I've always been really bad at making decisions. I always feel
like I either don't know enough to make the right one or I can see
two equally good sides of the issue and can't choose which one is
better.
We're sitting in an anchorage right now with the winds sustained at 22 and gusting to 25+. It's a pretty exposed anchorage with a wicked current, but the Mantus is holding well, it's pretty warm, we have food, water, enough holding tank space, and some good books, so it feels right to stay here today, especialy since this is what is coming in a few hours:
Yet...we have seen other sailboats going past us on the ICW. There is that “if they can do it so can we” thought. Tim is restless and wants to go, but we got ready to go after seeing the other boats and then the wind gusted to nearly 30 and we stopped, just not being comfortable with the decision. If it was a wider path and a deeper channel we would probably be more comfortable but this is the narrowest and shallowest part we will have navigated yet. There is a lot of frustration in the not knowing, in the lack of experience with this waterway. Surely we are being too cautious, but the boat is our home, everything we own, so caution seems the better part of valor. We also have no schedule to keep other than being ahead of the freezing weather, and promised ourselves before we left to do this that we would never function under some self-imposed schedule. At the moment a book and a cup of tea seem to be calling.
We're sitting in an anchorage right now with the winds sustained at 22 and gusting to 25+. It's a pretty exposed anchorage with a wicked current, but the Mantus is holding well, it's pretty warm, we have food, water, enough holding tank space, and some good books, so it feels right to stay here today, especialy since this is what is coming in a few hours:
Yet...we have seen other sailboats going past us on the ICW. There is that “if they can do it so can we” thought. Tim is restless and wants to go, but we got ready to go after seeing the other boats and then the wind gusted to nearly 30 and we stopped, just not being comfortable with the decision. If it was a wider path and a deeper channel we would probably be more comfortable but this is the narrowest and shallowest part we will have navigated yet. There is a lot of frustration in the not knowing, in the lack of experience with this waterway. Surely we are being too cautious, but the boat is our home, everything we own, so caution seems the better part of valor. We also have no schedule to keep other than being ahead of the freezing weather, and promised ourselves before we left to do this that we would never function under some self-imposed schedule. At the moment a book and a cup of tea seem to be calling.
11 comments:
Given everything you've said, and particularly "so it feels right to stay here today", I'd say staying sounds like a very prudent decision.
I'm comfortable with it but clearly it was way over conservative because 15 boats have passed by the anchorage so far today.
And probable most of them have Christmas commitments.
Bill Kelleher
As sailors, you learn to listen to your inner voice. If your gut is telling you to stay put, you probably should.
The sailor with no schedule always has favorable weather...
bob
Just want to say thanks for passing on your indecisive genes to me. :) Skype with all your grandkids and bake some cinnamon rolls today - staying will feel like the perfect decision.
Safe station keeping is never a bad idea. There are bold captains, and old captains, but there are no old bold captains. Hmmm maybe that's pilots. Florida isn't that far away now.
darn that pizza would be good about right now .....
tomorrow is another day
dont be in a hurry ..
I am ....
Our sailing instuctor once said "if you think about something, if the thought even enters your head, its best to decide on caution". Good advice for any occasion, I believe.
One of the first sayings we heard when we got to the Chesapeake is "It's better to be in here wishing you were out there, than out there wishing you were in here".
We didn't listen to our inner voice one day, and we paid by surfing in 10-12 footers for an entire day from Toronto to Sodus Bay. Scary as hell. The only time on a sailboat where my knees were shaking. USCG was calling every 20 minutes to check, and I could see sand at the bottom of waves entering the harbor. We agreed that if anyone ever has reservations about leaving we would SPEAK UP! It's easy to be brave at the dock.
P
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