Why blogs are really your best cruising resource...

A rising trend, what about India, and on the benefits of yogurt...

One reason I like to read cruising blogs is that it helps me to keep an eye on the big picture  of cruising... For instance, a blog I read this weekend mentioned the current cost of gas and diesel in Mexico, Estrellita 5.10B lets us know what the cost of groceries is on Nuku Hiva, and Sequitur keeps us abreast of things while they come up from Cape Horn.

Blogs are just about the best way I know to keep your situational awareness and current understanding of what's going on in the various cruising grounds sorted.

Sadly, the same can not be said with forums for the most part... Far too often, I find folks offering advice as a self-proclaimed expert to an area but then you notice that all of their information seems to be from a one week bareboat charter they did ten years ago, which, I might add, is still better than a lot of other folks on forums whose information is based solely on something they heard from a guy who heard it from someone who heard it from someone else who may have actually been there... or, more often they simply make it up.

The yachting press, on the other hand, who once in awhile do an article on some place you need to know about are often so dated that they are pretty useless. Since I'm being critical, I might as well add cruising guides to the pile.

So, here's a thought, since a lot of those cruisers blogging about their voyages and including real information in a timely and accurate manner are such a great resource... Let them know how much you appreciate it and drop them a line to say thanks. Better yet, if they have a donate button, have monetized their blog, or have affiliate programs say it that way.

Listening to Quicksilver Messenger Service

So it goes...