Cabin Fever

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Being cooped up in a small space for extended periods of time can have adverse affects on one’s wellbeing, especially when one lives in a very small cruiser. Flying on a long haul flight can have similar affects on your body and mind. 

When I first began cruising, after only a month, I was up on the Macclesfield Canal when I suffered from cabin fever for the first time. Not realising exactly what was happening, I woke up at midnight. It had been raining constantly for 4 days and I hadn’t been outside and I began to get depressed. I began to worry about anything and everything and it seemed like the world was about to cave in. 

At the time, I was moored up with other boaters and one of them I befriended, invited me into his boat for some tea and a chance to chill out. He told me this little saying which has stuck with me ever since. 

“Your Boat Is Your Shelter. It’s where you eat, sleep, shit, keep warm and dry. Life is on the outside.”

My friend is absolutely spot on.

For that very reason, I decided buy myself a tent so I had a space off the boat that was outside the boat. That said, it’s a little tough trying to enjoy some space outdoors in the middle of winter but it certainly helps over the warmer months when there is constant rain around. 

Location: England, UK

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