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Vanning It Again

Friday, November 20, 2009


(The new "office" and old windsurfing van / home for a few weeks.)

The return to van living.  My last update left you all with images and tales of living a life of comfort on a cush sailboat in Honolulu, HI.  I even named warm weather as my toughest adversary.  It was pretty hot, but honestly, that is weak sauce.  I deserved any amount of razzing and “tough life” comments that came my way after that one.  The truth is, I actually WAS pretty comfortable, and that was my toughest adversary.

Sounds crazy, and might even insight more razzing, but let me explain.

The feelings of routine comfort and I have never really see eye to eye, and probably never will. Routine is something I have tried to step away from for as long as I can remember, and as nice as it is to have somewhere to be and somewhere to go back to, I find it keeps me from the world I work so hard to be a part of.  The world of random happenings, chance meetings with great people and the beauty and power of the unexpected.  That is the world I love, and there is nothing I won’t do to stay in it, making photos.

So I did what any sane person would do when they have it made.  I left.  I jumped ship, flew over to Maui and moved into an “old windsurfing van.” It is more stalker-ish and creepy than anything I have ever been associated with, but I love it.  The second I moved in, I felt instant freedom.  Freedom to go wherever, whenever with no concerns for planning around any one place I have to be.

No qualms with the sailboat or with my brother, I just needed to be mobile again. After all, it is all I know.

On another note, Maui has been great.  I have connected with a few great people here and have enjoyed some of that unexpected.  I have had beers with local fisherman on a rock for an evening, been pounded in the surf while shooting one great waveskier, almost kiteboarded my way back to Oahu, slept in houses and on driveways and beaches, had an in-depth paddling conversation, eaten sand-blown chicken wings, listened to an amazing Ukulele player, laughed with new friends and welcomed an old buddy into the Maui van life for a few weeks.

It’s all part of the beauty, as long as you leave yourself open to it.  Change is scary, and so is the unknown, but the fear of not photographing and experiencing everything I can plays heavier on me than the thought of changing my entire situation.  Maybe I’m crazy, but it’s all I know, and I love it!


(Tom Albritton throwing down on his skimboard at Sandy's Beach.)


(Gregg Burns all smiles while cliff diving.)


(Old friend and temporary van dweller Mike D on his way up Iao Valley.)


(Waveskier Tyler Lausten watching the surf in Paia Bay.)


Catching Up and Starting Over

Tuesday, November 03, 2009


            I have been in Hawaii for nearly two weeks now, and am marveling at the fact that this is the longest I have been in one place since July.

            I arrived here truly exhausted with months worth of building To Do’s that had been shelved in order to handle other priorities.  Unfortunately, knocking those To Do’s off is what these last two weeks have been all about (a lot of computer and phone time).  It’s not the most appealing end of my work, but it has also been a bit of a blessing.

While taking care of the items I mentioned, I have had the time to catch up with family, catch up on sleep and make the contacts necessary to pull off a whole lot of shooting in the coming weeks.  It is a usual transition, and one I make every few months when I go to a new area with new people, but the biggest adjustment this time around has been getting used to the heat.

            Unseasonal weather tends to follow me wherever I go, so it is no big surprise that the normally very comfortable Trade Winds stopped upon my Hawaiian arrival and still haven’t quite made their comeback.  Hot, still and muggy, my first thought was, “Oh man, what have I gotten myself into.”

            That probably sounds ridiculous to most people, but I am just used to higher latitude (and higher altitude) weather patterns.  I am also used to seasons, and my body was already gearing up for winter.

            In no way am I complaining, just explaining the adjustment.

            Otherwise, life on my brother’s sailboat is pretty nice.  I have my own bunk, but choose to sleep and work up on deck.  In a way, it is like taking a step back to my childhood spent camping and exploring on a 33 ft Chris Craft.

            I had a bunk in that boat too, but always slept out in the cockpit because it just felt better to be outside.  That coupled with the sounds of the water against the boat and the associated rocking is just too nice.

I am also really enjoying the fact that I do not have to worry about finding somewhere to park the van every night.  That is one aspect of the routine that has been nice to get a break from, but it has also given me a heightened sense for picking out other folks doing the same thing.  Knowing the van dweller’s approach, I have noticed a huge amount of people out here who are apparently very successful at it.

I just can’t get over how blatantly obvious some folks are with it here:  sleeping with the doors open, windows down and feet hanging out in the breeze.  I understand it is too hot to do it any other way, but I know I would be given the full shake-down if I tried to pull that off in random parking lots on the mainland.  Ah well, more power to them.

On the van dwelling note, I have also been interviewed for a two part series on a new website devoted to people who live and work unconventionally (www.livecollarfree.com).  It is a great new website and has already connected me with a few other people who have chosen a similar life.

I am proud to have been asked to participate and I hope that what I had to say will be helpful to anyone thinking about living “collar free.”


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