Regent's Canal - 2

My recent time on the canal has been spent perusing the many narrowboats, and other styles of boats, moored along the walk way. I have spoken with a couple different people who live on the boats: Paige, Jonas, and one who wished to remain anonymous. We conversed about their lives and decisions to live on the river, and, overall, each conversation has given me more of an insight into the attraction of living on the canals of London.

Paige was the first I spoke with. Originally, she is from Canada, and has lived on the Canal since February. We did not speak much about her personal life, but she did tell me some interesting facts about living on the canal. When a boat is purchased, sometimes, but not always, it is purchased with a mooring station. Her boat was not, and a lot of the boats are not bought that way. The majority of them are always relocating. If you purchase your boat without a moor, you must move the boat every 2 weeks. I assume this is to avoid idleness on the river, or greediness for specific locations. Paige's current mooring was one of her favorites on the canal because of it's proximity to her favorite pub and the Columbian flower market. All in all, the short exchange we shared was informative and led me to ask more pointed question about life on the canal in the next conversations. 

The individual who wished to remain anonymous has a dog named Wilfie. Wilfie is a working lab, who must be bred with part spaniel because she looks identical to my dog, aside from her coat. Her owner has lived on the canal for over three years and very much prefers it over the city life. The best part about the boat, according to the woman, was the wood burning stoves. It is a cheaper way to heat a more confined area, but at some risk, considering that the majority of the boats are made from wood. In defense, she said, "it adds to the character of the lifestyle", and I agree with her. Her favorite aspect of the canal is the community and how it constantly changes depending where you moor for the week. Currently, she is putting more money into her boat for renovations in hopes of selling it and buying another. 

The last person I interviewed was named Jonas. He is German and has lived on the boat for a couple years. Here is a selection from my interview with him. Enjoy.

Thank you for reading and listening.