Dawn to Dusk

Tom J

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Sep 30, 2008
2,301
Catalina 310 Quincy, MA
I came across these photos today while perusing my albums. It was a July morning in 2017, and we were anchored off Sampson's Island in Cotuit Bay on Cape Cod. I was having coffee in the cockpit and off my starboard beam was this incredible sunrise, while off the port beam, the full moon was just setting.
It occurred to me that while living aboard, I had become accustomed to getting up at dawn, and going to bed at dusk. I still do, even when I am not on the boat. Here in Hawaii, I will usually toast the dawn with a cup of coffee while sitting outside on the deck of our little house, and go to bed before 8 pm. Of course, this might be a part of getting older, but I think it is also a lifestyle I came to appreciate. Any other sailors out there notice this tendency to live according to Nature's rhythm?
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Oct 22, 2014
20,996
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Tom.. When I am on the boat, I follow a similar pattern. It is easy to fall into. Only do the lights help keep me up. On the other hand this would have me sleeping over 12 hours in the winter, or less than 6 in the summer at the higher latitudes. That just dosen’t happen.
 
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Feb 26, 2004
22,760
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Any other sailors out there notice this tendency to live according to Nature's rhythm?
My first night is usually long...I party too hard celebrating my freedom from land [and obligations to a 97 year old f-i-l with Alz and dementia - god bless my wife for her patience]. Then the rest of it falls into place. John's right though, this used to be easier when I lived in San Francisco, but day/night hours here in BC are vastly different winter to summer, like 4:30 to 10:30 p.m. sunset differences.
Sunset from Winter Cove last year:
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Nov 18, 2010
2,441
Catalina 310 Hingham, MA
We find that most cruisers fall into this pattern. Hense cruisers' midnight is 9 pm. We miss it now since we have been working while living aboard and were just talking about getting back into this rhythem. We also found we only ate 2 meals a day too.
 
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May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
My problem is the weight finds me after I lost it. But I typically go to bed with the sun but get up when my bladder tells me. More than once I need to refill with more coffee so just get up and enjoy the morning.
 
Oct 19, 2017
7,733
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
I get up just before dawn, no matter the season. Between 4 and 5. My bladder and my dog won't let me sleep in. As a kid, 13 hours seemed to be what worked best for me. I still think it does, I just don't get it. When people tell me they can't drink coffee in the afternoon because it keeps them up, I say, "That's because you get too much sleep. Cut that back to 4 or 5 hours a night and that won't happen any more."

-Will (Dragonfly)
 
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Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
Two Meals a day... ... Who started the resolution to loose weight.
Actually, a recent news report on TV said DO NOT skip breakast, and to eat 4 SMALLER meals a day. Do happy hour snacks count as a meal?
 
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Tom J

.
Sep 30, 2008
2,301
Catalina 310 Quincy, MA
Actually, a recent news report on TV said DO NOT skip breakast, and to eat 4 SMALLER meals a day. Do happy hour snacks count as a meal?
That's pretty much what I do. It drives my wife nuts.