Happy at Sea

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Wansworth

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Are you happy at sea or do you seem to be in a state of mild anxiety and stress which disappears once firmly latied up to the pontoon.Being boatless now and reflecting on the idea of getting one last boat to do some sailing I think am I truly happy at sea or am I at sea to achieve being at sea.To a certain extent It’s a test and a trial and I am pleased to reach a safe haven,but have I been truly at ease with myself?
 
Of course there is mild stress at sea - weather and routing, fixing things etc, but the necessary actions are in my hands whereas ashore the stresses are usually engendered by, and dependant on, some other person. I also don't feel 100% alive unless there is some slight danger, so yes I'm happy at sea!
 
I find making the jump from marina to sea sometimes stressful. More so if I have been in the marina for a while, ie whilst waiting for weather to improve.
I tend to get "marina bound"
Once I get under way, sails set & myself comfortable, stress usually goes. If it has not then I am doing something wrong. Then if something does go wrong, ie weed round prop etc the stress level rises until sorted.
Normally I can take most trips in my stride & I do not worry at all. I am normally planning my arrival & the first beer etc. My greatest worry is usually whether I can get a decent berth.
 
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When planning an offshore passage, such as across the North Sea, I am apprehensive, even for as long as the season before. By the time I am out there, all anxiety has passed and I am completely at ease. It is probably because of this change in my disposition that my wife has been content to be dragged around our waters for so long.
 
It has taken me a couple of years to get over that slight but ever present unease of being in a strange environment that you sense can turn into a hostile one at short notice. Experience has helped a great deal and now I can say I am truly happy at sea and more in general when I’m around boats. But I will always stay alert, out of a deep respect of the sea, because I know in the end the sea is always stronger.
 
I was medically tested and it found I was least stressed and most relaxed at sea, starting from the moment I decided to get a train down to the boat instead of going into work until about 4 hours after mooring up and starting the journey home.
 
Personally I think we all get stress at some point be it leaving a harbour , sailing in bad weather or arriving at a new marina not knowing what to expect .
my stress levels rise when I know we in for a big blow while at anchor , my concern isn't us but boats around us especially if the blow arriving at night after a windless day , when others have anchored not taken in account the weather to come .
 
Definitely very at ease whilst at sea. The more miles you have sailed plus problems encountered and solved, gives you confidence to do almost anything. It has always been said the most worrying time on a boat are the first and last few hundred metres of any journey. Even that becomes easier the more you understand how your boat handles. I sail almost all of the time singlehanded, but because I used to race a lot, I want my boat to perform the same. So people would call me a fidget, but I am continually adjusting the sails and course. Most people plan their journeys like a bus timetable, but I am the complete opposite. Yes, I check for tidal gates, but setting numerous waypoints is boring. A couple of years ago I sailed from the Medway to the Isles of Scilly and managed with just 4 waypoints. The number 1 eye ball kept the land on the right almost the whole way there. The last time I sailed from the Solent to Cherbourg, to make it more interesting, I decided to sail overnight to arrive just after dawn. To me sailing is about getting from A to B , not staying at any place too long. Another time I arrived at Brighton at 3am, and had a sleep and left by 10am - the best bit was they only charged for a short stay! I enjoy sailing for 14 to 16 hours at a time, you can really cover lots of distance and feel you have achieved something.
 
Any stress vanishes within 30 mins of arriving at the boat.

I am happy at sea, but not complacent. I actually enjoy a good blow and finding my way to shelter, but it is a different enjoyment to that of dropping anchor, opening a nice bottle of wine, cooking dinner and just chilling aboard the boat - prefereably in a quiet anchorage.

I avoid crowds and the evening rush for berths in popular harbours/marinas in the height of summer.
 
One aspect of this question is whether you enjoy being out of sight of land? Some people do and some don't. Much as I enjoy coasting, there is a special satisfaction to be had from looking around and seeing thing but the horizon, with the occasional visit from a passing ship or fulmar. The extension of wind farms into the North Sea has start to devalue this in my vicinity, but it always remains a hope.
 
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