Well….we just said good-bye to my parents and find ourselves crew-less again (i.e. down to just the 5 of us). It’s funny when crew / family / friends leave you…on the one hand you are happy to have your space back to yourself (Greg and I bunked in the V-berth when my parents were onboard and when we were on passage the occupants of our aft cabin included myself, Greg, Aden and Grace…full house!). On the other hand you miss sharing things with someone new, the conversations and the excitement. To reminisce a bit about past crew today we have a guest blogger. Heidi was one of the family members that helped us bring Matriarch down from the cold temps of North America to the warm waters of the Caribbean :) Enjoy!

Much love,

M

********************************

Heidi Harris here. I (Heidi) am Andrew's wife, and Andrew is Greg's brother. That makes me Aunt Extraordinaire and Sister-In-Law to Harris Crew. I've put together a list of 15 tips + 1 bonus tip specifically designed for crew, for your first or next offshore passage, so you can suffer with your sanity intact, stay friends with your crew/captain after the fact, and enjoy the overall experience of your passage.

Captains and crew, I would love to hear your own tips in the comments!  What has worked for you? How do you keep your sanity on passages? 

My Offshore Experience

My husband Andrew and I were recently on the Harris Crew for 22 days and nights from Norfolk, Virginia to Bermuda and from Bermuda to St. Martin in the Caribbean, plus all the time on the boat in between and after passages. On our first offshore passage, we were crew for 19 days and nights delivering a 50 foot catamaran from Bordeaux, France to Šibenik, Croatia. I am still learning and making mistakes that you can learn from, and I have much to learn, but I hope you find these tips helpful!

1) Embrace Sleep

Feeling seasick? Sleep. Feeling tired? Sleep. Bad weather expected? Sleep. Calm seas? Let the gentle rock of the ocean put you to sleep. Bored? Sleep. Your waking hours will be that much more enjoyable, you'll be more helpful, and you'll feel less like a zombie if you sleep whenever you can.  Plus, you never know when you'll be needed for that next 8-hour night shift during multiple storms after a 1-hour nap.

2) Let Go of Control

As a captain, you have no control over mother nature. As a crew, you also have no control over boat decisions. Boats operate in hierarchical structures, and humans all make mistakes. Just accept this and it will be easier.

3) Screenshots of Windy and Photos of Logbook

You may have no control over boat decisions or mother nature, but that doesn't mean you can't say "I told you so" or "I knew better" to yourself or others after the fact! A great way of being able to do this is right before your passage, take hour-by-hour screen shots on Windy of pressure, wind, and weather predictions. It also gives you a sense of control while on passage and the experience necessary for being a skipper, so you can predict, plan for what you would have done if you were in charge, and assess predictions vs. real-time conditions while on passage. And if the captain asks for your opinion, you can add value. And what if that satellite internet stops working for downloading forecasts? As a lowly crew member you could save the day. Plus, there is nothing more gratifying than having an "I told you so moment" to yourself or others after that storm or passage, with screenshot photo evidence to prove it. 😂

Near the end of each passage, I always take pictures of each page of the logbook for future reference, as it may be nearly impossible as a crew member to get this in future, if you need it to log your miles. It is also a good way to remember your experience, locations, and the conditions.  

4) Go Easy on Yourself and Others

Limited hygiene, control, and sleep can bring out the worst in you, the captain, and crewmates. Being aware of this, observing it, and just accepting it helps a lot. Talking to a fellow crew member can help your sanity at times. For introverts, finding some recharge time or writing in your journal can help. Don't feel guilty if you need to leave social interactions for a day to read if it will prevent you from raising your voice at someone in future. And don't beat yourself up or take anything personally. I'm still working on this! It's the insanity of living on a small vessel in the middle of the ocean, not you or them.

5) Mental Breakdowns/Toughness  

You will be pushed beyond your limits at some point on most passages when you least expect it. When this happens, pre-plan to try to appear externally calm (haha), as one day you'll be the captain and you will not only be mentally and/or physically breaking down, but having to lead your crew in a calm, competent, and orderly fashion. Keep in mind these breakdowns will make you mentally tougher. Think of it like one of my favorite activities, which is getting ripped (can you tell?); you have to break down your mental muscles to make them stronger. And next time you encounter something that once scared you, it might actually be fun! For example, by the end of our last passage, predicting, timing and going through rain gales proved to be a fun way to encourage the rest of the crew to have a much-needed natural shower! Whereas on my first passage, I wanted to hide below deck during rain gales.

6) Pura Vida

Just because you will inevitably have a small mental breakdown on passage, it doesn’t mean you can’t live like a Tico the rest of the time. Seek out and enjoy the simplicity of the sailing life (alongside the extreme complexity of fixing constant boat problems but as a crew you can usually let the captain worry about that 😛). And be thankful for the experience. Sunrises, sunsets, swells, sailing, sleeping. Live in the present. Unless there is something you can immediately do to fix a problem like adjust a sail, tack, or avoid a collision with multiple freighters coming at you at full speed in a shipping lane, don't spend a second stressing about it. What will come will come. For example, a poor question to generally reflect upon is "how far am I from a hospital?" If you are on an ocean-worthy boat, it can handle almost anything. As a good friend of ours would say, "shhh let it happen."

7) Seize Every Moment

A passage can feel like it lasts forever until it is over and you wonder where all that time went. Take lots of pictures to help you remember, and take the opportunity to experience every moment in the present that you can. Watch those flying fish all around you. Spend hours on dolphin and whale watch. Watch the ocean swells, rainbows, and clouds all day. Savour those sunrises and sunsets. Watch constellations make their way across the night sky, and stare into the night sky until you see meteor showers. And spend those extra minutes to chat with your crewmates between shifts, or to go to the front of the boat to enjoy the ocean breeze and spray with the kids while the seas are calm. Take up that offer to learn how to find out exactly where you are in the world with a sextant, some tables, and a bunch of calculations, even though you can barely stay awake (Thanks Captain Bob!). Make that special meal now while the conditions are good. Go for a swim at 5000m.

8) Practice Selflessness

When you feel well enough or even slightly well, help others as much as you can, in whatever way you can. That's what you are there for. It is so appreciated, and makes the experience more positive for everyone. You never know when you will be sea-sick, or need some sleep or downtime. Can you cook or heat water on a stove? Make a meal, or coffee. A hot beverage or a tasty meal on passage is one of the best gifts you can give. Are there dishes in the sink? Wash them. Feeling slightly well-rested or know some crew are hurting? Offer to take someone's shift or let a tired crew member sleep through a shift, and then let them know you did it intentionally, and/or "you weren't tired" so they don't feel guilty. Do the children look bored? Play a game with them. But, still be mindful of your sanity levels and when you need a break, or some sleep.

9) Set Goals in Advance, and Learn Underway

Set realistic goals for what you want to get out of each passage in advance; then on passage, use whatever energy you can muster to focus on and prioritize what is important to you, so you can feel accomplished, and so you don’t lose yourself in the sleepy haze of passages. On my first passage, my goals were to get a lot of experience in different conditions, and to see if I truly enjoyed sailing. My simple goal on my last passage was to remain calm at all times. Besides an intense exercise in mental toughness in which I started to pray as I thought I was going to die when I saw lightning within 5 metres of the boat and proceeded to say, "I don't like this!" after we got knocked over 3 times in a row, I was able to stick to this goal and feel that accomplishment, irrespective of any other outcomes.

I also find having practice ropes/lines for knots and a general sailing reference book is helpful when you want to reference something immediately relevant, use your fidgety hands, practice predicting weather (see Windy), or have a small moment of learning on passage.

10) Simplified Journaling

I've journaled on half of my passages and have thanked myself later, and I've not journaled on the other half of my sailing adventures and regretted it. On passage, I write a bullet form journal of my subjective experiences and/or the objective events/conditions of each day throughout the day, or whenever I get a chance to catch-up; this helps me remember each day, and it breaks up the days. I've used both electronic and paper journals. Just keep it simple and easy, and bullet points work just fine for the tired sailor!

11) Instant Coffee & Saltine Crackers 

Sometimes the ocean conditions are too rough to boil water or to prepare meals in any way. Bring some pre-packaged instant premium coffee that is tolerable to drink at room temperature. Always have a pack of Saltine Crackers (or whatever does it for you) nearby for when you are hungry, busy or your stomach is unsettled.

12) Easy Access to Toothbrush, Clean Underwear, Deodorant, Facecloth, and Water   

It sounds simple but when I made a commitment to put on deodorant, brush my teeth, floss, brush my hair, and wash myself with a face cloth every day, regardless of conditions, it made me feel like a human being again. Keep these items accessible so that this is easy to do as much as you need. If your captain (cough Captain Megan) has severe yet rationale restrictions on water use, make sure to bring ocean friendly wet-naps. It might go without saying, but always having enough clean underwear so that you can change them every day (if that's your thing) also helps. Being comfortable is very important to me, so these small slices of hygiene help me keep my sanity while at sea.

Last, but not least, bring a lightweight water bottle and carabiner with you everywhere, and drink lots of water! Being hydrated helps you feel physically well, and it keeps you alive.

13) Look Cool and be Comfortable in your Gear

These items bring me comfort and convenience on passage; pants/shorts/sweaters/jackets with zippered pockets (for your phone and other items so they don't go bye-bye- ask Andrew), a red headlight, hand warmers (I have Reynaud's), two pairs of polarized sunglasses (ask Heidi about unfortunate incidents), prescription glasses for night shifts (versus daily contacts), a sailing hat (or multiple logo caps that will inevitably fly off your head - ask Andrew), and of course a good lifejacket and safety tether are essential for sanity. I also found that bringing your own pillow or a little pump-up pillow/backrest I put under my regular pillow helped with comfortable sleep, and to avoid my night-terrors! And last but not least, a legit sailing jacket will make you feel cool, like you know what you are doing, and it will protect you from the harsh wind when needed.

14) Pre-downloaded Music, Podcasts, Books/Audio-Books, and TV Shows, and Rechargeable Battery 

I cannot stress enough how important having these items are. It's best to pre-download at least a week before your passage (or pre-plan your library Libby or Hoopla books) while you have good internet, before all that last-minute stuff creeps up. I'm not sure if it is the sea-sickness, mother nature, or sleep deprivation, but many times all I have the energy for is listening to music, or maybe listening to podcasts. Often times, music and podcasts keep you awake on shift, and can help avoid awkward 4-hour conversation pauses after 40 hours of shift time with the same person, without taking away your ability to perform your duties on shift. Those of you who have done ocean passages know the exhaustion I'm talking about. Audio-books can be great for those prone to seasickness. Depending on the passage, you might also have the energy to binge watch a tv show, or read a few books on your downtime and pretend you aren't stuck on a sailboat in the middle of the ocean! :P Don't forget your rechargeable battery, portable speakers, and an extra device, just in case!

15) Prepare for Sea Sickness and Medicate! 

You will get sea sick at some point. I am sea-sick almost all the time while in ocean swells. When I am seasick, I have about 30 seconds of 'below deck' time before I feel like vomiting. A simple solution to this is before passage, make sure to put common items in easily accessible locations that you can get to in 30 seconds or less! In general, the best strategies for sea-sickness are immediately closing your eyes and lying down and/or sleeping, as well as staring at the horizon and breathing fresh air; but you can't always do this, unless of course you have outsmarted us all and you are a passenger. For the rest of us, before your next passage, try to find a medication that makes you the least sleepy, and bring a few options to test out while at sea for sea-sickness effectiveness. For me, a Scopolamine patch (a full patch) works the best. The only side effects are slight sleepiness and dry mouth. The next best thing is Stugeron, only available in South America/Europe, which makes me somewhat sleepy with a dry mouth. Then there is also Gravol (Mercalm), which may take away the sea-sickness, but it makes me want to sleep ALL THE TIME. When I'm taking Scopolamine patches, my passage experience is so much better, and you'll often see me doing helpful things around the boat like dishes and making funny jokes.

Bonus Tip: Sunrise Shift   

You've made it this far, so I'll gift you with a secret; the sunrise shift is the best shift, so get on it! There is nothing more beautiful at sea than watching a sunrise, with all the hope and possibility of a new day.

HHH