While most days on the water involve benign and clear weather, there are those days when the winds kick up the seas. Yes, this is far from the norm, and when it happens it doesn't last very long. Most of our days are spent on water so still you could forget you were floating! Then there are days like today.
Winter is approaching and a cold front has been barreling down on us for the past two days. The winds have been in the mid thirties and blowing 25 to 35 knots all the time! The windchill makes these conditions feel like 31F as it cuts through your coat.
Morty and I took a little walk to the outer piers of the marina and found that the white capped seas in the harbor were crashing into the pier and splashing up onto the boards. The floating pier looked like an amusement park ride where the walkway moves up and down under your feet. The seas made the pier look like an undulating path over the water. Despite the wondering footing, Morty had a great time running around the pier.
On board was another story, we actually were living in what people imagine life on a sailboat must be like. The boat was heeling over in the slip from the strong winds and we were rocking up and down as the waves rolled through.
The dock lines were creaking as the boat bounced around in the slip. This noise will either drive you insane or put you right to sleep! The creaking mooring lines happened in a rather methodical fashion as they perfectly matched the period of the waves. Since the winds were constant, so were the waves, and so were the sounds.
Maddie and I were rocked to sleep that night as the winds continued to blow on our boat without letting up. For us, these sounds and motions lull us off to our dreams. Others might find these conditions a recipe for nausea. If you are considering living aboard and fear sea sickness, just remember that you can always spend the night on shore in a hotel room. These nights are far from common and way beyond the norm.
For us though, these are the nights when we get the best sleep!
