strange cruising thoughts
 

By happy and fortuitous circumstance, I suddenly find that not only am
I financially able to do the cruising I want, but my personal life has
fallen into place with my 17 yr old daughter seeming to be cured of
melanoma. So why am I suddenly not looking forward to it? We had a
great day of sailing on Sunday. The short hops will not involve too
much time away from family or work so what is it? Is it possible that
the work toward achieving it is better than the actual doing it?
I've done a little cruising in the past so I know the stress at night
of worrying "Is my anchor dragging" whereas home in bed that never
crosses your mind. I know the "God, am I bored" during
loooooooooooong days of very light wind followed by the "Omigod, what
am I doing here" fear at night with wind that is probably less than I
imagine it to be. Is it possible that the last 9 years of starting
and running a small business has stressed me so much I just want to
relax? Regardless of that Christopher Cross song "Sailing", we all
know sailing is NOT relaxing. People have asked me what I like about
sailing and I always tell them that for me its about problem solving,
not relaxing.
Does anybody else have such odd thoughts before a cruise?

you're crazy.

SV

"Parallax" wrote in message
om...
By happy and fortuitous circumstance, I suddenly find that not only
am
I financially able to do the cruising I want, but my personal life
has
fallen into place with my 17 yr old daughter seeming to be cured of
melanoma. So why am I suddenly not looking forward to it? We had a
great day of sailing on Sunday. The short hops will not involve too
much time away from family or work so what is it? Is it possible
that
the work toward achieving it is better than the actual doing it?
I've done a little cruising in the past so I know the stress at
night
of worrying "Is my anchor dragging" whereas home in bed that never
crosses your mind. I know the "God, am I bored" during
loooooooooooong days of very light wind followed by the "Omigod,
what
am I doing here" fear at night with wind that is probably less than
I
imagine it to be. Is it possible that the last 9 years of starting
and running a small business has stressed me so much I just want to
relax? Regardless of that Christopher Cross song "Sailing", we all
know sailing is NOT relaxing. People have asked me what I like
about
sailing and I always tell them that for me its about problem
solving,
not relaxing.
Does anybody else have such odd thoughts before a cruise?

Absolutely. Cruising can be very stressful for the reasons you
state. It also has some very nice rewards. I found the ICW
especially annoying and thereful stressful. Not all parts of
it, of course, but much of it.

Doug
s/v Callista


"Parallax" wrote in message
om...
By happy and fortuitous circumstance, I suddenly find that not only am
I financially able to do the cruising I want, but my personal life has
fallen into place with my 17 yr old daughter seeming to be cured of
melanoma. So why am I suddenly not looking forward to it? We had a
great day of sailing on Sunday. The short hops will not involve too
much time away from family or work so what is it? Is it possible that
the work toward achieving it is better than the actual doing it?
I've done a little cruising in the past so I know the stress at night
of worrying "Is my anchor dragging" whereas home in bed that never
crosses your mind. I know the "God, am I bored" during
loooooooooooong days of very light wind followed by the "Omigod, what
am I doing here" fear at night with wind that is probably less than I
imagine it to be. Is it possible that the last 9 years of starting
and running a small business has stressed me so much I just want to
relax? Regardless of that Christopher Cross song "Sailing", we all
know sailing is NOT relaxing. People have asked me what I like about
sailing and I always tell them that for me its about problem solving,
not relaxing.
Does anybody else have such odd thoughts before a cruise?

On 19 Oct 2004 09:27:49 -0700, (Parallax)
wrote:


Does anybody else have such odd thoughts before a cruise?

Uh-oh...you've fallen in love with the process.G

Problem-solving IS a form of relaxation, P., or can be--and should be
for the dedicated cruiser--particularly for the problem-solving
personality your posts reveal you to be.

So, turn the problem on its head: Long-term cruising will allow you
field-test and refine all those ideas you're always having, and I
think the closest "responsible obsessives" (possibly the ideal
cruising skipper personality) get to relaxing is unwinding in the
cockpit with a rum-based beverage having solved a nagging problem or
found a simpler/better/cheaper way to mess about in boats.

Until those of us who intend to go actually do so, P., we need keen
fellows like yourself to cruise, if only to selfishly poach your more
successful ideas.

Besides, haven't you always harboured a secret desire to get an item
into "Hands-on Sailor" or "Practical Sailor"? I see a few names from
this list in both publications, and that's as close to fame as
recreational Odysseuses want to be.

You MAY not enjoy every second of the cruising life, but I guaranteee
you WILL regret not going.

R. (four years to go and counting...)

On Tue, 19 Oct 2004 12:52:37 -0400, "Doug Dotson"
wrote:

Absolutely. Cruising can be very stressful for the reasons you
state.

But at least there's a point to the stress...a safe and successful
passage.

It also has some very nice rewards. I found the ICW
especially annoying and thereful stressful. Not all parts of
it, of course, but much of it.

Unlike, say, wanting powerlessly for a bureaucrat to do his job on
land, at least you have the option of going offshore G.

The autonomy of sailing for me is the payoff for the stress of the
responsibility. Sure, it can get very, very bad, but if your last
thought is "guess I should have reefed earlier", is that not a better
end than dying on a gurney in a hospital hallway, wondering "where's
that nurse?"

Not to be morbid, as fewer sailors drown by far than office workers
die in car accidents, but the lessons of the sea are far less
ambiguous than those of the shore.

R.

Do the reasons for wanting to go sailing change with time and age?
When young (less than 30?) it can be just for the fun and adventure.
over 30, maybe to escape the boring job, mortgage or business woes?
over 50..... well the kids are leaving home, maybe you are secure and why
risk all
the material assets you have accumulated by heading over the horizon into
the unknown?

Well here's the thing for me ... see something, research it, try it, it's
fun/challenging/whatever and there's a learning curve, then the curve
flattens ... what's next. Just yesterday my buddy that I haven't seen in a
while asked how's it going ... I said ok ... but I need a project. In the
meantime, there is nothing I like better right now than heading downtown for
some pool and beer, conversation and a good band. And that old
beater/project boat will get even less use next season.


"Parallax" wrote in message
om...
By happy and fortuitous circumstance, I suddenly find that not only am
I financially able to do the cruising I want, but my personal life has
fallen into place with my 17 yr old daughter seeming to be cured of
melanoma. So why am I suddenly not looking forward to it? We had a
great day of sailing on Sunday. The short hops will not involve too
much time away from family or work so what is it? Is it possible that
the work toward achieving it is better than the actual doing it?
I've done a little cruising in the past so I know the stress at night
of worrying "Is my anchor dragging" whereas home in bed that never
crosses your mind. I know the "God, am I bored" during
loooooooooooong days of very light wind followed by the "Omigod, what
am I doing here" fear at night with wind that is probably less than I
imagine it to be. Is it possible that the last 9 years of starting
and running a small business has stressed me so much I just want to
relax? Regardless of that Christopher Cross song "Sailing", we all
know sailing is NOT relaxing. People have asked me what I like about
sailing and I always tell them that for me its about problem solving,
not relaxing.
Does anybody else have such odd thoughts before a cruise?

"Doug Dotson" wrote in message ...
Absolutely. Cruising can be very stressful for the reasons you
state. It also has some very nice rewards. I found the ICW
especially annoying and thereful stressful. Not all parts of
it, of course, but much of it.

Doug
s/v Callista


"Parallax" wrote in message
om...
By happy and fortuitous circumstance, I suddenly find that not only am
I financially able to do the cruising I want, but my personal life has
fallen into place with my 17 yr old daughter seeming to be cured of
melanoma. So why am I suddenly not looking forward to it? We had a
great day of sailing on Sunday. The short hops will not involve too
much time away from family or work so what is it? Is it possible that
the work toward achieving it is better than the actual doing it?
I've done a little cruising in the past so I know the stress at night
of worrying "Is my anchor dragging" whereas home in bed that never
crosses your mind. I know the "God, am I bored" during
loooooooooooong days of very light wind followed by the "Omigod, what
am I doing here" fear at night with wind that is probably less than I
imagine it to be. Is it possible that the last 9 years of starting
and running a small business has stressed me so much I just want to
relax? Regardless of that Christopher Cross song "Sailing", we all
know sailing is NOT relaxing. People have asked me what I like about
sailing and I always tell them that for me its about problem solving,
not relaxing.
Does anybody else have such odd thoughts before a cruise?

Craziness is a given, and acceptable.

"Doug Dotson" wrote ...
Absolutely. Cruising can be very stressful


mmm, I must be doing it wrong.


--
Scott Vernon
Plowville Pa _/)__/)_/)_

I found the ICW mostly to be two words, Bore Ing. You can't sail the damned
thing, all you can do is motor -- at about twice walking speed -- for hours on
end, watching mile after mile after mile of swampland.

I don't know that I have ever found sailing long distances or short distances
"stressful". Lots of things in my life have been stressful, but I can't
imagine sailing falling into that bucket.

Keep in mind that if the goal is to GO cruising you have accomplished it the
very second you push away from the dock Minute One, Hour One, Day One. Make
sure you view cruising in a different light from riding a Greyhound bus ten
hours a day forever.

Absolutely. Cruising can be very stressful for the reasons you
state. It also has some very nice rewards. I found the ICW
especially annoying and thereful stressful. Not all parts of
it, of course, but much of it.

Doug
s/v Callista


"Parallax" wrote in message
om...
By happy and fortuitous circumstance, I suddenly find that not only am
I financially able to do the cruising I want, but my personal life has
fallen into place with my 17 yr old daughter seeming to be cured of
melanoma. So why am I suddenly not looking forward to it? We had a
great day of sailing on Sunday. The short hops will not involve too
much time away from family or work so what is it? Is it possible that
the work toward achieving it is better than the actual doing it?
I've done a little cruising in the past so I know the stress at night
of worrying "Is my anchor dragging" whereas home in bed that never
crosses your mind. I know the "God, am I bored" during
loooooooooooong days of very light wind followed by the "Omigod, what
am I doing here" fear at night with wind that is probably less than I
imagine it to be. Is it possible that the last 9 years of starting
and running a small business has stressed me so much I just want to
relax? Regardless of that Christopher Cross song "Sailing", we all
know sailing is NOT relaxing. People have asked me what I like about
sailing and I always tell them that for me its about problem solving,
not relaxing.
Does anybody else have such odd thoughts before a cruise?

Craziness is a given, and acceptable.