Sailing the world

Appreciation

From Sailing Anarchy

We tend to be a species these days with a need for instant gratification, throwaway items, food packed in multiple layers of plastic that can be thrown in a microwave then the remains thrown in the bin.

I remember when I was young the leftover veggies and peelings going on the compost heap and not being any use for a year or so yet nowadays we want them out of our life now.

Funny how most sailors sail on single figure (in knots) shitboxes yet appear to have little interest in fellow sailors doing the same yet for what will be a couple of hundred days at least.

I am amazed the one retiree didn’t think before hand that the lack of social contact would be a challenge. How many of us think is strange (or even upsetting) that a bestie doesn’t respond to our (anti) social media post within 24 hours.

Perhaps the numbers that follow the Volvo Ocean Race or Ellen, or the other round the world challenges is because we ourselves don’t have the money, time, opportunity or, yes, the balls to step away from the relative security of seeing a coastline in the distance. Or perhaps it is because we like to remember it is because of the human spirit that they display.

I remember Jeremy Clarkson interviewing Ellen McArthur on Top Gear a long time ago and he stated that without people like her we would still be sitting on our cave saying “It’s all right here isn’t it?” instead of seeing what was in the next valley. He had a point.

I admit I am guilty of the same attitude. Golden Globe 50 years on? It’s been done, nothing new, no excitement, but for these guys (and one young lady) it is no less of a challenge than trying to beat the latest speed record round the marble. No modern aids, no on shore router – as far as I am aware no weatherfax or GRIBS even. It’s going to be a long time before the first of them hits the headlines once more when they cross the finish line.

We should all wish them ‘God Speed!’ and hope they add a dozen and a half names to those who have successfully and safely rounded Cape Horn solo.