Tobago Correspondent
As powerboat enthusiasts across the country seek various vantage points to enjoy the Great Race spectacle on Saturday, one fan will be doing so from the comfort of his home—in the sea—at Store Bay.
The floating house, which sits on a barge, arrived at the popular location on Tuesday, leaving beachgoers marvelling at it.
Docked near Coco Reef Resort, the two-storey unit can accommodate dozens of people. The owner, who wished only to be called Bim, said he and his friends took advantage of a window with favourable sea conditions to make the journey from Trinidad to Tobago. The registered vessel, Barj Mahal, took over ten hours to reach Store Bay, travelling at 7.5 knots per hour and slowing to four knots in strong currents.
The owner said the inter-island journey was without incident. He said the house features five bedrooms and five bathrooms with a marine toilet system to manage its waste. The unit is fully solar powered with a generator on standby for days when sunshine is limited.
He said the idea was conceptualised several years ago and came to life when he acquired the barge four years ago. It was later sandblasted and coated in aluminium to prevent rust and corrosion. The vessel, which is 90 feet in length and 30 feet wide, set sail for the first time in November last year.
Asked how much the project cost, the owner declined to say. He added that since their arrival in Tobago, he has been bombarded with requests to rent the vessel. However, he insisted it was for private use only, adding he will be hosting 20 friends for a Great Race lime over the weekend.
On Store Bay yesterday, Trini-born US visitor Michelle Duncan Cowie said she was at the location the previous day when the boat was docking. Despite seeing floating homes on trips to Amsterdam and other places, Cowie said it was her first-time seeing a two-storey vessel.
She said, “We love how it is pulling up to Coco Reef and we were all wondering about the price, how to visit it, if we could go inside, if we could see what’s happening. We took videos. It is beautiful seeing it on the beach as a tourist.”
Trinidadian David Manrakhan, 65, on vacation with family, was excited to see the floating house.
“It’s like a home in the sea,” he said.
“I always looked at the foreign shows and normally see it, but reality hit us straight on our face. I think it is something fantastic.Whosoever come up with that idea, that is a great thought, especially for the tourism in T&T.”
Manrakhan said he wanted to find the owner to get a tour of the vessel.
