Fear

Another topic that keeps us busy while sailing is fear. We don't consider ourselves to be overanxious, but in the last three years we have repeatedly had to deal with situations that have caused us to deal with fear a little more intensively. At the outset, I would like to mention that I am not a psychologist, nor do I have any training in this area. What I have written is based on our experiences up to this point, and from re-reading, situational occasions, and thus acquired knowledge. That this topic is very complex, I think I do not need to mention specifically. Therefore it can be here only a short outline. So please forgive me for the layman's rendering on this subject. Nevertheless, I am of the opinion that it could be helpful for one or the other, at least inspires one or the other to think about this topic.

Anxiety can be triggered for a variety of reasons

According to the definition, fear is a basic feeling that expresses itself in threatening situations as apprehension and unenthusiastic excitement. Anxiety is the umbrella term for various types of fears. From a psychoanalytical point of view, Sigmund Freud distinguishes three forms of anxiety. The moral fear, the neurotic fear and the real fear. The real anxiety, actually fear, arises in the case of threat or dangerous situations, whereby an actual threat or dangerous situation does not even have to be present. Depending on innate emotional behavior and learned coping with risk situations, each person develops a certain behavior pattern in certain life situations. The psychovegetative condition, i.e. exhaustion or emaciation, the readiness to react and the resistance play an important role. In the normal case the behavior with fear, the physical and mental integrity, thus in the extreme case the survival is to secure. Fear thus prepares the person for a fight or flight situation. In sailing, the escape strategy is usually not an option. At the same time, or just because of this, panic arises in many people, even at the slightest occasion, when they are on a boat. This is intensified by various physical reactions such as increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, shallow and rapid breathing, hot or cold shivers, nausea and shortness of breath. In addition, during anxiety, certain molecules are released in the sweat that make other people smell the fear and thus, also in the subconscious of the other, cause alarm.

Overcome fear and do the right thing

Although fear is an unpleasant basic feeling, it is not fundamentally bad. It helps us to recognize potential dangers and to react accordingly. As in other areas of life, it is important to deal with fear when sailing, especially on long voyages, with the special situation of not being able to escape. Every crew member should contact the skipper immediately if there are signs of fear, and every skipper should take such indications very seriously. The sooner you talk to such people, the better you get the fear under control. At the beginning of our Atlantic crossing, Gaby, from now on, a certain feeling of panic set in. The prospect of being cooped up in a confined space for 14 days, the loudness of the ride through the water, and possibly my fear of getting caught in a storm or hurricane caused her to have elevated blood pressure, shallow breathing, nausea, and chills. With a lot of talking and creating a certain feel-good situation, such as body heat, good food and lying down in a relaxed position, the feeling reduced step by step. After one day, the panic feeling was gone and we started to enjoy the trip. What I want to say is that a person in such a situation needs special attention and urgent, constant observation. This is not so easy with a small crew, like ours. The important thing is to learn from such a situation to do the right thing. The goal is not to avoid fear, but to adjust to a realistic, controllable fear level. Since the escape reflex does not work in many cases when sailing, the best strategy for us is avoidance. This works in most cases by being well prepared and getting the right information. However, not having the right source and wrong information, can lead to situations that in turn cause anxiety. For example, we were ambushed and robbed in Cape Verde on a supposedly safe hiking trail. Such fears are then much more real and also leave their mark for a longer time. 

Develop techniques that help you

Ultimately, in a real danger to which one is directly exposed, the only option is to cope with it. It is important to recall what you have learned and to concentrate on the situation, to be alert and to act decisively. The body helps by releasing adrenaline. Nevertheless, we naturally prefer the fear-free situations in our sailing life and are glad that they clearly predominate. On the other hand, it doesn't hurt to be prepared for fearful situations in time, because the next one is bound to come. With this in mind, we wish you the longest possible fear-free time. Always fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.

Recognize the beauty of nature