Even after a thrilling trick at the wheel, wending through the waves and keeping the sails drawing, it’s still a cheerful sight to see one of your crewmates climb into the cockpit, shake away the last bit of off-watch slumber and prepare to take your place. You tell them the course to steer, give a quick briefing on the changes in the wind, how the sails are set, what vessels or land may be nearby and then it’s time to turn over the helm. He or she takes responsibility for the vessel and your watch has ended.
Something like that will take place after this issue of Ocean Navigator. Following a long and wonderful watch as editor during which I’ve had the privilege to sail with many of our readers while teaching navigation aboard Ocean Star and other tall ships and to work with a talented crew of writers, photographers, production and publishing staff, I’m handing over the magazine to a new editor of ON.
Bill Morris, who circumnavigated aboard his 30-foot sloop Saltaire (much of it singlehanded), who has written several books on marine systems and who composes our marine electronics email newsletter and is a longtime ON contributing editor with many articles under his byline, will take the helm. He’ll steer the magazine, website and newsletters on to new waters while continuing to give readers the solid, informative writing on systems and voyaging that ON has long provided. Readers of ON are in dependable hands with Bill at the wheel.