Neglect of the CLODS

Vero Beach, Florida


The other day, I wrote a blog about types of cruisers. I left out a very large category: CLODs. A CLOD is a Cruiser Living On Dirt.  In land-lubber language, a former cruiser.

I have no statistics to quote but I believe that the population of CLODs may exceed the population of cruisers.   Whatever their number, CLODs seem to flock together in some preferred locations.  Of the ones that we know, Oriental, North Carolina, is probably the biggest, followed by Vero Beach, Florida, then by Belfast, Maine.

CLODs like to socialize with each other and with active cruisers.  That's why they buy homes near the water.  They also have preferred hang outs.  In Oriental, it is The Bean.  The Bean is a coffee shop with a front porch overlooking the Oriental Public Dock and the harbor.

In Vero, the local CLODs have a weekly breakfast.  Where we are at City Marina, there are notices all over the place announcing the breakfasts and inviting active cruisers to join them.  I haven't done that yet, but perhaps I should.  CLODs are fun and interesting people. (If you have the opportunity to socialize with CLODs, take it.  Even if you never had the cruising bug yourself, these are fun and interesting people.)

One our our cruising friend couples have become Vero CLODs.  A second couple is moving ashore in Vero this weekend.  A third couple swapped their boat for an RV (another way to CLOD), but then brought their RV to Vero for an extended stay.

Next door to Oriental, is Fairfield Harbor, NC.  That is a large walled community with canals, and lots of nice affordable houses.   We have many CLOD friends living in Fairfield Harbor.