Marina amenities vs moorings

[edgesoftheearth]

I have never kept my boat in a marina full time. I live aboard and keep the boat on a mooring. We have a 20 watt flexible solar panel and a Honda eu1000 gas generator. We take a boat to the fuel dock after we go sailing (about once a week) and fill up with water. We have a shower on board and a propane heater. I want to know, what are the things in marinas that everyone can't live without? I find the moorings are more private and the view is always better. However, it always seems that when I tell people I am out there that they look down on the whole idea a bit. So, what are the amenities that you can't live with out? Why do so many people prefer marinas over moorings? Insights?

[eryka]

I'd much rather live on a mooring. There are few marina amenities that I'd trade for the privacy & freedom. What kept us marina bound were two things: (1) I was working from home, and needed a dedicated land line/DSL. I could get internet at anchor, but conducting a 2-hour teleconference on a cellphone just wasn't doing it for me.
(2) Need for air conditioning in the sticky hot humid Chesapeake summer