Self Serve

Self Serve ©

And we are not talking about the all-you-can-eat buffet, either. However, when did you ever walk past one without the plate completely overflowing? Now ordinarily, it might seem particularly self-serving to talk about your own statistics, but it kind of dawned on me as I thought about saying thank you to you for your patronage, that in fact it was actually very much a sign of appreciation.

It is because of you that I can happy write that readership is up around 20% for the year to date. So thank you. It is very much acknowledged and appreciated by all of us. What has been most interesting is to hear from you via calls, emails and personal chats to Mark Jardine and I, about why you are reading Sail-WorldCruising, and which stories and themes you are finding most enjoyable. Please keep it up.

There's a very distinct European element to proceedings as I write this from Australia, with conversations in multiple languages, a massive spread of ages, and wonderful food and entertainment all going on concurrently. It all serves to remind me that cruising for so many of us is about these great engagements and finding out that whilst we all have many different ways to tackle things, we are all so very much the same.

So despite a great many issues confronting us all, from time management to plastic waste, skin care to food supplies, time on the water is bound to become ever more precious. No doubt even harder to find too. So the sharing of information, and keeping abreast of changes is set to be more crucial. This includes general seamanship, which - from what I have seen to date - is the one element that does not get transferred to easily.

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston talking at Falmouth Bookseller during the Knox-Johnston on Seamanship & Seafaring launch - photo © Jeremy Atkins

For sure it stems from logic, and then general knowledge and a questioning mind. Yet as I sit here pondering this very question, what would I do to set up a system to impart, instil and deliver on the premise? Naturally all the wonderful forums around do an amazing job, and so the Internet has to be praised for this dissemination tool. Yet the item in question still requires more than a soupçon of experience.

To my mind there is no way to fast-track a lifetime of experience. It is not like you can create clones with enhanced learning skills. Then I came to think of someone I was talking with about the business he started over 20 years ago. He said he did not know all the answers then and got a lot of what he needed by trail and error. Now that is not so bad on land, but can become perilous at sea.

So where do you go? How do you do it? Well there has to be an element of 'just get stuck in', but seeing as there are distinct safety concerns, then it has to be far more considered. So we have courses, charters, delivery skippers and so on, but maybe the answer to the question is using that common sense to set realistic goals, determine an appropriate plan and timeframe, and then begin the grand journey not tied to the quay, nor adrift in the SOLAS raft either.

Naturally, if you have something to add, then please let us know. You can choose to share, or offer it up for consideration with no name attached. Your call...

Not impressed with what we found - photo © Mission Ocean

OK. Today you will find that we have information for you from Russia to Mauritius, The Multihull Solutions Pittwater Rally, skipping work and going sailing, munching plastic and using the energy to keep on munching plastic, building your own boat and then sailing it, getting a permit to visit the Great Barrier Reef, sharks, whales, sea turtles, gear from Musto, the great Laura and Henrique from Mission Ocean show us what plastic waste looks like on idyllic beaches, C food (as in seafood and eat it), mapping the sea floor, Hurricane Michael, as well as much more.

So you see, there are stories, lessons, inspirations and history to regale yourself with. Please do savour... We're really enjoying bringing you the best stories from all over the globe. If you want to add to that, then please make contact with us via email.

Remember too, if you want to see what is happening in the other Hemisphere, go to the top of the www.sail-worldcruising.com home page and the drag down menu on the right, select the other half of the globe and, voila, it's all there for you.

In the meantime, do you love being on the ocean? Well remember to love them back too. They need our help. Now more than ever! Until next time...

John Curnow
Editor, Sail-WorldCruising.com