I knew nothing about boats before buying one on a whim. I’ve now spent 4 years living on it while traveling the world.

Three weeks after purchasing my magnificent vessel, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and my travel plans were put on hold. During this time, I got to know my boat a little better and practiced sailing, going up and down the Thames.

By June 2021, I was ready to face the open sea and cross the English Channel to France. I topped up with fuel, left Ramsgate, and headed to Calais.

It was challenging but driving through open water was easier than navigating narrow canals and rivers.

In open water, I was able to set the autopilot to keep the boat going in the right direction, which is not possible on the French waterways where I’d probably bump into other boats or docks.

Then, I worked my way slowly around the Côte d’Azur.

Sailing through France was somewhat affordable, and the people I encountered were so friendly that I stayed in the country for a year.

I had access to the splendid French waterways for only 126 euros a month, paid to VNF, the navigation authority that manages them.

I spent almost 90% of my time avoiding marinas, as there were plenty of apps that helped me find free places to drop my anchor. Some villages throughout France had nice places for me to tie my boat up for free — a few included access to power and water.

If the weather looked a bit grim, I’d pop into a nearby marina since most local ones only cost me about 25 euros a night.

Throughout my trip, I’ve made money doing small jobs as a photographer, but I’ve mostly been spending my savings.

Fortunately, I’ve found a lot of cheap marinas, and living on the boat hasn’t cost me as much as I thought it would.

Occasionally, I’ll look at an old video I made for YouTube and wonder how I went from working as a photographer in Los Angeles to living on a boat, bobbing around the Mediterranean.

But then I remember that I need to dish out over a thousand dollars to replace one of my boat’s bilge pumps, and it all seems very real.

I’m still not sure why I decided to buy a boat and sail around the world — and I don’t know what’s next for me. For now, though, I’m in the Mediterranean with as little stress as is humanly possible.