Can you live in a van as a watersports girl?
What’s it like to really live in a van as a watersports enthusiast?
Van life has completely changed my life for the better. Every day feels like an adventure and you can chose to stay in different places every night. It’s awesome.
Before I was in the van, I had been kayak training intensely for several months and driving up to 8 hours a day to go to practice. Eventually I started to pay a fortune for accommodation, from AirBnBs to hotels, you name it. The financial burden was insane, and something had to give. I began to research camper vans and suddenly my dream of owning a camper came true.
I purchased my beautiful Opel Movano which came kitted out with a double bed, sofa, gas oven, grill and hob. It had ample storage space with a big garage underneath my bed for my 2 kayaks and all my gear. The van was also fitted with solar panels which meant I could live remotely without having the stress of my phone dying or my fridge going warm. It was perfect.
Having the van has been such an adventure. I lived out of it full time, remotely, on the side of the road for 2 months in preparation for the 2022 World Championships. It was a game changer. It brought my cost down by thousands and was so convenient to have.
Some of my favourite perks about having a van is cooking a nice hot meal between trainings and being able to power nap between sessions without having to travel back to a house. My all time favourite perk is being able to stay in a different place every night! I love waking up close to beaches, hearing the crashing waves while I cook my breakfast or waking up next to rivers and seeing spectacular waterfalls from my bed!
However, van life can be challenging especially as a water sports enthusiast, living in Ireland. Wet gear is nearly impossible to dry when living in the van unless you’re willing to dry it inside. I don’t like doing this as the moisture gets everywhere and mold loves that environment to grow, but I wouldn’t change van life for the world. It’s worth buying a wetsuit shampoo for example, to keep your neoprene products clean, and cleaning things as you go so that it doesn’t pile up.
I am currently travelling all around the Wild Atlantic Way in my spare time surfing, kayaking and hiking while soaking in the beautiful landscapes in my van. It’s so nice to be able to do these trips without the worries of paying hefty accommodation bills or trying to find cheap restaurants to eat in to save money! I just cook everything inside!
Right now, I only live in the van part time, but I am excited to live in the van more long term. I plan on taking the van around Europe and getting to explore some hidden gems around the world.
