The importance of routine at sea Part 1

This is the first part of (maybe) a 2 part series

Routine is the epitome of stability. We learn this as babies and when we were not fed, bathed or put to bed at the usual time we would get cranky and scream our lungs out, much to our family’s despair. Routine is what keeps us in check – the predictable melody our biological clocks merrily play to our mind soul and body.

As adults we are far more aware and attentive to our needs. We eat when we are hungry, sleep when we are tired and shower everyday at certain times or when circumstances call for it. I say aware and attentive to our needs. Not desires. That’s a different discussion that I will not delve into today.

Drawing on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, humans aspire to “self actualisation” in which we challenge the body and intellect so as to reach better levels of physical fitness, expand our cranium with new ideas thereby enhancing our perception of life. This level of the pyramid is subjective to each individual but deeply embedded in the notion of “living one’s best life”. If we pause for a moment, we too often put off to tomorrow what we can do today because it’s easier to take the road of sufficiency and comfort than aim for the deep unknown of the skyline. It’s easier to mindlessly play Candy Crush than engage with Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment. It’s easier to gobble a tube of Pringle’s in front of a series than break a sweat at the gym.

On land there are too many temptations to succumb to guilty pleasures and we fool ourselves this behaviour is acceptable when harsh reality beckons us to embark on a journey for self improvement. Because otherwise, what’s the point? Might as well give up now and die.

We wake up, go to the toilet, have breakfast, shower, go to work then come home, open a bottle of wine, have dinner, watch Netflix and then go to bed. (or something of sorts – I am not judging. You might do none of that)

At sea it’s a different ballgame. On long passages, one minute can drag into what seems like an hour and to the contrary, one hour can fly by in what felt like 60 seconds. You change watch rotas everyday, sleep at weird times (and badly), eat at weird times and (sometimes too often badly) and to top it all, you’ve got no place to escape except in your own head (which can be dangerous) and the liquid desert in front of you has swallowed all the bearings you had on land. You’re monitoring fuel water and food consumption for the planned duration of the passage and always, something breaks or goes wrong at the worst possible time. You have to be on you’re A game because when you’re not, mother nature can take you by surprise when you least expect it. Does this sound blissful or nightmarish to you? It can be either or if you want or let it. The key is …. you’ve guessed it. YES. Routine!

This is Day 2 of the Transatlantic delivery I am completing as First Mate bound for Florida. I expect a 17-25 day crossing and have had 16 days to prepare for this 2660 nm trip across rthe pond as it were. I thought of the activities and food I enjoy at sea and devised a routine plan that I would strive to stick to. Why? Why is routine important at sea? It’s the reality check you need to remind yourself of your humanity, care for yourself and restore the dignity the boat and the sea have snatched away from you. Most of all, appreciating these moments and activities that have more significance and meaning because you are so far away from the comforts of land. You create new bearings to keep yourself in check because “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop” and to overall, be the captain of your mind, body and soul (as well as the boat of course). Brushing your teeth, throwing a bucket of sea water in lieu of a shower or reading a book even a quickie yoga session on the deck without stumbling have never felt so rewarding and nourishing for this mighty trinity.

So what would the pact I made with myself, the boat and mother nature look like under such conditions? I thought of the things I like to do, that were reasonably doable and if achieved, would provide me with a deep sense of fulfillment, maybe even joy – to make the 17-25 days at sea safe, meaningful and maybe even memorable.

• Yoga 15-20min
• Read 20 pages from book
• Achieve 2000 steps (that’s about a km)
• Routine boat checks: bilges, battery levels, solar panel output, fuel and water levels, empty sea water in sink for washing up, tidying deck, checking rigging and sails, provision inventory, removing dead flying fish from the deck (it’s a thing)
• Do something nice for the crew: cleaning heads, galley, cooking, sharing a conversation/joke
• Maintain basic personal hygiene (teeth, face and private parts)
• 1h audiobook
• 1h music
• writing one article a week for the website
• journaling for venting or regular mood check-ins

Lets “sea” after a week what I’ve learned from the importance of routine at sea and if any of the items mentioned above have been achieved!