Aleria's Adventures

We've secured our RLNI Christmas cards and will soon be sending them out for the first time in years. Coronavirus has put a hold on so many things in our lives. I've been researching and buying gifts online and having them delivered direct because we won't be able to visit personally any time soon. So I thought I might resurrect the Top Ten Gifts for Sailors again this year. I haven't done it for a few years but this one seems like an exception. So here goes... 1. Here's a most unusual one...Monumental Maritimers Cathy Shelbourne, of Sea Shell Communications, has created a deck of playing cards telling tall tales about colourful characters. In normal times, she travels the world as an enrichment speaker aboard cruise ships, giving talks on maritime heroes and brazen buccaneers. During the coronavirus pandemic, she has put her knowledge, and collection of photos of maritime characters, to good use. Her newly-launched pack of cards is illustrated by major players in t...

Well shiver me timbers, a few days ago, Alex and I were named Sailors of the Month (International) for May 2020 by Afloat magazine in Ireland. We are so honoured to be recognised for helping cruisers around the world reach home or at least safe harbour during the pandemic. And this in a month when we haven't done any sailing at all. Gosh! Blush. And many thanks to Afloat and to all the volunteers who have made this effort even remotely possible. "Daria and Alex Blackwell of  Mayo Sailing Club  are highly-experienced ocean voyagers, and they’re Vice Commodore and Rear Commodore respectively of the Ocean Cruising Club, the global body which currently has hundreds of members’ boats currently on long cruises. During the  COVID-19 pandemic , many of these boats have been caught out on long passages not knowing what kind of reception they will get when they reach their destination. From their base on the shores of Clew Bay, Daria and Alex have been providing assistanc...

Screen grab from Dr Bush's instructional video Exercising on a small boat can have its challenges. Do you find your life afloat too sedentary? Are you looking for a simple way to keep your body in shape? Here is a good one. Four minutes, three times per day. No equipment is necessary. Can be done anywhere in the space in which you stand. Could  this be the best onboard workout for cruisers?  Dr Zach Bush has created a 4-minute work out that done 3 times per day will help build muscle and keep joints functioning smoothly. It's based on the principle of nitric oxide release. He calls it High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). In less than 15 minutes per day in total, you will be promoting physical fitness and combating detrimental inflammatory processes. It's based on some well-known principles. Your muscles have a certain amount of energy stored. If you use up that energy, they'll release nitric oxide as a signal for your body to recuperate. Nitric oxide is fo...

Getting involved in scientific research is a real game changer for many cruisers. Like Alex and me, many people get out there and then find they need more than just floating around from place to place. They need a purpose. As budgets for research in Universities and government agencies get cut, supporting research projects through participation in citizen science is a real boon. Many cruisers end up in remote places where it would be hard to justify sending a research vessel. Having someone already there who can take some measurements or observations and report back via an app when signal is available is making a difference to the collective knowledge base about the earth and oceans.

Meeting up with like-minded people There is an interesting thing that happens when sailors meet while cruising. Because they start out with so much in common, they tend to form instant bonds. Not always. Sometimes you run across people you want to have nothing to do with - but that's a matter of personality. More often you meet like-minded individuals who have lots of stories to tell and lots of advice to share because they haven't been sitting in their armchairs, noooooo, they've been out there doing things. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things out on the world's oceans and their shores. If you are sailing a circuit, chances are you will meet up with the same people over and over as generally everyone is heading in the same direction