I’ve advised thousands of women to take a look at whatever it is about cruising that they didn’t like, then examine their thoughts about that issue. Often a mere shift in attitude can make ...Read more]]> I’ve spoken to women at boat shows around the country and in Canada about the joys of the cruising life.

I’ve advised thousands of women to take a look at whatever it is about cruising that they didn’t like, then examine their thoughts about that issue. Often a mere shift in attitude can make all the difference as far as our enjoyment of boating goes.

So imagine my dismay during the first three months of our current cruising adventure to discover that no matter how much I tried to adjust my attitude, I was not a happy sailor.

In fact, I pretty much hated everything about this lousy cruising life.

I think I did a good job of hiding my thoughts from my husband. After all, why should both of us be miserable?

But what the heck was wrong with me? I was the woman who wrote an entire chapter on attitude in my book, It’s Your Boat Too.
How could I not be enjoying myself?

I chalked my irritability up to Seasonal Affective Disorder. We barely saw the sun in the three months since we splashed the boat in Norfolk and worked our way to Maine.

I figured that was my problem, but when the sun came out to stay and my mood swings didn’t go away, I began to seriously worry.

I love cruising! I told myself. Most people would kill to be out here … Why wasn’t I enjoying myself more?

I felt like a hypocrite and a traitor to my sea-sisters.

Then came my awakening. Sure, my monthly “visitor” had been “visiting” a little erratically for quite a while, but when it came a’calling quite a bit earlier than expected, I couldn’t believe I’d been so blind for so long. Maybe it’s because my husband tells me that I’m only 28 and inside that’s how I feel.

Okay, so the calendar says I’m actually 48, but those wild mood swings that every woman must eventually face don’t start until she’s … uh … hmmm … right around … 48.

Rather than being dismayed at the reality of my stage in life, I was elated. This duh moment not only brought awakening, but tremendous relief. I wasn’t a hypocrite about women in cruising, after all.

Simply knowing that my irritability was hormonally induced made it ever so much easier to accept the mood swings and to ride them out.

When the desire to scream at some insignificant annoyance passed, I was once again able to enjoy the same things about cruising I’d always loved.

Now that I’ve arrived at this milestone, I realize that I’ve never heard a single woman discuss how menopausal mood changes might cause some of the dissatisfaction that a lot of women face on their boats.

Yet, think about it … what’s the average age of most cruising women? I don’t think the world is ready yet for a seminar on the topic at your local boat show, but I’d love to hear others’ thoughts …

In the meantime, I’m sitting here off a gorgeous rocky island in Penobscot Bay, looking at a scene that’s about to change as we head to another stunning spot.

Almost everything about the cruising life involves change … ever-changing anchorages and ports of call, ever-changing weather, sea state, even friends.

And now that I realize what’s causing me to experience the cruising life a little differently for a while, I can see The Change as one more element in this ever-changing, ever-evolving lifestyle I’ve chosen.

About Suzanne Giesemann

Suzanne and her husband Ty have been cruising aboard their 46’ Morgan sloop Liberty since 2003. She retired from the Navy as a Commander after completing 20 years as a Fleet Support Officer. Suzanne writes a monthly column for Blue Water Sailing magazine and is the author of several books including It’s Your Boat Too: A Woman’s Guide to Greater Enjoyment on the Water and Living A Dream.

More info:

• Read about Suzanne and Ty’s cruising adventures aboard sv Liberty on their cruising website LibertySail.
• Visit Suzanne Giesemann’s website. Suzanne has written several non-nautical books which are found here, plus her blog.
• Check out her cruising books on Amazon: It’s Your Boat Too and Living A Dream.