Not another bl***dy windfarm 🤬

[Tradewinds]

There are many sailors who have never sailed out of sight of land, but doing so is part of the experience of going offshore that many of us value in itself. Wind vanes are not inelegant themselves, but even if they were all like the Venus de Milo they would still be there, and intrusive just for that reason. If there are good practical reasons for them, I am happy to accept their presence even if I regret the loss of amenity.

It would be nice to go back to the old days with only a handful of cruising yachts, but concentrating them in marinas is as practical a way of managing them as any. The occasional marina I find less intrusive if anything than creeks occupied by moorings. You can just about walk the length of the Beaulieu river these days, when once it would have been a pleasure to negotiate under sail.

The Orwell gets pretty busy in the summer nowadays. It’s changed a lot since I arrived back in the uk 26 years ago. Still, can’t turn the clock back (unfortunately).