Sailing Through Seas to New Shores

We started this season with our longest passage yet. We sail around 300 nautical miles from Italy to Greece, that is about 354 miles over ground. When we are on passage we face the challenges of cats getting sick, motoring when there’s no wind  and not being able to go to sleep. It’s not always good in the moment but after its all worth it.

Sailing vs Motoring

Personally, I prefer sailing over motoring because when we moter, I feel like  I get sea sick a lot more than when we sail. Sometimes when it’s super calm and no waves, it is ok to motor but my opinion is that sailing is way more fun because I really like heeling over and I feel like it’s a lot more calm. Another reason I like sailing more is because my cat, Tiger, freaks out whenever the engine starts and it turns into total chaos! 

Cats Behavior

The cats are always finding many different places to hide like small little cabinets, but my cat Tiger is usually in my room. We have a few cat beds up in the cockpit and Eliza’s cat Chip, likes to hang out in those even while we’re sailing. Sometimes when the sea is rough or the engine is on, the cats start to feel seasick. I usually put them in my bathroom because it’s a safe, quiet spot, otherwise, they might throw up somewhere on the boat. On an overnight sail, the cats don’t sleep much.  They might rest for a while, but they mostly meow.

Night Watch

When we are on an overnight passage, my sister and I go to bed but my parents take turns on the night watch. It’s really dark except for the instruments and the moon.  I can hear the water banging against  the hull and the wind singing while it passes through the rigging.   Sometimes I wake up and check the time on my watch and poke my head outside to see where we are.  It’s hard to fall asleep when everything is moving and the cats are in my room meowing. Having dinner on passage is easier because we always have something prepared and we don’t really have to cook anything. 

Conclusion

Sometimes passages can be a little scary at times but they can also be fun and exciting. Even though it is tough, I tend to like being on passages. I feel like sailing through days is exciting and the feeling of accomplishment when we get to our destination is like a rush of relief and I love it. I hope the cats will finally get used to it and then we will have one less thing to worry about!