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Last week I went waaay outside of my comfort zone and crewed a friend's 6 metre Swallow yacht around the Sound of Jura. I'm a mountaineer and cyclist, not a sailor so although the discomfort of sleeping in a tiny cabin with a loud snorer wasn't unfamiliar to me, the cold, the constant damp and not being able to move about and generate warmth were not pleasant and I ended up wearing every stitch of my clothing under the waterproofs. The week before and this week they had superb weather but last week we had rain and the crossing from Gigha to Islay was really unpleasant, mist, heavy seas (I was amazed not to be seasick) and no sight of land until we saw black rocks with waves bursting over them on the approach to Port Ellen. On the first night we anchored up in a long finger of water at the end of Loch Sween, it was dark, gloomy, hemmed in by trees, depressing, with deep dark water and the anchor wouldn't hold us in the gusts of wind so we were awoken suddenly by the GPS anchor app on my friend's phone warning that we were drifting. The trip had moments of enjoyment, such as sailing past Oban in bright sunshine and sailing past the distilleries on Islay (we walked up to Laphroaig) but on the whole I was counting the days and was glad to get off the tiny boat and onto the train home for a hot bath and clean, dry clothes. It's an itch I've wanted to scratch, ever since standing on numerous Scottish mountains and gazing out at the islands but it's now thoroughly scratched and I won't want to try it again.
So now I can't stop thinking about the trip, especially that dark gloomy loch where we spend the first night. I've had uncomfortable multi-day trips on foot, touring ski and bike before but never spent so long mulling it over in my mind. The gloom and the fear have become a sort of obsession and all I can see is that dark geen water and shoals of jellyfish drifting slowly under the boat.
Anybody else tried something, disliked it and then felt uneasy afterwards?
Anybody else tried something, disliked it and then felt uneasy afterwards?
Defending my religious beliefs on an internet forum.
Other than emotional, virtue signalling bollox like losing a loved one, the only thing that truly frightens me is the deep sea.
Got to be barking to want to spend time isolating yourself in such an exposed way let alone enjoy it.
I reckon (within reason) you're perfectly normal.
Anybody else tried something, disliked it and then felt uneasy afterwards?
Marmite.
Riding 29'ers
My dad terrified me as a young boy with his boating exploits that I quickly determined to learn to sail so that I wasn't reliant on him. Can still remember the first sight of St Kilda - a bright sunny day, and then these dark cliffs rising our of the clear sea swathed in cloud. Absolutely stunning. I love boats and the sea but it's not for everyone. Also your memories of the disquiet will probably become memories of overcoming adversary shortly.
That's sailing for you, great isn't it 😀
Like biking, some days are amazeballz, some days are not amazeballz.
HTHs
😆
Nice boats Swallows, very sea worthy and stable. You really should have had a blast, but even I get pissed off in drizzle and sleeping under spinnakers these days has long since lost its appeal.
Cool boats though, hope it was well looked after.
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I kayaked to Lundy island once. Took seven hours or something.
You couldn't see land either way for a fair portion of it and I was quite frankly cacking meself.
The deep sea is terrifying. It's normal.
🙂
It was a brand-new Bayraider Expedition. Very stable, yes, very well sailed by an experienced skipper, but small:
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PTSD is pretty specific but yeah, perfectly natural to dwell on and be affected by something like that. The sea's always had that sort of impact on humans tbh, it's vast and cool and unsympathetic. Don't just dismiss it, but most likely it'll fade.
The top of Loch Sween - Caol Scotnish? Actually a lovely, amazing and very sheltered spot. The fact your skipper chose to hide there shows he knows what he was doing! It must have been bad if Oban was the best bit of the trip! Bear in mind that the admiralty chart used to describe some of that water as unnavigable! I've done a few things I wouldn't agree to do again - but none that have left me mulling it over. It sounds like you want to go back and overcome the nemesis!
it's quite a small boat in poor weather, so I can see how the damp and discomfort could get to you on that type of trip, quite normal IMO, and I've been sailing on the west coast for 50 years !
sometimes it's nicer 🙂
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Me and the sea have an agreement. I don't bother it, and it doesn't bother me 100 kilometres inland.
Nice! Theres a boatyard in Northey Marina (Chichester Harbour) that builds those, very popular in the Harbour and Solent for bouncing around day sailing. On open water, unless it's flat, it looks like it might roll around a bit.
I see your point, open sea, tidal, bit blowy, swell running... no creature comforts, cold, damp, claggy, drizzle, can't see the horizon, not sure where you are, time seems to drag on and on and on and on and you wish you were on land and not in a rolling around bit of plywood... and unsure of your own abilities...
Yup, thats sailing.
You'll get over it. After all, you survived the trip, learned loads about the boat, the sea, the wind, the tide, the swell, the places you visited and most of all... yourself.
Success I'd say.
One day you might think, "ahhhhh, not soooooooo bad after all, :|"
Lets hope so.
Anybody else tried something, disliked it and then felt uneasy afterwards?
Voting for Blair in 1997.
That's my mates company - Swallow Boats - nice to see they're well regarded!
Me and the sea have an agreement. I don't bother it, and it doesn't bother me 100 miles inland.
You don't live in the UK?
You don't live in the UK?
I have no idea what you mean?
😀
Anybody else tried something, disliked it and then felt uneasy afterwards?
Caravanning in Norfolk - still get flashbacks
The top of Loch Sween - Caol Scotnish? Actually a lovely, amazing and very sheltered spot. The fact your skipper chose to hide there shows he knows what he was doing! It must have been bad if Oban was the best bit of the trip!
Yes, exactly there, just beyond the two small islands. He is an old pal and an experienced small boat sailor, he and his wife made what they think was the second recorded crossing by kayak from Shetland to Foula, using only the most basic compass. He had an open Bayraider for years and this is his new one with a cabin. He uses them exactly as intended, for exploring up rivers and beaching in sheltered bays but isn't afraid to take the boat out into open water. This week he and his wife, who has now joined him after two weeks cycling alone around Scotland, are part of a Swallow Boats flotilla going around Mull. Last night they stayed in Tobermory; they are enjoying glorious weather!
The boats themselves are absolutely superb, very seaworthy and stable and safe with a double-hulled bow and flotation compartments and a floodable 300 litre ballast tank. They are moulded in eastern Europe and assembled in the UK. The handling is safe and predictable. We were accompanied by a second boat skippered by somebody a good deal less competent, his crewman was an extremely experienced outdoorsman, not a sailor, who had just come back from running the logistics on an expedition in Greenland and who was doing a very good job at disguising his impatience at the antics of his skipper!
^^^^ my 3rd picture earlier is Tobermory in glorious weather too !
Small boats are great, big boats are great, everything in the middle can be a compromise on comfort and the experience, especially if it's for multiple days and it's your first time out.
globalti - MemberAnybody else tried something, disliked it and then felt uneasy afterwards?
Mintyjim - MemberThat's my mates company - Swallow
OP you got off lightly. Recently a friend of a friend was out sailing, they lost a bloke over the side, and he died 🙁
It's an itch I've wanted to scratch, ever since standing on numerous Scottish mountains and gazing out at the islands but it's now thoroughly scratched and I won't want to try it again.
Maybe just crushing disappointment that the reality didn't match the expectation?
Probably had most fun in a 22' boat (4 of us!), but you do get some "wtf am I doing here?" moments.
Sailing those boats did involve a bit of clambering around on the cabin roof and I do wonder what would have happened if one of us had fallen in. If it had been my skipper I hope I'd have been able to bring the boat round into the wind and throw him a line then, as a second resort, get the sails down and start the motor then circle back to pick him up. Easy in calm seas but not so much in heavy conditions.
Did you consider for a moment this might be about something else? Just the way you describe it makes it sound a bit like you're having a Tony Soprano ducks moment.
You wot?
Nevermind, if it hasn't clicked it's not worth explaining.
I've spent 20 years in the RN but only one weekend sailing. It's cold, cramped, slow and boring - chalk it up to experience and stick with mountains and bikes.
cold, cramped, slow and boring
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Wrong boat then 🙂
Currently re-learning one of these after a very long break. Only been cold so far...
My folks used to have a boat moored in Oban and my experience mirrors yours perfectly. Except you didn't have seasickness which was a big part of it for me.
Cold, wet, nauseating, slow, with surprisingly quite high risk of actual death. Not for me, thanks.
Before that, we had a couple of great holidays sailing round the med in the sun - a completely different experience, and actually quite pleasurable. I'd still prefer something faster though.
Wrong boat then
Fair point there are some pretty fast sailboats around but to counter that the scene does also contain a disproportionate amount of Musto-wearing try hards. 😀
haha! Yes. It does. Tim Nice But Dim has to fill his weekends somehow...the scene does also contain a disproportionate amount of Musto-wearing try hards
Sounds like the skipper maybe overestimated his crew and didnt communicate what was about to or could happen and made at least one of them feel uncomfortable. You should tell him. Loch Sween is awesome.
The disasters are part of the fun. problem solving, failed engines, returning for repairs. You can even hit rocks occasionally, just as long as you do it carefully. It just confirms the depth.
wet Caravans...
Potholing expeditions when we were 10-11. Crawling on your belly, back touching the roof not knowing if it would open up. All with 1970s torches and lighters.
I thought it was hilarious at the time. I come out in a cold sweat thinking about it now.
I thought it was hilarious at the time. I come out in a cold sweat thinking about it now.
I feel the exact same way about potholing now having loved it as a kid. Now - **** that.
OP I really enjoyed reading that. Not unsympathetic, but somewhat surprised how it reminded me of melancholic, fantastical yet unnerving storiess I devoured as a young man, Algernon Blackwood, Arthur Machen, H.P. Lovecraft...
Notably 'The Willows' by Blackwood. Don't ever read it unless you're a good way back to happiness!
Couple of days in the sun on dry land in good company will sort you out. Big bucket of Pimms never went amiss.
Right now in the middle of a chronic infection (at least we hope it's an infection) and a short-notice house-move, clock-ticking, fairly nauseous and dizzy with resultant stress - I quite fancy the simplicity of doldrums on a small boat with spooky jellyfish. And rum.
If a little boat in Scotland makes you feel uneasy then I'd strongly recommend a big boat in Croatia. Almost no wind, flat water, 30c air, 29c water and cheap good food.
You'll feel an awful lot better about sailing I can assure you.
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Good post MR ^^ Maybe creating a short story of your adventure would be cathartic - does sound pretty gruelling and dark.
Thnks jimwah. Though I think I'll wait until mirthful times and re-evaluate before putting pen to paper 🙁
OP
I'd say that trip sounds quite extreme. That is not a very big boat in demanding waters
I think it was like learning to mountain bike by going on the back of a tandem down a downhill course
No idea about PTSD
If you really feel it has got to you. Then there are ways to deal with things. Talking is great so posting was a good plan.
I find mindfulness helpful for putting things in context.I think mindfulness would say. You had a crap time and it made you feel bad. Don't fight, just go with the feeling. Trying to solve the problem of feeling bad makes things worse.
The breath mediation is good for clearing the mind as well
my hunch is you'll be fine. But if you want to find out more try this book. I only read some of it but I thought it was great
[url= https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mindfulness-practical-guide-finding-frantic/dp/074995308X ]link[/url]