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A few years ago, I
had an idea for an article about what would make the ideal crew member.
I polled my sailing friends as to what they would like to see when looking across the deck when sailing across the ocean. I was interested in what character traits sailors found most desirable in their shipmates. For obvious reasons, personal hygene was by far the front runner. If the reasons aren't that obvious to you, gentle reader, then you should perhaps take a bath. NOW! ���� Oddly enough, the least valued characteristic of good crew was sailing experience. It seems that most of my friends are arrogant enough to believe that they know all that needs to be known, and that the only thing required of the other people on board is an "up with people" attitude. ���� The thing that really struck me was the response of a British friend of mine, who submitted that he did not want a crew mate who suffered from sea sickness. At first I was personally offended. Then it occured to me, this conniving brit was a traitor. ���� Imagine, a subject of the Queen, a citizen of the realm, who would go to sea and deny Admiral Horatio Nelson, of all people, a berth on his Rival 30. The hero of Trafalgar would be left standing on the dock while his betters sailed off to meet the perils of the briny deep, all the while waving back saying, "Sorry Horatio! Wish you could come! Perhaps on a daysail in a sheltered cove!". And a tear would slowly slip over Admiral Nelsons' cheek. A career at sea fighting wars and gaining the accolades of his countrymen. But he could never win that most coveted of prizes, "The heart of the recreational sailor". For alas, Admiral Horatio Nelson, got seasick. |