Nothing captures the romance of the sea better than a well-spun yarn. Theo Stocker introduces the April 2022 issue of Yachting Monthly

Red tape hampers the romance of setting sail.

It is easy to chafe at bureaucracy and to feel that rules undermine a sailor’s responsibility for their own fate.

There can be few, however, whose bravado would not fade rapidly amid genuine peril, replaced by relief at the sight of another boat coming to their aid.

I can’t imagine the crew of Charlotte Jane III bemoaning pre-start safety checks when they were rescued mid-Atlantic by fellow ARC yacht Magic Dragon in an excellent display of seamanship and pragmatic use of safety equipment (p36).

Much noise has been made about Marine Conservation Zones and the tiny proportion of areas that may impact on sailors.

Continues below…

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Sensible management measures at places like Dorset’s Studland Bay are being hammered out, and the end result will be far from the draconian measures once feared (p46).

As for the benefit – whose spirits have not been buoyed by the arrival of a pod of dolphins or the dive-bombing of gannets?

Wildlife is often the highlight of a cruise and sailors are uniquely privileged to experience it first hand.

Protecting marine areas means that sea life can recover and create an abundance of life that repopulates surrounding waters, to the benefit of all.

Rather than railing against these rules, we should become story-telling advocates for our environment. Sailors are also well-placed to witness the impact of climate change, observes Mike Golding (p62).

Whether you sail in the icy high latitudes, the limpid tropics, or closer to home, there will be stories to tell about how the places and people of our planet are changing.

If you have a story to tell, we want to hear from you, and there’s £4,000 on the table for the best one. Find out more about the Brian Black Memorial Award here.

What captures the romance of the sea better than a well-spun yarn?

Enjoyed reading The Power of Stories: Editor’s Letter April 2022?

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