Sailing 7 days, Digital nomad
Departure
Morning 7:30, slightly breezy in the harbour, the crew is still sleepy and with certain confusion are preparing the last things for leaving the mooring place in Sabang, Indonesia. Issues with electricity and lack of proper arrangement and guidance on the vessel are overweight by unusual willingness and drive to abandon that somehow unfortunate and inhospitable place. With subtile delight and unknown expectation the team and sailing boat is taking course to Sri Lanka, sea journey relative to road or air is more time consuming and was testing abilities to adapt to an entrenched monohull boat exposed to seemingly desert, vast openness and unlocked water field. Though the sailing boat is remarkably bigger than previous boats I sailed before, its insignificant impact on the ocean is fairly obvious. Rough waves, cast tirelessly the yacht from one side to another as it would be an origami boat left in the roaring rapids of gradient river which resulted almost naturally in vomits, seasickness and body injuries. Luckily enough for me that felt consistently stable and with sadness to those members who have experienced brutal relentlessness yet equitable and gorgeous state of ocean have learned to admire almost in fear and manifest gratitude to the immense powerful salt water mass.
Sailing boat
From outside a sailing vessel might look not different from many other various ships or yachts with a similar and most important feature among all of them is ability of floating on the water, from inside though it appear as a tiny house which have a compact, rational and minimalist design to prevent any objects from falling down to break or cause injuries when facing severe weather or storms. It accommodates everything that an ordinary house will have only on a much smaller scale: a shower, a storing compartment, a kitchen, a sleeping room or a WC, sometimes they are combined together so that they fit into the boat's construction shape. Squeezing functionality of a small house and a car in a small boat space it's not going effortless and often require smart integration in combination with efficient operation and practical use. Limited, confined or closed space in absence of normal size windows could be an enormous challenge if not an impossible mission for people who suffer from claustrophobia which make boats almost unthinkable for leisure purpose.
[3]Those who overcome the unpleasant feeling of restrained room space will face very dynamic household living, from having shower, cooking, eating or using WC which require a great amount of balance and flexibility in actions and often even make unfeasible daily tasks in comparison with life on the solid ground. For instance preparing a meal is way beyond traditional cooking practice with highly concern of falling on the floor or how to cut vegetables if one have to steady hold with one hand to the grip rail and with other hand chop or slice onions or holding the pan on the place to avoid flipping food on the cooktop while trying to keep balance. Adaptation to a such vibrant environment don't pass without bruises, burns or scratches and it is absolutely normal occurrence. In the same way making simple things as using WC become instantly an unprecedented adventure, even sleeping patterns change from one deep and long cycle to fragmented short snooze breaks during the day or night.
Night shifts
Since sailing on long passages is a 24/7 activity, night shifts become an inseparable part of the duty at the steering wheel. We were 5 members in the crew and night shift start from 22:00 until 8:00 in the morning of the next day so it equals with two hours of each person to guard for eventual necessary action, is not much but even two hours at time could be quite demanding in terms of focusing when one is tired or bored of no visual markers or objects in complete darkness of the nighttime.
I wouldn't say I was looking forward to the night shift but definitely waited for my own nocturnal experience with the night sky, especially in absence of the moon. It was perfect timing with moderate waves and no secondary light source from light pollution of the cities and towns that I could genuinely enjoy and admire a cloudless sky with deep complexity of Milky Way appearance. Clusters of fuzzy lights twinkle back the life of the stars that might be even obliterated and only ghost images continue to project remaining light-years of separation between the earth and the distant glowing source.
The unknown world far beyond the rational imagination of Universe is holding firm my breath in anticipation for spikes of adrenaline and hysteria that follow after realisation that neither humans nor other civilisation will be able to perceive the infinite puzzle and mystery of the cosmic existence. Every new breakthrough and answered question in astronomy will bring closer humanity to solve a nearby conundrum but inevitably in the same time forcefully will raise 100 more queries to interrogate the origin on which the newly resolved question abides. WHY question, will persist forever, if before people found out that earth is circling the sun then quickly after came the question, why the earth is orbiting the sun and not opposite? Alright later the answer were found and the sun's gravity was to blame for the trajectory of the planet earth but soon enough unfluctuating came again the answer, why the gravity keeps the earth on orbit? Well, there is a theory which says that elementary particle graviton mediates the force of gravity[1], and even if the theory is proven to be true it will raise another WHY question,why does graviton mediate the force of gravity? So, no end how many times WHY question could be triggered thus no end of how many answers it can gets.
Arrival
Day after day the never ending water stretches to meet the sky at the horizon, we were accompanied by marvelous sunsets in the evening and were woken up with shimmer sunrises as well as captured by wandering blue lights of bioluminescent plankton, excited by the boat and waves. We were confronted by the depressing reality of floating plastic bags, polyester pieces and fishing nets though despite somber plastic debris we were cheered by screaming fishermen and escorted by flying fishes and racing or jumping dolphins in front of the boat. Wind and waves are unpredictable and sometimes change so many times during one day that it seems there is no tomorrow for the ocean and the water revenge should be released here and now which kept us always alert to intervene for eventual adjustments.
Everything could be as good as one could wish like getting as soon as possible on the land after spending in borderless and shaking sea for a week but reality is rather bitter that left us waiting outside the harbour of Galle in Sri Lanka and proceeding with customs clearance for nearly 24 hours, oh how I hate and disrespect borders, countries and bureaucracy. As soon as we got on the solid ground after 7 days of sailing, land sickness has overwhelmingly reacted on the body with dizziness and disequilibrium in response to compensate for the missing oscillation of the water.
In general for me it wasn't any difficulties to sail so prolonged time, although electric issues on the board and energy shortages hadn't allowed me to use my laptop for writing or reading digital books I had still other occupations as reading a physical book or watching downloaded in advance youtube videos on the phone or cooking food was a perfect remedy to reimburse to the tedium time. If I could enjoy one week without a laptop then if electricity problems are fixed I could easily enjoy and 2 weeks having an escape world behind the screen, but let's wait and see how the sailing trip will unfold then. :)
Galle, Sri Lanka 09 | March , 2020
Departure
Morning 7:30, slightly breezy in the harbour, the crew is still sleepy and with certain confusion are preparing the last things for leaving the mooring place in Sabang, Indonesia. Issues with electricity and lack of proper arrangement and guidance on the vessel are overweight by unusual willingness and drive to abandon that somehow unfortunate and inhospitable place. With subtile delight and unknown expectation the team and sailing boat is taking course to Sri Lanka, sea journey relative to road or air is more time consuming and was testing abilities to adapt to an entrenched monohull boat exposed to seemingly desert, vast openness and unlocked water field. Though the sailing boat is remarkably bigger than previous boats I sailed before, its insignificant impact on the ocean is fairly obvious. Rough waves, cast tirelessly the yacht from one side to another as it would be an origami boat left in the roaring rapids of gradient river which resulted almost naturally in vomits, seasickness and body injuries. Luckily enough for me that felt consistently stable and with sadness to those members who have experienced brutal relentlessness yet equitable and gorgeous state of ocean have learned to admire almost in fear and manifest gratitude to the immense powerful salt water mass.
Sailing boat
From outside a sailing vessel might look not different from many other various ships or yachts with a similar and most important feature among all of them is ability of floating on the water, from inside though it appear as a tiny house which have a compact, rational and minimalist design to prevent any objects from falling down to break or cause injuries when facing severe weather or storms. It accommodates everything that an ordinary house will have only on a much smaller scale: a shower, a storing compartment, a kitchen, a sleeping room or a WC, sometimes they are combined together so that they fit into the boat's construction shape. Squeezing functionality of a small house and a car in a small boat space it's not going effortless and often require smart integration in combination with efficient operation and practical use. Limited, confined or closed space in absence of normal size windows could be an enormous challenge if not an impossible mission for people who suffer from claustrophobia which make boats almost unthinkable for leisure purpose.
[3]Those who overcome the unpleasant feeling of restrained room space will face very dynamic household living, from having shower, cooking, eating or using WC which require a great amount of balance and flexibility in actions and often even make unfeasible daily tasks in comparison with life on the solid ground. For instance preparing a meal is way beyond traditional cooking practice with highly concern of falling on the floor or how to cut vegetables if one have to steady hold with one hand to the grip rail and with other hand chop or slice onions or holding the pan on the place to avoid flipping food on the cooktop while trying to keep balance. Adaptation to a such vibrant environment don't pass without bruises, burns or scratches and it is absolutely normal occurrence. In the same way making simple things as using WC become instantly an unprecedented adventure, even sleeping patterns change from one deep and long cycle to fragmented short snooze breaks during the day or night. Night shifts
Since sailing on long passages is a 24/7 activity, night shifts become an inseparable part of the duty at the steering wheel. We were 5 members in the crew and night shift start from 22:00 until 8:00 in the morning of the next day so it equals with two hours of each person to guard for eventual necessary action, is not much but even two hours at time could be quite demanding in terms of focusing when one is tired or bored of no visual markers or objects in complete darkness of the nighttime.
I wouldn't say I was looking forward to the night shift but definitely waited for my own nocturnal experience with the night sky, especially in absence of the moon. It was perfect timing with moderate waves and no secondary light source from light pollution of the cities and towns that I could genuinely enjoy and admire a cloudless sky with deep complexity of Milky Way appearance. Clusters of fuzzy lights twinkle back the life of the stars that might be even obliterated and only ghost images continue to project remaining light-years of separation between the earth and the distant glowing source.
The unknown world far beyond the rational imagination of Universe is holding firm my breath in anticipation for spikes of adrenaline and hysteria that follow after realisation that neither humans nor other civilisation will be able to perceive the infinite puzzle and mystery of the cosmic existence. Every new breakthrough and answered question in astronomy will bring closer humanity to solve a nearby conundrum but inevitably in the same time forcefully will raise 100 more queries to interrogate the origin on which the newly resolved question abides. WHY question, will persist forever, if before people found out that earth is circling the sun then quickly after came the question, why the earth is orbiting the sun and not opposite? Alright later the answer were found and the sun's gravity was to blame for the trajectory of the planet earth but soon enough unfluctuating came again the answer, why the gravity keeps the earth on orbit? Well, there is a theory which says that elementary particle graviton mediates the force of gravity[1], and even if the theory is proven to be true it will raise another WHY question,why does graviton mediate the force of gravity? So, no end how many times WHY question could be triggered thus no end of how many answers it can gets.
Arrival
Day after day the never ending water stretches to meet the sky at the horizon, we were accompanied by marvelous sunsets in the evening and were woken up with shimmer sunrises as well as captured by wandering blue lights of bioluminescent plankton, excited by the boat and waves. We were confronted by the depressing reality of floating plastic bags, polyester pieces and fishing nets though despite somber plastic debris we were cheered by screaming fishermen and escorted by flying fishes and racing or jumping dolphins in front of the boat. Wind and waves are unpredictable and sometimes change so many times during one day that it seems there is no tomorrow for the ocean and the water revenge should be released here and now which kept us always alert to intervene for eventual adjustments.
Everything could be as good as one could wish like getting as soon as possible on the land after spending in borderless and shaking sea for a week but reality is rather bitter that left us waiting outside the harbour of Galle in Sri Lanka and proceeding with customs clearance for nearly 24 hours, oh how I hate and disrespect borders, countries and bureaucracy. As soon as we got on the solid ground after 7 days of sailing, land sickness has overwhelmingly reacted on the body with dizziness and disequilibrium in response to compensate for the missing oscillation of the water.
In general for me it wasn't any difficulties to sail so prolonged time, although electric issues on the board and energy shortages hadn't allowed me to use my laptop for writing or reading digital books I had still other occupations as reading a physical book or watching downloaded in advance youtube videos on the phone or cooking food was a perfect remedy to reimburse to the tedium time. If I could enjoy one week without a laptop then if electricity problems are fixed I could easily enjoy and 2 weeks having an escape world behind the screen, but let's wait and see how the sailing trip will unfold then. :)
Source
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graviton - Graviton
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graviton - Graviton
Pictures and photos
1. Ion Storland, 27 February, 2020, View from aside of ocean and sailboat, Indian ocean
2. Ion Storland, 7 March, 2020, Sallon of Seawolf sailing boat, Galle, Sri Lanka
3. Ion Storland, 8 March, 2020, Kitchen of Seawolf sailing boat, Galle, Sri Lanka
4. Ion Storland, 1 March, 2020, Ion Storland at steering wheel, Indian ocean
5. Ion Storland, 27 February, 2020, Main sail in the dusk, Indian ocean
6. Ion Storland, 15 February, 2020, Two dolphins in the water, Malacca strait
7. Ion Storland, 3 March, 2020, Custom Agent and navy officers, Galle, Sri Lanka
2. Ion Storland, 7 March, 2020, Sallon of Seawolf sailing boat, Galle, Sri Lanka
3. Ion Storland, 8 March, 2020, Kitchen of Seawolf sailing boat, Galle, Sri Lanka
4. Ion Storland, 1 March, 2020, Ion Storland at steering wheel, Indian ocean
5. Ion Storland, 27 February, 2020, Main sail in the dusk, Indian ocean
6. Ion Storland, 15 February, 2020, Two dolphins in the water, Malacca strait
7. Ion Storland, 3 March, 2020, Custom Agent and navy officers, Galle, Sri Lanka
4. Ion Storland, 1 March, 2020, Ion Storland at steering wheel, Indian ocean
5. Ion Storland, 27 February, 2020, Main sail in the dusk, Indian ocean
6. Ion Storland, 15 February, 2020, Two dolphins in the water, Malacca strait
7. Ion Storland, 3 March, 2020, Custom Agent and navy officers, Galle, Sri Lanka
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