The shopping malls are busy with the bustle of consumers shopping and spending money. Confidence about the future is running high in the New Economy. The housing market is booming, prices are heading up and home ownership has risen to record levels. For those who plow the seas either for pleasure or for profit, the element of weather is a constant companion. When plying the ocean, weather can turn any sail into a pleasant memory or a hazardous journey.
Mariners approach weather with a spirit of resignation.
It just happens. It is beyond human control and there is little we can do about it. Yet as sailors we are subject to its every caprice. As I glance at my stock market barometer, I can t help but notice the drop in barometric pressure. It s a good time to get outside and enjoy the weather.