We do not know precisely where John Masefield was when he wrote the poem “Sea Fever." However, in the poem, Masefield yearns for “the vagrant gypsy life” of the sea. Moreover, the first line of the poem reads,

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky

From these lines, the reader can infer that Masefield was not at the sea but rather was probably living inland. The poem was published in 1902 in Masefield’s initial volume of poetry, which was called Salt-Water Ballads.

Thus, Masefield was most likely living in the United States and working in New York when he actually wrote "Sea Fever." However, prior to his trip to New York, Masefield spent considerable time as an apprentice sailor. Then, he traveled to New York by ship in 1895 and ended up staying and trying to become a writer. The poem “Sea Fever” expresses his love of the sea and of traveling as a seafarer. In the second stanza, he writes,

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

At the time, windjammers and other sailboats were powered by the wind. Thus, the poet asks for “a windy day with the white clouds flying” to help propel his ship. He wants to experience the pleasure and thrill of sailing. He also needs the wind to help fling the sea spume in his face to enhance the excitement of sailing. While he’s traveling the seas, Masefield knows that he is alive.