Many people have inquired about our houseboat adventure over spring break. Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect. Would I get motion sick? Would we hate each other after being stuck in tight quarters? Was it worth the trouble?

            I’m happy to report that no one got motion sick, we still like each other, and we can all move after sleeping on the beds. Every now and then another boat’s wake rocked us, and we lost balance or footing, but overall, we often forgot we were in a boat. The amenities were similar to a camper. We had air and heat, water, bathrooms, a cooktop, microwave, refrigerator, and television with a built in DVD player. There were three tight spaces for full beds, but we all had our own semi-private sleeping area. The furniture was uncomfortable, but we brought our zero gravity loungers and folding rocking chairs in anticipation. There were three outside areas including a front, back, and upper deck with outdoor furniture on them.

            The scenery on the St. Johns River was spectacular. We saw hundreds of manatees still lingering in the river and canals. There were herons, sandhill cranes, bald eagles, ospreys, hawks, kites, turtles, alligators, and the ear-piercing limpkins. The limpkins honestly squawked like velociraptors. All. Night. Long. We caught a few catfish and some bream. Found several schools of tilapia, but had no luck luring them toward our lines. Due to the cool snap, we experienced cooler nights and days along with more wind than anticipated which made driving the boat a bit more cumbersome. But overall, it was a restful, fun adventure.

            Would I do it again? I think so, as long as I could pick the weather. High winds and cooler temperatures limited our outside time. The kids had plans of sleeping on the upper deck one night, but it was just too cold and windy. Bringing our own chairs was perfect. And even though there were toilets on the boat, I used the ones at the marina every time I got a chance. The boat potties were easily clogged and I didn’t want the hassle of undoing that kind of mess. We chose to dock at the marina each night, even though we didn’t have to. We were able to access the bigger showers and toilets, along with hooking up to the marina’s power instead of running the generator. Our favorite part was all the wildlife and outside animal noises.

            Hope this review offers the answers many were seeking. I’d love to hear about any adventures you and your family have had that might be worth looking into in the future. We are always up for new things and new adventures. As usual, I’m always learning as I go.