Time: 09:00 BST
Pos: Portsea Island, United Kingdom
A big part of me hopes you aren’t reading this, and that instead you are outside somewhere enjoying the sunshine. It’s beautiful here in the UK. I’m sure summertime exists to coax us outside and remind us of the beauty of the natural world. But if you can’t resist the screen, then I hope my words enhance your present and bring some metaphorical sunshine to your world today.
We have all been busy, as is typical for this time of year. If Andy, Mia, August, Adam and I were to have our own Yellow Brick trackers, we would have zig zags all over the globe. Between us in the last month we have travelled by land, sea and air and made a ‘home’ of sorts in over 15 different places: Washington, Alaska, Canada, Florida, Sweden, UK, Bergen, Scotland, Pennsylvania, Baltimore, Shetland, Lunenburg, Maryland, North Carolina, Aland, Los Angeles.
Relocating oneself is unsettling. A new time zone to navigate, jet lag to recover from, packing and repacking, living out of a bag, closing up the house, finding the keys to the new one, changing currencies, finding out the wifi code … it’s all hard work. But really, I think we all agree — it’s a small price to pay for freedom and adventure.
In contrast, this morning I enjoyed my Friday ritual: starting the day with a hot-flow yoga class from 7am-8am, followed by a quick purchase at the local bakery — a weekly loaf of Rye bread and a cardamom bun, and then a 10 minute walk home; just enough time to send a voice note to a friend and finish up my morning coffee.
To stay sane, we all have ways of managing the chaos. This morning made me realise that I manage the chaos by finding a sense of the world I used earlier — ‘home’ — wherever I am, even if just for a day. Whilst the surroundings change: the environment, the weather, the people, the culture, I try to sink into consistency: Routine makes me feel safe; connecting with my surroundings grounds me; familiarity and friendship inspire me; rituals are comforting.
I’m using land-life as an example here, but there is no place that you will feel the value of this more than in the isolated, unpredictable, chaos of life at sea. Here are some ideas from us ‘professional sailors’ about how to professionalise your sailing life-style:
Drink a hot drink when you wake up, even if it’s 2am.
Find a favourite seat / coffee shop / mug to enjoy said coffee from.
Walk, face the sun, and pay attention to nature.
Connect with your body through exercise, stretching, or meditation.
Journal, paint, make music —> express your creative.
Have daily contact with a loved one.
OK now time to look up from your screen. Enjoy the rest of your day. Wishing you well on future adventures, and stability. And we hope to see as many of you as possible at our social in Annapolis: 59º North’s home away from home!
— Nikki
P.S. The topic of ‘home’ is one I’m digging into at the moment, and if anyone has any suggestions of how to understand better what ‘home’ is (books, articles, films), let’s make this Logbook a two way street and send them my way.
