On land, the sun rises no less often. And yet it seems that way to us. Sunsets have also become more frequent since we’ve been on the water.

At sea, nature feels closer, and sunrises and sunsets are unobstructed. At anchor, we have a clear view of what is happening in the sky. It is more apparent than during everyday life in a city apartment. Plus, we have more time to look at it. With more leisure, we could probably enjoy more blue and golden hours in the city, too. However, while anchored in bays, we have now experienced and captured hundreds of sunsets while watching from the boat or the beach. Only very rarely, however, have we seen a green flash.

At sea, the sun sets the rhythm because there are no other light sources around us. The absence of any natural light makes sailing during the day very different from sailing at night. Unlike driving a car, we have no headlights to illuminate our surroundings. At night, it remains dark around the boat. We can barely see where we are going and must rely on other aids. These aids have nothing to do with light bulbs or headlights.

On the one hand, GPS and electronic nautical charts are helpful. They allow us to follow a route and know our location at any time. We use the AIS to “see” other boats in our vicinity. It enables us to identify all boats within a radius of approximately 20 nautical miles. We receive information about their course and speed, so we can estimate whether we are on a collision course. However, not all boats have AIS or use it. In such cases, the radar image helps by showing us if there is something on our course. With the radar, we can also see approaching rain cells at night, so we can avoid the rain, wind changes, and gusts – or at least prepare for them.

However, before night falls on us at sea, there is often an incomparable display of colors that we never miss or get tired of seeing.

The moon is helpful, albeit unreliable. With a lot of luck, it is sometimes almost as bright as day. Most of the time, however, the moon rises too late, is just new or hides behind the clouds.

As the sun rises over the sea, our sense of sight returns, along with our sense of orientation and a feeling of comfort. Instead of gliding through the void, we see the water around us. Warmth penetrates the skin, and the boat comes to life as the first crew members crawl out of their bunks.

Since our daily life on board does not follow any set routines or daily schedules, we get to enjoy sunrises more often than before. Even on shorter legs, we sometimes have to set off so early that the dawn is still ahead of us. And the blue hours in the morning also do have their charm.