It is a source of great amazement and amusement to count how many bags some people lug on board when going sailing.
Even for a weekend.
And we are not talking women here.
Even if it is a well-known fact that we women need lots and lots of stuff when we go anywhere.
For the worst offenders here are male.
And when I talk about bags I am not talking about bags for food and other assorted victuals.
We are talking about the bags used to cart clothes, equipment and other stuff.
My record is 8 bags.
For a weekend.
3 nights.
And when I say my record, this does not mean that I have carried my stuff on board in 8 bags.
This is the number of bags others seem to need for their stuff.
I am not sure that I have got 8 bags of stuff in the rest of my life.
What do people have that needs 8 bags?
How much do they take home un-used, un-sullied, un-opened?
There is a scene in ‘A Bridge too Far’ when a senior officer wonders if he should pack his golf clubs and dinner jacket before he flings himself out of the plane and goes into action.
Is this what people are taking with them on a Boaters Weekend?
Do they think they might get the opportunity for a quick round before dinner?
Or think that dinner might be somewhere incredibly posh and formal instead of in the cramped and casual confines of the saloon?
Are they preparing for all eventualities?
I struggle to fill 2 bags even when I pack in my sleeping equipment.
It is also interesting to see the amazing array of matching and usually non matching luggage into which people stuff their belongings.
Bags of all shapes and sizes.
Square ones, round ones, big ones, small ones, long ones, briefcases, hexagons, pentagons, dodecahedrons (I am sure someone must have one of these).
Plastic bags from all price points of the supermarket spectrum.
Re-usable ones. And the ones that kill the fishes.
Maybe we should think like Ryanair and charge for bags. A great way to boost Boater funds. And to give us all more room on board.
Next time you are out with Boaters, count the number of bags per person on board.
Anyone beat 8?
