They say the best things in life are free. Well, nothing seems to be free anymore, but there are some people in this world who have figured out how to have the best things in life, which for Henry and Joan Morgan includes time with their family and friends in a comfortable atmosphere.
The one thing you can count on to stay the same in this world is change, and for the Morgans some things have continually changed for the better.
They started boating on Rough River Lake in Ky. in the 1960s using a wooden 14-foot runabout with a 25 HP outboard. After that, they just seemed to gravitate more and more toward the water and the larger boats. They used to watch those nice big (10 or 12 feet wide by 35 feet long at that time) houseboats cruising by with people sunning themselves on the top deck and wondered at that time if they would ever have that luxury. It seemed doubtful to them at the time, but that all changed in 1976.
The Morgans got their first houseboat, a steel hull, 14 by 52 foot, 1976 Somerset houseboat. They kept it at the Taylor County Boat Dock, now known as Emerald Isle.
Their houseboating adventure began a little differently back then than it might today. “Everything was out on a floating buoy back then. [In 1980] C.G. Collins [a good friend the Morgans used to boat with] and I built our own walkway with our two boats on either side of it. We had our own electricity, meters and everything,” says Henry.
There was a dock back then, but in 1976, the Morgans and many of their houseboating friends were among 15 different houseboats secured to buoys off the dock. There were no slips available at the time. A ferry ride, provided by a marina operator, was the ticket to get to your boat.
They used their Somerset for seven years before making a move to the State Dock, which is now the Green River Marina, and purchasing a 14 by 58 foot, 1983, aluminum hull Jamestowner, which they still enjoy to this day.
After the move, they saw gradual growth of the marina with slips being added and covered. There were 12 slips added in 1983 through 1984 alone. To top it all off, the sale of the marina to Dennis Brinley in approximately 1997, with his vision for it, resulted in even more growth and improvement in 1998. Their favorite place just kept getting better and better.
Their houseboat could maybe be termed better as a “home-away-from-home-boat”. It has been a place with ample room for memories to continue to be made for their two children, Chris and Bruce and their children as well. “When we first started houseboating, we only used it mostly on weekends and our children and later, our grandchildren would come many weekends a year. We always went prepared for several guest (family) and I believe the thing I enjoyed most was the fact that all family members were together and helping as a family group.” says Joan. “Our grandchildren love it down here.” says Henry. The Morgan children and grandchildren have been raised with a love for the water. “When our first grandchild was only about three years old, he woke up on the houseboat early one morning and exclaimed loudly ‘Poppa get up! The sun is on’”, says Henry. The little guy’s excitement was contagious and of course had everyone awake and ready to go at sunrise that morning. The Morgans have too many memories on the water to share here but will tell you that one thing they both enjoy is reading when they are alone on the boat.
Time spent on their houseboat has added some new friends to the picture, as well. Richard and Robbie Isgrigg and Charlie and Mary Ann White are a few of the people they met many years ago. Adding the Blakemans to their mix seemed to complete their recipe for fun. They are all still at the same marina and have become great friends. Most of the time they will all get on one boat and cruise around the lake in the late afternoon and even into the night when the moon is bright.
Their activities vary from going out to a cove with a few friends and anchor together for just a night or two to getting 15 or more boats together along a gravel shoreline for a big cookout or luau. When the Morgans luau…they LUAU. They go all out dressing up in South Pacific attire and have a great time. Since their retirement in 1988, they have been able to increase their time on the water. In the summers, they go home on Tuesdays, mow the yard, take care of the bills, and then it’s back to the water on Thursday or Friday. The Morgans are now able to spend a full week or even two weeks at a time on the boat during the warm weather. Is that the life or what?
“I can think of no other activity that lends itself to such family togetherness.” says Joan. They have now set their sights on purchasing a new 16 by 77 foot, 2004 Stardust. “I will have everything we ever dreamed of in a Houseboat,” says Henry. Hats off to Henry and Joan for living it up in their “homeaway-from-home boat!"