Garmin

Finally gave into the temptation, and replaced the Garmin watch I lost in Falmouth earlier this year. 

An arguably expensive non-essential, insofar as we have all manner of alternative means of tracking where we are and where we're going aboard Calstar. On the other hand, I don't think there's really such a thing as too much redundancy, I've really missed the convenience of having all the information on my wrist this last summer, and a reliable means of recording our track. 

Okay, it's a toy. It's a shiny. I wanted it, so I got it. I'm not going to make any excuses. It cost the equivalent of a couple of pub gigs and a wedding, and was saved up and paid for with my band earnings.

I did manage to find it at a discounted rate, (Internet) mail order from Marine Superstore down in Portsmouth, and delivery was free and next day; so as long as it works out of the box, I'm very impressed with them.