This artist decided to work and live full-time on a boat: “I miss having a bathtub”
Saltie Sara made the huge decision of ditching a normal life for one on the water.
After graduating in 2021, Sara Bartlett—better known online as “Saltie Sara”—decided to skip the typical office grind. Instead, she put her waitressing tips toward buying a $5,000 school bus, which she then transformed into a solar-powered, mobile boutique and art studio.
She ran her creative vintage-clothing and art business out of the bus for nearly four years, traveling across Florida.
“I totally gutted it out, I installed lighting, I installed solar panels, used all recycled wood and just built it into this little mobile vintage boutique slash art shop,” Bartlett told PEOPLE. “Everything in there was second-hand or repurposed in some way.”
And then, in 2023, Sara and her fiancé Joey took an even wilder plunge... they started living aboard a sailboat.
They split their time between Caribbean voyages and returning to Fort Pierce, Florida, where Sara has her art studio.
They regularly travel to remote places only reachable by boat: “These places, you can’t even access them by helicopter,” Bartlett says. “You can only access them by boat. And it’s just the craziest feeling when you’re three weeks out and haven’t seen a single person. There’s just these deserted islands and crystal clear water and the dolphins are jumping and playing on your bow wake. It’s magical. I don’t know who wouldn’t fall in love with it.”
And with just 200 gallons of water to last an entire month, her daily routines have had to change. “I miss having a bathtub,” Bartlett admits. “A big bathroom to get ready in is so nice. I would love to have a garden. Those are things that I’m just going to have to wait on.”
Related stories
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.