Riding the waves
How would you like to live in a house that bobs up and down like a cork
in a bowl of water? Some families live like this because it is the only
kind of house they can afford. Others find that a house on the water
makes good sense or can be lots of fun.
The rivers and harbors of the Far East are crowded with houseboats
called sampans. Most are less than 20 feet long, with a cramped,
mat-covered cabin. Many people are born and live all their lives on a
sampan.
Some families in Europe live on barges. These large boats carry cargoes
on the canals and rivers. While father earns a living as a barge pilot,
he doesn’t have to be away from his family. They come with him.
Along the Rio Negro (Black River) in Brazil, Indian families build their
houses on rafts. When there are floods during the rainy season, they
don’t have any problem. Their raft houses rise with the water.
In the United States and Canada, many families use houseboats as
vacation cottages. Others live in them all year round. For them, riding
the waves is fun.
