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After living outside on a Schooner for 4 days a certain calm begins to take over. Studies have shown the benefits of living near the water. Being on the ocean off the coast of Maine was all that it needed to be. I witnessed people relaxing, letting go of the stresses of their days. Like Forest Bathing , being on the ocean is beneficial in a similar way. The fresh salt air- the wind – the carefree lifestyle of having nothing, really, to do- is at once, a wonderful feeling. Our job was to absorb our surroundings and be fed- and once in a while- help out with raising and lowering the sails and anchor. The benefits of living outside can’t be denied – there is actual science to back it up.
Book to read
Blue Mind is a book I’d like to read. It talks about the benefits of being in, on and under the water- how it has a calming effect on the body- how it can diminish anxiety, aid in creativity and personal success. This is exactly why so many people flock to the ocean, beaches, lakes and ponds to rejuvenate on their vacations.
Self awareness
Starting to get comfortable with one another
I watched as the students on the Schooner became more relaxed each day and noticied they learned something about themselves in the process of the trip. They learned that they could do things that they thought were beyond their capabilities- beyond what they had imagined they might do. Sleep in a tiny cabin – sit on deck in the open air day after day- climb aboard a small boat to go ashore to witness some of Maine’s beauty in small coastal towns – climb up and down short ladders to get to their cabins. Perhaps take a shower in a teeny tiny space… Come together, mostly as strangers, but form a bond with one another due to a common interest.
Coming back from the Lobster Bake on Warren Island
The cabins are small on the J&E Riggin– yes, you do use a “head” for a toilet- but hey, it worked. We each washed our dishes in a small bit of water after every meal- conserving water at all costs- we didn’t get sick- we thrived! You could tell that people wondered- will these get washed properly later on? We composted and recycled- things that we all should be doing- not things that all were probably in tune with before the trip. A different way of looking at things once again. A good way to look at life in general. Slow down, take a breath, unplug – do the basics.
Sketching and hooking This was, after all, a rug hooking trip so they were coming onboard to learn some new techniques in this craft. The benefits of being outside provided endless opportunities for us to “see” things in a different way than we do in our normal day to day life. Our teacher, Susan Feller, taught each of us how to truly look at our surroundings. We put images into our sketch books and later transferred them onto our linen for a plein air kind of experience. Images may have become abstract- or maybe just a portion of what we observed made it onto the linen. That was OK- in fact that was the point of the exercise. See things in a new light- experience things in a new light- use materials in a new way. Ta-da…and it worked. It worked for people “who can’t draw”. It worked for people who never imagined they could be comfortable at sea- it worked, and it worked well.
In the few short days there were conversations that happened- connections that were made- probably friendships that will continue- all while on board a vintage Schooner out of Rockland , Maine. Memories of Maine and being at sea.
Proud co-host I’m so proud of everyone! Some had never sailed before. Some had never been to Maine before. Some had never tried foods that were served. All went away with a smile and a memory so dear that it’ll last a lifetime.
Watch our social media As we plan our next trip we can only hope for a mix of people from different walks of life again- different areas of the country- different ways of looking at life all with a common love of fiber arts. We have our teacher lined up as well as the dates ! Hooray!
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Beth and I are planning the next trip of your lifetime
Please watch for updates and more information on our
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