Life on the Water

The sun reflects off the Hudson River. It's a quiet, brisk Sunday morning in February at the 79th Street Boat Basin Marina. Runners and cyclists glide by as boats gently rock with the wake laping against the shore.

Dock hand Michael Burke, 17, has been working since 7a.m. Inside the marina office, Burke reads the paper and occasionally looks out onto the ocean. As the morning wears on, houseboat residents pop in to say hello or ask for help with minor repairs on their boats.

Dock hand Mike Burke, 17, outside the office marina.

Burke, a student at Fordham Preparatory School for boys in the Bronx, says he likes working at the marina because he likes boating. From time to time, he takes a boat out to fix things around the marina. When things are slow, he can do some homework.

There are about 57 houseboats at the marina. The Parks Department took over ownership of the marina in 1989. Permits to live on a boat are no longer being issued. When the Parks Department took over, the people who already lived there were "grandfathered in," meaning their original contract with prior management was still valid.

People who live on houseboats all year, "year-rounders," pay $65 per linear foot a year. The marina makes more money from its transient and seasonal dockage fees than houseboats. Though people who live on houseboats do not pay property taxes, there are hidden costs like insurance and the cost of the boat, which starts at around $60,000.

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Icebreakers protect the boats docked throughout the winter.

Year-rounders hunker down for the off-season.

People from all walks of life make their homes on the water.

Ducks find a place to set up camp.

"While you sleep someone watches your boat."

--Mike Burke, dock hand