Many students, from K-12, sometimes think that crew members jump into the ocean to take a shower. If that ever happened the canoe would continue to move forward at a very fast rate leaving the person behind; this would actually be an emergency man overboard situation. Remember these rules: 1. Safety first, and 2. Stay on the waʻa.
We use a small bucket that has a rope attached to it to scoop up salt water and pull it on deck. I prefer to use a small bucket because it’s easier to pull up once full. People wear their swim clothes and pour the bucket over them once they’re all soapy. It’s important to bring soap that will sud up with salt water and be sure that anything you bring to wash your body is natural or has hardly any chemicals in it. I have heard that one of the best showers while sailing is when there’s a big storm. I haven’t experienced it for myself, but many have said that showering in the rain is the best. A friend recounted an experience off the coast of Aotearoa: during the winter time the ocean water was so cold, and the rain was just as cold, she showered, got sick, and realized that baby wipes and baby powder would be a better option for the rest of the trip.