Roger and Janet Bingham, who hope to not spend their 14th winter on the chilly waters off Protection Island. (Submitted/Janet Bingham)

By Spencer Sterritt

stranded

Boat-confined elderly Nanaimo couple desperate for housing

Sep 10, 2019 | 9:36 AM

NANAIMO — With any luck, Roger and Janet Bingham won’t have to spend their 14th winter huddled together on their boat moored off the coast of Protection Island.

Unfortunately luck is in short supply.

“It’s just not clicking,” Janet told NanaimoNewsNOW. “Our luck is no luck.”

The Bingham’s first moved onto a boat when their children had grown up and they wanted adventure after retirement. Unfortunately, as pensioners with numerous health issues and Roger confined to a wheelchair, they haven’t been able to find a way back to shore.

In recent months of looking for suites and apartments to rent, they’ve starkly encountered the difficult reality of a roughly three per cent vacancy rate in Nanaimo.

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“That three per cent turns out to be half a per cent because wheelchair accessibility is a real issue,” Janet said.

Most basement suites aren’t suitable since they require stairs and many walk-up apartment buildings don’t have elevators, so they’re restricted to the first floor.

Janet said so far their best lead was a $800 bachelor suite which would be suitable, but they were never sent application forms by the landlord and believe it has been rented to someone else.

Now she’s on the phone most days calling friends, agencies, property companies and hotels trying to find somewhere to live.

Staying at a berth in the marina and closer to help and amenities was a possibility, but Janet said the advance on the spot was too much for their pocketbook to bear.

This stress is built upon the daily grind of living on a boat.

“You have to be very onto it,” Janet said. “Coming into town, getting everything and getting it back out there, groceries, wood, water, it goes on and on.”

If they do find a place to stay, the Bingham’s hope to eventually sell their boat. Unfortunately it requires repairs which can’t be done while they’re living on it in the water.

Janet said they can likely survive another winter on the boat but fear it would be the last winter they ever survive.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit