Life onboard during an 11-month circumnavigation brings with it a rhythm that becomes strangely ordinary, even in the most extraordinary of environments. In the daily grind of sailing our routine of wakeups, watches, sail changes, and meals, can begin to blur together. Even in the middle of vast oceans or under starlit skies, life can take on a sense of the mundane that you might not expect.
Each boat is a living, breathing ecosystem. Everyone has their role, and everyone contributes. But with routine comes repetition, and with repetition, it’s easy to lose sight of just how remarkable this experience really is. That’s why practicing gratitude and celebrating the little moments is essential; it allows us to reframe our perspective and reconnect with the joy of the journey.
Here’s some excerpts from our boat blog that give a sense of this mundane and of the importance of finding the joy in every day, including those days that feel like they are sent to try us and test our resilience to its core
“Life on board is as usual; on deck helms are helming, trimmers are trimming and Dave is entertaining us with his dancing. Down below bilges are being emptied, nav and engineering checks are being completed and Bob and Vasi are cooking up a storm in the galley, we even had cake for breakfast which is a first. We’re all excited to get to Ha Long Bay to see what it has to offer, particularly the beers, so we’re keeping spirits high and pushing hard until the end.”
Marking the Milestones
The long days and nights at sea disrupt our sense of time, days roll into nights, but each of these seemly lasts a different experienced duration depending on the rhythms of the sea and our surroundings. In a rare quirk of global navigation, crossing the International Date Line, we even live the same calendar day twice and yesterday becomes today all over again. When a milestone comes along, however seemingly small, it becomes a chance to stop, acknowledge, and appreciate where we are and what we’ve achieved.
“We made it into the Southern Hemisphere! A couple of days ago, we crossed the equator, with 18 of us officially becoming Shellbacks. We had lots of very excited crew scurry into the nav desk as they monitored our progress towards the imaginary line, all waiting with their cameras to snap the moment we crossed the equator.
Crossing the equator is actually quite an innocuous event, the only way you would know you’re crossing the equator is by watching the latitude change from 00 00.000’N to 00 00.000’S, however, such a big achievement in every sailor’s career. Although it was uneventful, it was nice to see so many excited crew members celebrate the crossing. It reminds us of the importance of celebrating, and enjoying every achievement on board, no matter how small or big. Until next time equator.”
This is the heart of it. The equator doesn’t look any different than any other part of the ocean, but it holds symbolic weight. It reminds us that progress isn’t always about dramatic changes, it’s about continuing to move forward, and finding joy in that motion.
Christmas on Board
Few things bring people together like shared celebration, and nowhere is that truer than on a boat thousands of miles from home. Christmas is a day that could easily feel heavy with homesickness, but the energy and spirit onboard transformed it into something special.
“I would like to thank all the crew for helping to create such a festive and jolly atmosphere onboard. For a day that could have been a sad day for some, every crew member had a smile on their face and had a laugh. It’s not often that we all spend a few hours together as a crew while onboard and it reminded me of the amazing people that surround me on the journey. The crew has bonded to become a very hardworking, happy team.”
It’s moments like this; a shared meal, a group laugh, a collective pause, that become the glue holding the crew together. It’s not just about surviving the journey, but truly living it.
The Joy of Food and Entertainment
In a world without internet, restaurants, or regular diversions, the galley becomes a hive of activity and food becomes something to look forward to and plan around.
“A particular favourite at the moment is baking. At one point we had four bread loaves, a batch of cookies and a cake all baked in one day. Julie is currently holding the title of best loaf, with a very impressive bread that even a French baker would be impressed with. Ella is in a strong second with a lovely focaccia that she meticulously folded every half an hour.
Another spell of energy headed by Andy has been to create a quiz for Ella and myself. Without the easy presence of Google, Andy went around every crew member who had to enter a random question from their brain. To give you an insight, question one goes as follows; how many bricks do you need to build one square meter of brick wall in the UK (half brick thick)? Apparently, we have until the morning to complete.”
These seemingly trivial competitions and kitchen escapades are anything but meaningless. They are the essence of morale, connection, and community. They give shape to the days and laughter to the nights. Gratitude here looks like a perfect loaf of bread or a ridiculous trivia question.
Gratitude and celebration aren’t just nice ideas to keep in your back pocket, they’re essential tools for life at sea. Whether it’s marking a crossing, baking bread, or sharing a laugh during a stormy night watch, they serve as reminders of how fortunate we are to be doing something truly incredible. Out here, where time bends and the ocean stretches endlessly, we learn to find joy in the small things. And it’s in those small things, those quiet moments of recognition and shared joy, that we discover just how big this journey really is.
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