We have been watching the rugby this afternoon – England losing to Wales, and the conversation got round to sporting academies and how young people seem to be protected these days and, as a consequence, are expected to survive major tests before they have built the practical experience they need to cope with them – before they know what it’s like in real life. At least the old-fashioned apprenticeship pitted the apprentice against the real world almost from the start.

My mother-in-law who comes from a farming family said that, when she was young,  they used to describe people like that as “book-farmers”. They know everything on paper . . . but not much in reality.

I, like many other people who sail, devour books on sailing and the sea and could be described as a book-sailor by anyone with more experience than me. (I have just added yet another of my many books to the boatblog book shelf).

It has got me thinking: I wonder if people could be described as “blog-sailors” or “DVD-sailors”. I believe there are thousands of “virtual-sailors” currently ‘racing’ in the Vendee Globe. Perhaps they are “laptop-sailors”. or ‘pc-sailors’

Whatever . . . it is good to be interested – but the only real way to learn  is  to be out there on the water.

So, I wish you a favourable tide and a fair wind

Squall over Eddystone 2007

but not too favourable or too fair . . .

because how else will you learn?