Cruising Can Be Boring

[alexanick]

To Third Day,
Is the name of your boat taken from the Christian band? Great name, great band. Keep the faith.
Ken

[Sunsetrider]

Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Sometimes life can be boring … so what?

Cruising is just another way of living. Sometimes it will be boring. Most of the time it will be interesting and engaging. From time to time it will be frustrating and depressing. And occasionally it will be terrifying.

… just like life.

Life cruising can be frustrating. Frustrating is having to change your plans because something broke, and you can't get parts. Depressing can be when life gets in the way of plans, big time. But terrifying, not really.... at least, I can think of 4 times I was scared cruising.

After we were dismasted, I brought the life jackets above decks, must have been scared. And two times, it was swimming: once, a small reef shark and I startled each other, but it has been suggested that I levitated into the dinghy; and another, snorkeling a long way from the boat, I was overtaken by a very large dugong, and startled. I saved the scariest for last, it was shortly after we got this boat, and I got caught with too much sail up, and she rounded up (against full opposite lock) right toward the cliffs, going about 15 kn. Of course, head to wind, she stopped. But that was probably the worst event, for me.

Maybe we should start a thread about the "terrifying" times, Mike. It might be really interesting.

Ann

[Training Wheels]

Life can be boring.

[noelex 77]

Boring is good.

Scary is bad .

Seriously, new cruisers worry about the possibility of boredom especially when giving up work, but it such a wonderful life full of myriad of possibilities boredom is never a problem.

The OP's post is not serious, but it is a common concern.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

Boring is good.

Scary is bad .

Seriously, new cruisers worry about the possibility of boredom especially when giving up work, but it such a wonderful life full of myriad of possibilities boredom is never a problem.

At least for those with the true calling!

Jim

[Mithril Bham]

Remember the old saw: "Only boring people get bored". Life is short.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

...Maybe we should start a thread about the "terrifying" times, Mike. It might be really interesting.

OK, maybe "terrifying" was too strong a term here. I can't think of any such sailing events ... although I can't honestly think of any events anytime in my life, and that includes when I fell seven floors down an elevator shaft . So I retract "terrified."

However, I can think of a few times when I was quite scared:

• a lee shore with a young nephew on board,
• loosing our engine while navigating a tight shipping lane with a ship right beside us,
• us dragging through a busy anchorage heading straight for the most expensive looking boat,
• me running out of beer...

[Mr B]

I joined the Grey Nomads with my 36 foot RV, I went and stayed with a group of them at a small lake in central Victoria, For a week.

Now thats boring, They walked a kilometre to the end of the lake twice a day, I seen them come out to make lunch and dissapeared again,
We all gathered around for sundowners at 5 PM, 6 Pm they were back in their boxes again,
Nearest shop was about 10 kays away, Nothing to do at the lake or see,
Lucky for me, I went to a Rock and roll festival and car show, 70 kays away for 3 days,

But sitting there in a caravan or RV, stationary for weeks at a time, and doing nothing,
Waiting for death to claim them,
Just isnt me,
The boat and cruising is different, There is always some thing to keep you occupied,
And I do enjoy sailing in high winds and big seas, Its comfortable and relaxing, For me any ways,
Thats why I bought a Cat, Flat and Level all the time,

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

If you are prone to boredom (yes, it is a trait of yours, not anything external) I have this old Swedish trick for you.

When it is summer and lovely, (having great time cruising) THINK beforehand about what you are going to do in the winter (the boredom days).

All the Swedes I worked with used to tell me they loved the winter and soon as summer was over were excited about the snow starting. I think they were just saying that to sound positive and also convince themselves that winter was good just so they could survive it.

(I think some cruiser probably have the same attitude about the boring aspects of cruising)

[rognvald]

Interesting topic, D. The problem with boredom on a boat is no different than boredom when on land. Most people today describe "fun" as being entertained. That's why they go to the movies, food fairs, wine tastings, carnivals, ball games, circuses, etc., or in the case of some cruisers-- gravitate to parking lot anchorages with the attendant mind numbing activities planned daily on the beach where the only expectation required is being there among the amorphous blob. After years of this imprinted behavior, these people rely on being entertained in order to feel fulfilled(not bored) and the presence of the herd is comforting, safe, appealing. However, when waiting for weather in an isolated anchorage for days on end (as an example) and access to being "entertained" is impeded, they quickly become bored because they have not learned to participate in life directly. Most people we know, including many who are well educated, do not read or engage in a hobby/sport and in the case of most sailors we've met, once they've dropped the hook, they go into panic mode for something "to do." This is a prescription for disaster and is why we have encountered hundreds of broken marriages and relationships related to full-time cruising and will continue to be so ad infinitum. Those who are the most successful at long-term, full-time cruising are self-motivated people with an interest in life and an interest to participate directly in the human experience. Bored on a boat? There's reading, fishing, diving, exploring land areas, playing a musical instrument, boat projects(never ending), painting, writing, listening to music, practicing celestial navigation, craftwork, cooking but sadly . . . no circuses. For that, my friends, you'll need the herd. And you say you want to go cruising??? Good luck and safe sailing.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Mr B

I joined the Grey Nomads with my 36 foot RV, I went and stayed with a group of them at a small lake in central Victoria, For a week.

Now thats boring, They walked a kilometre to the end of the lake twice a day, I seen them come out to make lunch and dissapeared again,
We all gathered around for sundowners at 5 PM, 6 Pm they were back in their boxes again,
Nearest shop was about 10 kays away, Nothing to do at the lake or see,
Lucky for me, I went to a Rock and roll festival and car show, 70 kays away for 3 days,

But sitting there in a caravan or RV, stationary for weeks at a time, and doing nothing,
Waiting for death to claim them,
Just isnt me,
The boat and cruising is different, There is always some thing to keep you occupied,
And I do enjoy sailing in high winds and big seas, Its comfortable and relaxing, For me any ways,
Thats why I bought a Cat, Flat and Level all the time,

We do both boat and RV. Boondocking or anchored out for days on end...it's about the same. 2-3 days in the wilderness are great, then I want something to do. I don't see having the ability to watch the grass grow for a week and not get bored as a positive attribute.

You can stay occupied with projects in either option. Just finished building a chipmunk trap yesterday and resealed the roof last week.

The beauty of both is if you are bored you can move to a new and interesting place.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

We do both boat and RV. Boondocking or anchored out for days on end...it's about the same. 2-3 days in the wilderness are great, then I want something to do. I don't see having the ability to watch the grass grow for a week and not get bored as a positive attribute.

We anchor out in the same place for weeks, sometimes months. I love just watching the grass grow (metaphorically speaking). I don't see needing to be externally busy as a positive attribute .

As me ol' fadder used to say: "I love work so much, I can sit and watch it all day."

It's funny to watch those who just can't be still get all twitchy and discombobulated with themselves after a few days without "something to do." To me, there's always something to do; be it to read a good book, go exploring the area, talk to some friendly neighbours, work on the boat -- or yes, just watch the grass grow or the water lap.

[sailorboy1]

I love reading on an Internet forum how happy people are to just sit around and watch the grass grow for days on end!

[budm303]

Boring is a lack of focus. There is always something to be attended, as with an airplane. Change is a universal, and if One loses touch with what might/can (will) happen, you're bound to suffer.