This is a list of a few things that explain how life at sea is so much different – and harder than life on land.
Cabins(bedrooms):
The bedrooms – or cabins – on a boat are very different from my bedroom in CT. Its much smaller and the bed – or bunk – takes up most of the room. If you enter my cabin, there is only about two or three feet space of floor before the bunk starts. The ceiling over my bunk is very low, so I have to get down on my hands and knees if I want to reach something that I have stuffed in the back of my cabin. When you’ve just entered the cabin, immediately to your left – or port – side is a small closet. This is where I store things like my wetsuit, my backpack, shoes, stuffed-animals, etc. Right next to that, but a little lower, is a little cubby where I store dirty laundry. Directly above that cubby is a small space where I can put things like water cups, a small basket for holding souvenirs or other found items, my iPod, etc. Lining the wall is more space for books and such. Underneath the mattress are even more, larger storage spaces, but they are mostly used for boat items like sail covers. There is also a cubby underneath the little floor space I have, but again it is used for boat items.
Sleeping Part 1(overnight sailing):
Some people think that the rocking of the waves as we sail along is probably relaxing so it is easier to fall asleep. Not! Well, for me at least. The rocking actually makes it very hard to fall asleep. Its nauseating! Imagine being pressed against the wall of a cramped room surrounded by pillows. ( You are surrounded by pillows because supposedly it helps to have a wall of something pressed against you. It keeps you from rocking back and forth. You are pressed against a wall because your entire house is tilted sideways! ) It’s very stuffy in the room so it’s partly hard to breath. The room is also rocking back and forth, back and forth with the waves. Now try to go to sleep. You tell me if you were successful!
Sleeping Part 2(docked/moored/anchored):
It’s not as bad as trying to go to sleep while sailing, but it’s definitely not easy either! Again, its stuffy and cramped. It helps that the boat isn’t constantly rocking, tilting to one side, or that the hum of the engine isn’t killing your ears. Again, this is only in my opinion. It’s a different experience for everybody!
Sailing(daytime):
Sailing can either be okay, or super boring. It all depends on what entertainment options are available. If you can watch whales, seals, sharks and turtles, read, write, play, etc. than sailing is fine. If none of those options are available and the only option that is available is school work or card games, than sailing is super boring. Again, this is only my opinion.
PEACE LOVE CHOCOLATE-COVERED-ALMONDS – MEGAN
September 21st we joined the People’s Climate March in New York City, reported by the organizers as 310,000 strong. The protest was spirited and civilized. Owen and Megan learned much about climate change and popular politics, and we all learned about participating in something [much] larger than ourselves. Now the hard part – dramatically lowering our carbon output so we can lower the CO2 in the earth’s atmosphere to below 350 ppm. It helps that STRIDER’s wind generator and solar panels provide all our electrical needs, including refrigeration. And we don’t burn fossil fuel when we’re sailing. Other lifestyle changes will be harder. For example, though we don’t eat meat in large quantities, we do love our grill. It’s hard to imagine going fully Vegan!
S/V Strider 