Cruising & Mountaineering Parallels

I'm realizing that cruising the Inside Passage and mountaineering are not all that different really, except for the aerobic aspects of each (or lack thereof when it comes to boating.) In both endeavors, there is a lot of think time. When you are a climbing a glacier or scrambling up a long snow slope, it is pretty much the same as motoring down a long, narrow channel. You have plenty of time to let your mind wander, but at the same time, you are always looking around for objective hazards.

On a snow slog, you are assessing the snow conditions right under your feet as well as those above and ahead of you to ensure you avoid the crevasses and minimize any risk of slipping. On a boat, you are looking at the water below and in front of you, looking for rocks, kelp, logs and deadheads, and you are checking your depth gauge at the same time.

On a snow slog, you look in the distance for rocks that might break loose from the melting ice and for cornices that might break off and mow you down, or even for clumsy climbers who might fall or drop their gear on top of you. While cruising, you constantly check the chart plotter and/or the paper charts looking for known hazards so you can avoid them.

While mountaineering, you continually monitor your health and fitness, looking for signs of frostbite, hypothermia, overheating, bonking, etc., and making adjustments by adding or removing clothing, eating and drinking as necessary, altering your stride and cadence to work different muscle groups while giving other muscles a break, and also monitoring the health and fitness of other party members. The same is true for cruising. You are continually monitoring the status of the engine by checking the temperature gauge, the oil pressure gauge, tachometer, not to mention doing periodic checks of the engine compartment, reading belt and bearing temperatures and whatnot. And their is also the health of the crew to consider as well, like warning your spouse who is down below that the boat is about to get hit by big waves so they can brace.

Mountaineering requires good navigation skills, such as when you are on an all white snow slope where you can hardly tell the ground from the sky or in the midst of a thick forest where all you can see is trees in every direction. You frequently check your compass and map to ensure you are on course. The same is true for boating. You are continually checking your chart plotter and paper charts to ensure you are where you think you are. To be somewhere else can mean running aground or holing your boat on a sharp, submerged rock.

While mountaineering, even when you are with a group, you still can enjoy the solitude and beauty of the environment around you as you share it with the rest of the group. Cruising also takes you to remote places that the general public will never see. Tranquility and nature in all its forms are all around you. You just have to still your mind and observe.

These parallels make me appreciate cruising much more than I thought I would. Although I do miss the heart-pounding challenge of 4000 feet of elevation gain, I am enjoying all of the other aspects this endeavor has to offer.