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There's always the option of taking the sea route between two places. People have taken advantage of the seas for as long a time as civilizations have existed. '''Hitchhiking a boat''' can be a great way to visit places you never would have visted otherwise (especially without an expensive and extremely pollutant plane tickettrip), and to experience both the romance and the harsh realities of traveling by sea. Getting rides on boats is much different from sticking your thumb out on the highway - it's less spontaneous and usually involves shared monetary costs - but many hitchhikers will still find it a rewarding and worthwhile method of transportation.
= Hitchhiking a Sailboat or Yacht =
*'''Pack light''': There's usually very little storage space on a boat, after fitting in necessary equipment, stocks of food, and other supplies. You may even be asked to store all your luggage in your bunk with you. A backpack should be okay, especially if it's not the biggest kind, but you may have a hard time finding a boat that will let you bring a large musical instrument or a bicycle, for example (even on top of the boat there's not much extra space, and a bicycle not security packed up will quickly rust).
*'''Passport or ID''', even when you're just travelling within Europe! The skipper must be able to provide identification documents for all crew members. Entering a country by boat requires passport checks and (often) visas just like entering any other way, though the details of the procedure may be different (don't be surprised if you have to give your passport to the captain so he can take it to the immigration and customs people).
*'''Equipment''': Head lamp (ideally with a red light option). Waterproof boots and good shoes are recommended, though some boats may provide them and others may ask you go barefoot anyway. All-weather clothing and sun screen. Ask the captain for a list of what to bring - some things may be provided already, and other things may be specific to that boat. If you do need to buy equipment for an Atlantic crossing, the Canary Islands are cheaper when compared with mainland Europe and in Gibraltar for example apparantly . Apparently there are sailor’s “jumble sales” so you might pay less.
===Lifestyle===
====Facebook Groups====
For people aren't able or willing to pay for help finding a boat, some of the best options today are Facebook groups. There are many captains posting sailing trips in these all the time, and many don't expect any experience. It generally works best to search the group for your desired place of departure, or closely follow all new posts, and comment or message when a captain posts a trip that looks suitable to you ([[User:Treefrog]] got five or six potential offers out of Florida this way in early 2020, and only ended up turning them down because something sooner and surer came up on CrewBay). You can also post an ad for yourself, describing who you are, where you are, and what you have to offer, and hoping hope that a captain in your area will see it and contact you. But don't expect this to work very well great unless you're very experienced or a young woman (usual caveats apply). Also expect to be laughed at for your naivety - try to take it in stride, as many captains have a "sailors will be sailors" attitude and expect you to have a "thick skin".
* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/sailboatyacht/ Sailboat Hitchhikers and Crew Connection] is the largest such Facebook group. Lightly moderated, so don't expect people to be polite, but hey, at least it has "Hitchhikers" right in the title!
Most boats leave from Hokkaido, Kushiro but as there is no marina they will most likely be in Hakkodate before.
'''Also make sure you got your B1 or B2 Visa for the US before departure as the Visa Waiver Program does not apply for private vessels and you would illegaly enter the US just holding your visa waiver.'''
===Caribbean Island-Hopping===
Many recreational sailboats and yachts spend their time cruising around the Caribbean. Hurricane season is May to October, so there are very few boats sailing during this period. Cruising north along the string of islands in the eastern Caribbean is more of a thing than going the other direction, but the boats have to get south somehow. Many captains in the US head south to the islands at the beginning of the season (November or December) and spend the next few months cruising around.
== Experiences ==