In this article, we will look at some of the most common things we seafarers experience at sea and that we brag and boast around proudly to the terrestrials.
Table of Contents
1. Sunsets and Sunrises
Hardly you may find a seafarer whose gallery or social media posts won’t be having some stunning pictures of Sunsets or Sunrises at sea. Best of all the sunrises and sunsets are experienced in the tropical belt of the globe. They are one of the most iconic things yet so underrated when experienced on land, can’t complain as except for the beaches you just can’t see the entire horizon. Of course, many of you have topped it up with deep quotes. Guilty as charged
2. Clear Night Sky
The night sky looks unbelievably clear as the sea is void of light pollution, yes that’s a thing. Some nights in Mediterranian Seas are so dreamy with a bright moon and gleaming stars, that you can actually lose track of time watching. I haven’t been able to capture the pics, but many of you having neat cameras will be having the milky way visible in the night sky. Do post and tag us.
3. Places where two seas meet
Well if you look at it scientifically, you won’t agree that such a place exists where there are two different shades of water and a dynamic boundary is clearly visible. But, these places exist and you have to be out there at sea to actually see. Or better, the canal crossing can be termed as one of those experiences. Panama and Suez, are both commercial canals separated by different seas. I was lucky enough to witness one such place near Guatemala having different shades of water and not mixing.
4. Bioluminescence or Milky Seas (Mareel)
This is one of that goosebumps moments, leaving you stunned to the core in awe of the sparkling sea. No, this is not about the sparkling beach of the Maldives but out there at sea. In 2005, scientists announced that for the first time, they had obtained photographic evidence of this glow. The reason behind both cases is the same bioluminescent marine organism. I have experienced this phenomenon during transit on the US west coast, Vietnam, and between Australia and New Zealand.
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5. Dolphin/whale sights
You have to have a keen eye to spot them, but when you do it’s awesome. That feeling when you spot the pod (group of dolphins) racing along the ship near the bulbous bow is as good as spotting a tiger in the wild. And why not, you are literally in the wild but here, the majority of animals are below the horizon. Major sightings are visible in the tropical waters and around the Australian east coast of flying fishes (Exocoetidae), humpback whales, Orcas, and dolphins. So, spend some time on deck, capture the moments and, cherish them for your life.
6. International Dateline
It passes through the Pacific Ocean, deviating to pass around some territories and island groups. Crossing the date line eastbound decreases the date by one day (24 hours) while crossing the date line westbound increases the date. So, you have to live a “date” twice, in your eastbound voyage.
7. Experience Equator Crossing
Many of you will have a flashback of the moments from your equator crossing ceremony, and for those who have dodged the ceremony, beware King Neptune won’t spare you. Legends say that the equator was never meant to be crossed by mere humans, they are bound to live and die on either side of it. But those who dare to cross it have to pay the price and get blessings from God Himself. Anyway, the equator crossing calls for a barbeque party themed with the characters performing the rituals, which makes a memorable day.
Experience equator crossing onboard
8. Rainbows
All of you reading this knows and love rainbows. No seafarer can deny having an awesome click of the rainbows in their gallery. Heading towards the rainy clouds with the sun at the back feels like entering the gates of the rainbow. On land, the entirety of the rainbows is somewhat lost, but at sea the view is mesmerizing.
9. Snow
We, seafarers, face extreme weather scenarios all around the globe, be it the scorching heat in the Arabian Gulf, humid heat anywhere near the equator, extreme storms wide in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, or the snow around Canadian and north European waters. In some cases, the entire water freezes to ice (along the coast). Though the snow calls for lots of selfies and fun on deck, it brings serious breakdowns as well. But we seafarers enjoy the snowfall without visiting any hill stations. The memories surely bring my parka out.
10. Rolling
Last but not least on the list is the rolling or we can club it under the movement of a ship at sea. I know this is not as uncommon for the people on the land to experience, but if you think about it we have to experience it for a longer duration with the extremes of its intensity and of course, along with that perform our routine work efficiently. Remember the first time your vessel cast away and you experienced the movement, the creaking sounds of the superstructure, and the rattling of the containers in the under-deck passageway. All those experiences have been etched in your brain so deeply that they made your subsequent sails easy for you.
One more thing, that I consider should be at least once experienced by all seafarers is the magnificent Auroras, especially the Northern Lights (Auroras Borealis). I haven’t experienced it myself and wish to see it before I give up sailing, have the tales from fellow crewmembers certainly made me believe it is much better than the pictures and the clips.
Share your experiences in the comments below, will surely update the list.
