I've only spent Thanksgiving on a boat once in my life, and it was almost 30 years ago. I still remember that day, though definitely not because of the food; it was our final day at the dock before leaving to sail across the Atlantic, from the Canary Islands to Barbados (the very first Atlantic Rally for Cruisers).

I don't remember what we ate, though I'm sure it wasn't turkey. I do remember clearing a variety of "still to be stowed" bits and pieces off the table before setting it for dinner.

Wherever you find yourself tomorrow, if you're on a boat the holiday will definitely be different from the national norm (turkey, gravy, too many sides, nap, football). For one thing, most galley ovens aren't big enough for a full-sized turkey, and most iceboxes don't have enough room for all those leftovers. So finding an alternative (turkey breast, perhaps?) will make the food centerpiece more manageable.

For the rest of it, here are some tips to make your boating holiday special.

cockpit-sunset

Sunset from the cockpit: one more thing to be grateful for.


1. Expand your definition of "family"


Sharing some down time with the people you care about is really what Thanksgiving is all about. Make sure to include whoever's nearby; fellow cruisers, perhaps? Or shoreside friends who might think a meal on a boat is very special?

2. Take advantage of your surroundings


Even if you can't go over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house, you can get out and enjoy the shoreline. Try a pre-dinner gunkholing adventure by kayak, dinghy, or paddleboard; any of those will make it possible to take in all the details of a small piece of nearby waterfront.

3. Eat local


We've all got our special favorites that "have" to be included in Thanksgiving dinner. For me, it's stuffing and my brother's very sweet sweet potato dish with mandarin oranges, but both would be hard to prepare on a boat. Instead, embrace some new local specialities. Tropical fruit? A vegetable you've never tried?

Hopefully you'll remember your Thanksgiving on a boat 30 years from now too, even if you aren't leaving on Friday to sail across the Atlantic. The purpose of Thanksgiving, after all, is to give thanks for what we have. And those of us who are able to choose our boating lifestyles certainly have a lot to be grateful for.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at boats.com, wherever your boat takes you.

Written by: Carol Cronin
Carol Cronin has published several novels about the Olympics, sailing, hurricanes, time travel, and old schooners. She spends as much time on the water as possible, in a variety of boats, though most have sails.