In The Swim

THERE'S MORE to houseboat living than we land-dwellers might imagine. The floating lifestyle isn't only about drifting off to sleep lulled by waves. It also means kayakers slipping past your breakfast table, and sunlight reflecting so brightly off the water that plants grow like crazy. When asked about the drawbacks of living at the end of a dock, Laurel Doody can only think of two things. It's a long way to lug groceries, and when you buy a floating home you need not only a house inspector but also a diver to check out the pilings beneath the boat. Oh, and sometimes after a windstorm your home needs refloating, which means realignment to keep it flat and steady on its supporting logs.

Patrick and Laurel Doody love their East Lake Union location with close-up views of the Space Needle, bustling lake activity and seasonal fireworks. Their floating home is one of 15 open for the 2006 Houseboat Tour on Sept. 10. Participants will hop aboard electric boats to cruise across the lake to tour houseboats on both the west and east sides of Lake Union.

Was everyone who bought a houseboat here required to pass a gardening quiz? Or was it just that living on the water made them appreciate all that grows out of the soil? Whatever the reason, the Doodys' length of dock is lined with pails, tins and pots overflowing with herbs, perennials, roses and grasses. The old wooden dock appears as much brilliant cottage garden as boat access and mooring. The plants luxuriate in the warm microclimate so close to the water, tumbling from window boxes and containers into one fragrant mass against houseboats of every color and style, from funky to sleek.

Now the dock is in-city waterfront with pricey views. But the community began because people couldn't afford to buy land, and the docks remain tinged with the casual aura of alternative lifestyles.

The Doodys' classic two-story houseboat, built in 1920, was a speakeasy at one point in its long history. When the family moved to Seattle from a New York co-op, they bought a house in Magnolia. But they felt isolated and grew tired of having to drive everywhere. They missed life in Manhattan. "I loved that kind of life, with its small spaces, co-operative living and sense of community," says Laurel.

While a houseboat might not seem the obvious choice for New Yorkers, Laurel says houseboats are the ultimate in co-operative living. Their two daughters were teenagers when they moved onto the water. "It brought us together as a family to live in just 1,800 square feet," says Laurel. "We'll never move, ever."

Laurel collects antiques, quilts and folk art that lend a serene simplicity to the houseboat's interior. When they moved in, the Doodys installed a new fireplace wall, expanded the front deck and replaced the white shag carpeting with wide-board pine floors. Furniture is kept to a minimum and equipped with rollers so it can be moved about for maximum flexibility. On New Year's Eve, they move the couches aside and scoot the dining table in front of the fire.

The quiet spaciousness indoors is balanced by the profusion of plantings just outside the windows. Jasmine and passionflower vines climb to the gutters, hydrangeas overflow galvanized tubs, and tins of sedums decorate every exterior surface. Despite all the art and plants, the lifestyle remains all about the lake's allure. "We chose an old dock because I wanted wood under my feet," says Laurel. "I love the lapping of the water."

Valerie Easton is a Seattle freelance writer and contributing editor for Horticulture magazine. Her e-mail address is valeaston@comcast.net. Benjamin Benschneider is a Pacific Northwest magazine staff photographer.