“What’s it like living on a boat?”. We have probably been asked that question a thousand times since we first came to live on ‘Persevere’ over a decade ago. Now that we are downsizing with retirement, we are putting our floating home up for sale.  We hope that the information and photos on these pages will help to answer questions about life afloat for those who may be interested in finding a viable and more attractive alternative to increasingly inaccessible bricks and mortar.

Many people are attracted by the idea of an alternative lifestyle and the quiet independence of life afloat, but imagine it to be a life of cold, damp and tempest-tossed hardship. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our purpose-built residential houseboat is triple-insulated, double-glazed, has four double bedrooms, gas central heating, and extensive storage and is way bigger than the apartment on Brighton seafront from which we moved here. Super cosy in winter – especially with the log burner blazing – and cool in summer – welcoming the breeze from the sea through the open double doors in the lounge or sipping a cold drink on the rear sundeck.

Located in the tidal reaches of the River Ouse at Newhaven, behind Denton Island and alongside the protected natural greenery of Riverside Park, we are near to town, midway between the metropolitan bustle of Brighton and the quieter pleasures of Eastbourne, yet very secluded on a dedicated mooring in the corner of a secure but simple marina. We even have our vegetable garden!

View from the rooftop overlooking Robinson Road Marine and Egret’s Way riverside walk