From Butch Dalrymple Smith, La Ciotat, France
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein laments the difficulty of seeing the night sky due to modern lighting. There is one group of people who can still appreciate it with no problem: sailors (4 May, p 22).
On the ocean in a sailing yacht you experience the heavens at full brilliance in a sky devoid of light, chemical or smoke pollution. No wonder sailors tend to be poetic and philosophical. When I spent much of my time sailing, I had a strong affinity with the stars.
