The Atlantic in a 87 days, marinas honoured, sweet holiday sailing...

by Nancy Knudsen, Editor on 17 Apr 2014 Even though I know in advance what is about to happen I still laugh every time I watch the 'Sailing Lesson, Number One hot tip' this week. No more information – enjoy it yourself if you haven't already.

There are two kinds of adventure in sailing – those you undertake with other sailors that are about the wind in your hair and freedom and your bow pointed to the horizon, and then there are others, where adventurers push their own limits. One sailor this week admits to almost reaching his own limits in his 87 day crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in a 4.9m boat – and it started as his father's dream, not his.

Two Australian marinas have won a Gold Anchor award. Congratulations from Sail-World - we all need good marinas to be recognised so that others will have something to live up to. On a quite different note, Australia's old pearling luggers are very beautiful craft with an horrific history and there are few of them left. But now another is to take to the water, 90 years after she was first launched.

When will adventuring sailors be able once again to sail west from Darwin, then navigate the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea to get to the Med? Not any time soon, according to the latest on security in Somali waters.

With some long holidays coming up, please be safe on the water. There are some rough conditions forecast for Easter, so be prudent and heed all warnings given out by the weather bureau.

Now, run your eye down the headlines to see more stories from the oceans and our own coastlines, and...

Sweet Autumn Sailing!