By Emily Sissell
A rocky start is what Gabe Walks wakes up to every morning. The smell of salt water blows through his sailboat’s windows, just off the South Yacht Basin in St. Petersburg.
Walks, a junior economics major, lives on the water while pursuing his biggest dream: music.
He finds his sailboat a quiet and inspiring place to practice with an audience of one: his cat, Lil’ Pump.
The two of them keep his sailboat, the Turne, company year-round as they continue to call this “home” for Walks’ college years.
The Turne is docked at a harbor just a couple blocks from campus. This allows Walks to jump on his skateboard and cruise his way to class.
While he is gone, Lil’ Pump finds herself jumping off the boat and wandering the other docks to make friends with nearby cats.
This unique lifestyle saves Walks money by avoiding a monthly rent bill. Unlike most students, who have to pay large costs for living in the dorms or apartments nearby, Walks pays only $300 a month to dock his boat.
Being docked so close to campus has another perk. He doesn’t need a parking permit.
Another benefit of living on his sailboat? Walks has his own personal space, without feuds from roommates.
When he runs into free time, all he has to do is untie his boat from the dock, and within minutes, he is at peace, feeling the waves of Tampa Bay.
Between music, work, school, homework, a social life and being a loving cat dad, having a multi-purpose home is his escape from reality.
He learned to sail from his father years ago. Sailing is Walks’ way of relieving the stress that comes with his lifestyle.
In addition to being a student, Walks sings and plays guitar for the indie hip-hop band Annona, which has now released nine original songs. Its work is streaming on SoundCloud and Spotify.
Annona is a two-man St. Petersburg band that produces all its own music. Walks and his bandmate, Chai Oyola, play at local venues, with hopes of traveling on tour in the future.
Music has been Walks’ passion since he was a child, and it continues to find its way into every moment of his life.
“Music consumes everything in me because it’s such a pure expression,” Walks said. “With my music, it’s me doing what I love and sharing it with other people who love what I do, and that alone is enough to make me always want to make more.”
Even while he goes about other parts of his day, music is always on his mind.
He uses this to encourage him to do well in school and later use his degree to advance his music career.
Between class, homework and tutoring students on campus, Walks manages to find time to practice and produce new content.
“This lifestyle may be hectic, but I’m really happy to have all these opportunities that have really been an integral part of my growth,” he said. “All these learning experiences in college have helped me foster my passion.”
