Stress at Sea: 25 Years of Sailing Before Daring to Speak Out

At sea, silence can be misleading.

The sky is clear, the sea calm, a light breeze carries your boat gently forward.

And yet, inside, it can feel like a storm: a knot in the stomach, looping thoughts, tense shoulders.

We often stay silent about this stress:

• because it's part of the game,

• because we've learned to bottle it up, to "stay strong."

But the more we ignore it… it builds up, expresses itself in other ways, or eventually explodes.

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The Many Faces of Stress at Sea

There’s the obvious stress: a breakdown, a storm brewing, broken equipment.

But there’s also subtle, quiet stress:

• Constant anticipation: "What if...?"

• The pressure of responsibility (for the boat, crew, family)

• Fear of failure or not being good enough

• Unspoken tensions on board

• The mental load carried by women at sea — and mothers at sea

These types of stress keep the sympathetic nervous system activated — the one that prepares for danger, fight, or flight. When it’s overactivated, it becomes hard to return to a calm state, even when everything appears fine on the surface.

Chronic activation of this system prevents the body from regenerating and begins to affect:

• Our general state: physical, mental, and emotional

• Mental clarity

• Emotional regulation

• Decision-making

• The quality of relationships on board

Whether you're a professional sailor, cruiser, in a couple, with family, or sailing solo — stress is part of the journey.

But it shouldn’t be inevitable!

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Why We Don’t Talk About It (Enough) ?

• Because at sea, culture tells us to "suck it up." To be strong. To push forward.

• Because we’ve learned to deal with it rather than feel it.

• Because we don’t want to worry others, or appear "weak."

But ignoring our emotions doesn’t make them disappear: They shift, freeze... or explode.

Jacques Martel, author of "Le Mal a Dit," explains that:

" repressed emotions can cause physical and psychological tension. Chronic stress acts like a slow poison, weakening vitality and creating deeper emotional or physical imbalances."

At sea, that might look like:

• Irritability

• Sleep disturbances

• Difficulty concentrating

• Conflict on board

And yet, we rarely speak of it — for lack of safe spaces, or for fear of opening a box that’s too full.

Carl Gustav Jung reminds us that what we refuse to see within ourselves acts in the shadows.

"What we do not bring to consciousness appears in our lives as fate."

Unacknowledged stress can guide our choices, our reactions, our relationships — and sometimes, our accidents.

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Stress as a Messenger, Not an Enemy

Stress reveals something:

• a need unmet,

• a deep fear,

• a silent overload.

It’s a signal, not a threat.

In EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), each emotional reaction is rooted in an energetic imbalance.

Gary Craig, creator of EFT, says:

"The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system."

When we soothe that disruption, we can hear the stress signal — without being ruled by it.

Joe Dispenza, neuroscience and subconscious reprogramming expert, explains:

"We unconsciously recreate the same stress responses unless we change how we think and feel."

Without tools to reconfigure our inner state, we repeat the same patterns — even if we change ports or crew.

Learning to recognize the body’s stress signals and to soothe them is like taking the helm of your inner world. It’s a powerful and accessible emotional skill.

Not a luxury — a necessity for resilience, clarity, and well-being!

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So What Can We Actually Do?

For years, I’ve been using and sharing tools that have deeply transformed me.

Here are a few:

EFT – Emotional Freedom Technique 

A mind-body method using tapping on acupuncture points while verbally addressing emotions. It calms the amygdala (the fear center in the brain) and reduces stress.

Energetic Routine Emotional release, grounding, breathing, quick centering. These simple practices stimulate the parasympathetic system (rest and recovery) and help maintain energy at sea.

Body Awareness Noticing where stress lives in your body, naming the emotion, allowing it to move.

Expanded Awareness Physics research (e.g., Alain Aspect, Philippe Guillemant) suggests that intention and presence shape the energetic field around us.

Living aboard a sailboat with my family, this subtle dimension has become a real source of support.

"I remember Storm Ciaran (81 knots docked outside the protected harbor of Étel). Just before the wind picked up, our family did a grounding and protection ritual with our sailboat, SIWA. What struck me most was the atmosphere onboard: the four of us were calm, focused, united. The energy was serene, almost trusting, despite the external chaos."

That moment confirmed something for me: cultivating this sensitive connection — to ourselves, our boat, the unseen — changes how we weather storms, both outside and within.

In many ancient cultures, people never settled somewhere without first connecting with the spirit of the place. At sea, tuning in to the boat’s energy and the living world around it is a powerful resource.

These are simple, fast, and powerful gestures — designed for everyday life aboard.

They can be done:

• In your bunk

• Upon waking

• Between maneuvers

• During calm moments

• Just before a storm

And they can truly make a difference.

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A Call to Navigate Differently

What if we put the human back at the heart of sailing? What if we learned to face our inner storms, just like those at sea?

For those feeling the pull to learn how to regulate emotions differently — I created a one-day onboard workshop to share the tools I wish I’d known 25 years ago.

A day at sea, in Étel (France), for sailors, cruisers, ocean women, and sensitive explorers. No prior experience required — just the desire to navigate inward.

⚓ Learn simple, rapid, powerful techniques designed for life on board.

Next session: October 10, 2025

 Aboard SIWA – Port of Étel (56, Brittany)

Only 6 participants

All info here: www.marion-monnier.com/formation

💬 If this article resonates with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts, stories, or questions. Because everyone deserves to sail with calm, clarity, and confidence — on the sea and within.