“One for the boat and one for you”
This simple eight word phrase is the watchwords for safety on board: one hand for you to hold on with while moving around the boat and one hand free to do whatever you need to get done.
This has been a hard approach for many of us to learn and accept, since sometimes you feel the need to use both hands to work with: especially when feeling tired, exhausted or even seasick. It’s hard work being at sea. Needing to do things at a slower pace on board can surprise you, when you normally manage to get the very same things done faster with both feet on solid ground.
Even when you get to port, it is a test of priorities, because you might be
tempted to make up for lost time and do those things you weren’t able to do on the open water. And end up overdoing things so you get exhausted again even during shore leave.
I have been moving around slowly, suffering from seasickness - but with a bit of patience (or maybe it was thanks to the gentle Bay of Biscay) I got my reward: a full day without seasickness (a few others were hit by it), a beautiful sunset, my first successful night watch, my second viewing of dolphins, and a stunning sunrise.
I try to remember, that a turtle is slow on ground but fast in the water.
We might have MS and do things at a different pace or in a different way, but we are nevertheless part of a great adventure on this voyage around the
world.
So, one for us and one for Oceans of Hope!