you dream of living on a #narrowboat?
Is it a #lifestyle you think you could adjust to?
Would you be happier living in a more #minimalistic way?
My answer to all these questions is yes!
Thank you for reading my blog, and I'll share more of my everyday living on a narrowboat across the UK with you sometimes 🤗
Hi @millycf1976,
Thank you for participating in the #teamuk curated tag. We have upvoted your quality content.
For more information visit our discord https://discord.gg/8CVx2Am
Thank you SO MUCH for your continuous support!
Good read. I really enjoyed it. Thanks for letting us in your home. When I first heard you’re living in a narrow boat, I thought it was really cool but I also wondered how things worked. I wondered about laundry, heating, security and stuff like that. I actually wanted to ask but didn’t want to come across as inquisitive. 😆
I find it so interesting and love that it makes you even more conscious of healthy environmental practices. Love too that you made your own air freshener. I’ve been taking note of your recipes. Hehe! I tried the rosemary hair spritz. Great the you have some plants there.
Didn’t realize the Canal system is so big there. Such lovely views too.
Blue days are understandable. We experience them on and off the boat. Sure you'll have a great time catching up with friends and family. 💗
Say hi to Badger.
😃Thanks for sharing.
What a lovely response :) thank you.
I can imagine all the questions you have, as it really is an alternative way of living. Over the years I've been inquisitive with narrowboat owners, mainly because I had so many questions and actually wanted to know if I could ever live this way. Honestly, every boat has an individual layout and they all feel different. Ours is a modest length, so from the outside compared to other boats which might be longer, an outsider might wonder if we have proper living facilities...we do and very comfy. The previous owners did an excellent job in making it feel like a luxury hotel suite.
Before living on a nrrowboat I was always concerned about the safety (can't help it being Jamaican :) and yes there are sections where we know we must lock up patio chairs etc, however, in the countrysides its just us moored amdist acres of empty land, and passersby who walk their dogs and its a friendly vibe.
It truly is a wonderful way to live and see the UK. We have long tiring days navigating our way through the locks, but it's fun :)
😃Thank you for responding. Seeing the different layout and using small spaces creatively must be interesting. You taught me about locks as well. 😂😂The Jamaican in me. Great you don’t need grills. 🤣
I wondered how the boat system worked in times when you need to provide an address.
I can imagine the thrill of checking out the different areas along the canals.
From what I know of the Japanese, they're excellent at using small spaces in amazing ways too. I miss the little random household items I used to be able to buy cheaply in Cebu City. They have a nice outlet Muji but I think only in London. Great products but more on the pricy side.
For our mail, we have permanent addresses we use and have our friends keep mail for us. I believe there are other options, and some Marinas might be hospitable in emergency situations if we were close and needed an address.
It's all an adventure and we're still finding and chaging our rhythms daily :)
You're right. I think they are pros at creatively using small spaces. Ah! There's Muji there? They have a good variety of items. I can imagine that you miss picking up certain things. I see. It all sounds interesting. Lovely adventure. 😃
Yes, Muji was my 1st intro to Japanese items. They had a brand at one of the malls in Cebu, but I thought they were overpriced with limited variety.
I've only seen the stores in London.
Ah, it’s a pity they didn’t have a wider variety of stuff. I’ve popped by a few of the shops but mostly to look around. I recently found out that there’re Muji cafes as well. I love Daiso. They have great little household items.
Your post has been voted as a part of Encouragement program. Keep up the good work!
Use Ecency daily to boost your growth on platform!
Support Ecency
Vote for Proposal
Delegate HP and earn more
Thank you very much for selecting my post for your #EncouragementProgram :) I've voted for the proposal ;)
Thank you, means a lot!
Do you ever go to hackney? I live right next to the canal!
Hello @ultravioletmag
No we haven't been to Hackney yet as we've only been living on the boat for about 6 weeks now. The canals are so beautiful and there's always even a subtle change of vibe or scenery even with a short move.
Badger is hard to miss :) so if you should ever spot us in Hackney or any part of the UK, please give us a holla and have a cuppa ;)
A wonderful post about living on narrowboats. Love all the photos!
Thank you so much for such a kind feedback :)
I appreciate it and I'm happy you like my photos ;)
Have a great day!
I loved your story of life on a narrow boat! It reminded me of the time we parked up near a canal in our livin van and met so many awesome people living that life you're living. It was so inspiring!!!!
Yes for sure, one must learn how to evaluate everything that consumes energy living small like that. We're on a property in this giant caravan but it's the same thing, we have to be mindful of how we do everything! And being environmentally conscious becomes not only second nature, but also a byproduct of this type of life because we have to.
Lovely post thanks for the read, for the beautiful photos, and for helping me bring up some great memories of my water pikey friends too!!!
Oh Hello @senorcoconut
Thanks for your sweet and kind feedback.
Your life sounds like a great adventure too!
I must admit, these little deeds by you and myself are fulfilling and rewarding in a strange way. They make the entire lifestyle more interesting and caring about the environment is never overrated.
Thank you so much for stopping by :)
It was such a good read! You are blessed to have such a lifestyle. Simple, authentic, and one with nature. And yes, you are right! Sustainability and alternative power sources should be on top of priority for everyone. And the photos are beautiful. Thanks for the tour! 😍
Hello @indayclara
Thank you for visiting my blog and for your kind feedback :)
I'm happy you like the lifestyle, its a great way to experience nature. I've always had a fascination with the happiness and freedom of birds, and now I'm so close to the melodious sounds of their chirps and it feels lovely 🙏🏼😍
Wishing you a great day :)