Surprises in first year of blue water cruising?

[micoverde]

I'd be interested to hear what other people found surprising during their first year of offshore cruising based on pre-conceptions they'd had before the trip.

For my own part I'd say it was two things - how few cruisers you meet under the age of 35 and also how reliant even older sailors are on gadgets and technology (e.g. using digital charts for everything, basing all their weather info on GRIBs etc).

-Warren
SY Mico Verde
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