Three days out of the Canary Island we came across an east bound ship. She was down in the bow with a port list. When she got close we were hailed by what sounded like a handheld .
They wanted us to tell them their position.
And there you have it. Seems that their standard of precessional knowledge and ability was at the lower mark.
So what was the situation?
There have been many times in the past where what was once a practice of good seamanship falls away to an antiquated practice. A few are measuring speed with a log tied to a knotted line, observing the Jovian moons to verify the chronometer, checking the accuracy of the nautical almanac with longhand, learning morse code to communicate with other stations and so forth.
Who here doesn’t believe the days of the sextant and paper charts won’t pass that same way? Some of us think that time is here while the old fogies and traditionalists amongst us will hold on to it until the day they croak.
Well we can talk extremes all day long ( or you can). Good basic seamanship is not something that is easily replaced. What lic do you hold and what position do you sail again?