Person standing on wet rocks near a stream at the Foundation for Intentional Community.

A Watership Up

  • Communities

About the Communities

  • Forming
  • Ecological
  • Nomadic

Founding year

  • 2013

What we do

It was something to think about after occupy…
We needed something, anything, so we consensed…then we travelled…then we worked…then we suffered…then we died…because it wasn’t actually sustainable…it wasn’t even livable…and ultimately it wasn’t survivable.
This option removes the encumbrance of land ownership, which arguably is impossible–or at the least incredibly injust–in these united states…
You can be a nomad anywhere.
You can help others anywhere.
Primarily sailboats.
Secondarily water-based living.
Tertiary nomad lifestyle.
(tentative description)

Our Mission

A water-based, sustainable effort, with a view to a better quality of life.
(tentative statement)
disclaimer: almost all of this is planned; the only actuals are a couple of sailboats on the ohio river; there are no requirements for supporting one another; see the forum for more in depth clarification; zero members, zero donations, zero $

  • Purpose
  • Ecological
  • Community type
  • Coliving
  • Student Co-op
  • Ecovillage
  • Sustainability practices
  • Renewable energy systems
  • Activities
  • Property management
  • Farming
  • Education
  • Experiences
  • Networking
  • Services Business
  • Others

Commemorative dates

  • January 1, 2013
  • Started planning
  • January 1, 2017
  • Started living together
  • 0 Total member
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
Total
-

How to join

You have to make the meeting.
It helps if you have a boat…
The “real” is in international waters.
The “community” is on your boat.
(see discussion forum)

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Contact the email address listed (the message button), or text the phone number.
[Current Focus: Ohio River (Cincinnati to Louisville) to Canada to Montreal (Quebec) to Nova Scotia to Maine]
[Secondarily any of the great lakes or the ohio river; Mississippi still a possible]

Primary decision-making authority

  • All Community Members Together

The whole membership decides collectively.

Decision-making process

  • Majority Vote

More than 50% agreement needed.

Governance structure

  • Representative/Democratic

Members elect leaders who make decisions within defined roles.

Conflict resolution approach

In terms of leadership it is avant-garde style. Time, effort, and input, but most importantly quality… Those who lead, lead.
Yearly gathering of all recognized vessels in international waters.
There are values, techniques, and sometimes codes–plenty of guidelines.
All vessels are autonomous unless they identify with a flotilla.
We do not govern.
All persons (of flesh and blood) fully qualify as members. All vessels also count as members. All flotillas also count as members.
No member shall be barred from leaving any member, at any time, under any condition–though it is encouraged that these decisions be made at the gathering…
It is strongly encouraged that these decisions be negotiated.
No member shall be denied the right to negotiate.
No member is “required” to accept any other member.
The main idea is acceptance and cooperation…not to mention a healthier life; however, we shall not infringe upon the free agency of any individual.
Once again if a member chooses not to attend the gathering nor send an emissary, they are no longer considered members. You cannot operate as us, that year, unless you physically attend. We may seek out a vessel or group if they send emissaries, consecutively, over several years. We may seek a member out if they drop all contact without notice…we will not follow you if you don’t want us to.
There is no quorum. The IC, whole, assembly, et. al. is whomever arrives. If you need help, please ask.
We enjoy expeditions. Qualified and seasoned expeditions don’t mind the separation–some see it as a necessity.
(see forum)

Economic model

  • Partial Income-Sharing

Members contribute a percentage of income to community funds.

Additional economic information

Members with pre-existing debt: allowed
Trade or die…or prove the statement wrong.
(if you’re that sustainable what exactly do you need? tribes, clans and groups that have separated historically tend to die out… individuals and couples tend to do quite well. try sargasso and fish, or a distiller, and a year out there)
There is no monetary cost to join.
There is no regulation to that effect however.
Merit based efforts are strongly encouraged.
We will make every effort to ensure that there exists at least one (1) vessel, with space available for new member(s)–at no initial charge (cost) nor any debt thereafter. We do expect members to pull their own weight (or of others they bring with them, if they so choose)–this is a vital necessity aboard ship.
We have no stance to judge one another–nor will we create one, but we do make judgements based upon the evidence.
If a working group chooses to exploit its members it will more than likely end up as all exploitive endeavors. History 101… …and the general assembly will more than likely catch wind of it as well.
Membership requirements remain as stated.
(there is a focus on eventual boat ownership for all members if desired; boat trading; group property if feasible–otherwise individual ownership and/or crew ownership while aboard is encouraged) (other forms of boating are not discouraged though not exactly the focus) (we have found that unfortunately money does not help people gain the skills and motivation for this effort. we see it more as a drug…for emergency use, or simply as a mechanism–effort to property–for acquisition of the necessary tools to maintain the vessels; however, realizing more native skills that require very few outside tools is also very important. although, in the desert that is blue water…there is very little to harvest…unless one has gills and/or a pressure suit.) (donations of very useful items is encouraged; esp. boats)

Shared resources and amenities that are accessible to everyone in the community

Common House, Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Vehicle Share, Library, Workshop, Outbuilding(s), Swimming pond or pool, Hot tub or hot springs, Outdoor Kitchen, Large Scale Kitchen, Stage or Auditorium, Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas, Recreational vehicles, Gym or sports area, Internet

Frequency of communal meals

  • 2-5 times per week

Significant food acquisition practices

  • Locally sourced
  • Hunting / Fishing

Community activities and engagement

  • Transition Town (post-petroleum and off-grid communities.)
  • School, Educational Institute or Experience
  • Volunteer, Internship, or Apprenticeship, or WWOOF’ing
  • Neighborhood, Community Housing, or Homeowner's Association
  • Ethical Business, Investment Group, or Alternative Currency
  • Organization, Resource, or Network
  • WWOOF'ing, Guest Farming
  • Festivals, Conferences, Events

Substance use culture

  • Substance use appears in public spaces but no pressure
  • Religions
  • Baha'i Faith
  • Christian
  • Buddhist
  • Jewish
  • Muslim
  • Hindu
  • Quaker
  • Sufi
  • Hare Krishna
  • Native
  • Wiccan, Paganism, or Earth Religions
  • Unitarian Universalist

Age demographics

  • Mixed adults (few or no children)

Guest Book

Written reviews are available for plus members. Click here to upgrade.

Location

  • Indiana, United States

A Watership Up

Needs and Offers

Connecting people and communities through an intentional online marketplace

  • Promoted
  • Events
2 days ago

Healing Love Healing Money: Trust As The Foundation For A New Culture

Money, love and power are among the hardest things any community works with, and many of us carry the same fears into both: not having enough, losing what we have, and the sense that if someone else gets money or love, we won’t. Healing Love, Healing Money: Trust as the Foundation for a New Culture is taught by two intentional communities. Karen McAllister and Duncan Cryle are from Clear Sky Meditation and Retreat Center, a Buddhist-lineage community in the BC Rockies. Monika Alleweldt and Benjamin von Mendelssohn from Tamera Healing Biotope, a community of about 160 people in southern Portugal that has spent decades studying love, trust and relationship. Clear Sky has spent years working on its relationship with money, and our two communities found surprising parallels in the fears beneath both. Over four sessions we explore the roots of fear around money and belonging, love, possession and power, trust as infrastructure (community as a container for healing), and ethical livelihood. We use short meditations, body-based practices, reflection and small-group conversation. You do not need to be in a romantic relationship or live in community. When: October 27, Nov 3, 10, 17. All four sessions: 12–2pm Vancouver, 1–3pm Alberta, 7–9pm UK and Portugal, 8–10pm Central Europe. Note: US and some Canadian provinces change clocks on November 1, so the US west coast is 12–2pm on October 27, then 11am–1pm for the remaining sessions, and Eastern is 3–5pm on October 27, then 2–4pm for the rest. Cost: sliding scale Details and registration: https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/healing-love-healing-money-online/  
October 27, 2026 13:00 – November 17, 2026 15:00
  • Promoted
Need
  • Promoted
Offer
  • Real Estate For Sale
3 weeks ago

Beautiful 3+ Bed, 2.5 Bath Townhome in Established West Emerald CoHousing, Seattle

A rare home is available at West Emerald Cohousing, an established all-ages intentional community in West Seattle. For those considering a move to the Pacific Northwest—or hoping to join a mature community rather than one still in the forming stages—West Emerald offers decades of community life, beautiful gardens, shared resources and a peaceful setting within the city in a convenient location since 1999. This unit has a unique floor plan that is ideal for co-buying, co-living, or for one household. The home itself offers a flexible 3+ bedroom, 2.5 bath layout: Garden-level room with a separate exterior entrance and half bath—ideal for a home office, studio, guest space or client-facing business Main-level bedroom and full bath, laundry, making one-level living possible Open great room with large windows overlooking gardens filled with birdsong Well-designed kitchen with generous storage and pantry Two additional light-filled spacious bedrooms and a full bath upstairs Thoughtfully maintained and updated Located at the end of a common pathway for added privacy and garden views, Just feet from parking, which is out of view West Emerald community amenities include: Common House with gathering and activity spaces Community meals and events Mature gardens and shared outdoor spaces Workshop/maker spaces and bike barn Exercise room EV charging opportunity Excellent Metro access to Downtown Seattle just minutes away Nestled into a dell, it’s Seattle’s best-kept secret South Seattle College and lifelong learning, NW Wine Academy, the Seattle Chinese Garden are nearby, with easy access to Alki Beach, Lincoln Park, magnet schools, ferries, and the shops and restaurants of the West Seattle Junction. 6000 17th Ave SW, Seattle, WA Is a wonderful opportunity to have your own comfortable, private home while becoming part of a vibrant and well-established Seattle all-ages cohousing community. For more information contact the friendly Realtor at 206-579-9066, or at ki**********@**********te.com who will be happy to meet you there or do a facetime tour.
  • Promoted
Offer
  • Communities with Openings
4 months ago

Do you feel called to help co-create a small, newly forming eco-spiritual community?

Old structures are crumbling. New ways of living are calling. We are answering that call. Wild Grace is an eco-spiritual community located in the Sierra foothills 30 minutes from Grass Valley, California. We recently completed new homes for those who feel called to our vision. Currently there are four of us living on this sacred 80 acres of land although we are a hub for an expanded neighborhood community. Many join us weekly for potlucks, expressive dance, Qi Gong, monthly musical gatherings, and seasonal celebrations in our temple, as well as tending to our orchard. We are excited to welcome others to join us on the land who are dedicating their lives to spiritual growth and ready to live in a more focused and intimate heart-centered lifestyle. Might that be you or someone you know? The fundamentals are simple. Spirit. We listen personally and collectively together most mornings, usually starting with a musical offering, a prayer, or a short reading, followed by about 40 minutes of what we call “sacred silence.” Heart Circles. About once a week we gather to share and listen. We are informed by authentic and compassionate communication practices. Nature. The land itself—an 80-acre oasis of field and forest perched above the wild and scenic South Yuba River—calls for our stewardship in the gardens, orchard, greenhouses, and general care. In turn, nature feeds us abundantly, both literally and spiritually. Interbeing. We join with others to share inspiration and connection as we host monthly gatherings of song, story and prayer that draws from the larger community in addition to other events we share with our closer neighbors. As we attend to these fundamentals, Grace flows to and through us—often in “Wild” or unexpected ways. Grace catalyzes through us, but is not something we possess. Because we all are connected, we feel that Grace actively transforms n
Need
  • Communities with Openings
1 week ago

Heart-centered, nature-loving unschooling family seeking a community to land with for winter 2027

We’re a German-American family who left conventional life about four years ago to live in line with our values: freedom, connection, nature, and spirituality. We started out as worldschoolers, moving every month or two. That taught us a lot, including that too much movement leaves a family rootless. Since then we’ve been looking for the balance between adventure and belonging. We found a taste of it on a multigenerational farm community in Austria, and we’re now living alongside a small community in Norway. For January to March 2027, we’d love to spend a season inside a community that feels like home. What we’re hoping for A community with teenagers and a culture that welcomes self-directed learning, where unschooling is understood and not just tolerated Nature at your doorstep (forest, land, animals, or garden) Some shared meals, perhaps shared rhythms, and real relationships, not just a place to park A spiritual or reflective thread, whatever form it takes for you An opportunity to get to know your community by giving back (although we can’t do a ‘full’ volunteering program as we have the past three years – ie: Workaway- because we have meetings online that take up too much of our time to volunteer full time)  What we bring Resilience and emotional wellbeing. I’m an online resilience coach with a BA in Developmental Psychology, certified in HeartMath®, and an experienced yoga and meditation teacher. I can offer community sessions in nervous system regulation, stress resilience, and meditation, and support for parents and teens. Experience raising three children in a nomadic, family-centered lifestyle, including years of travel across Europe. Open, adaptable, and grounded. We’ve lived in many settings and adapt quickly. We show up as contributors, not consumers. Unschooling and homeschooling know-how. We’re glad to share what we’ve learned, especially for families navigating legal and practical questions in Europe. Many other shareable skills: carpentry, sourdough bread baking, food fermenting, music making, dad-joke-telling, drone pilots, cookie bakers, food preservation and much much more.   We’re looking for a mutual fit, not just a bed for the winter. If our story resonates and you have space or know someone who does, we’d love to hear from you. Tell us about your community: your values, your daily rhythm, and what you’re hoping for from the people who join you.
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