I read in the latest newsletter that it is possible to hack into modern global navigation systems which set me thinking as I had often wondered how the modern vessels would get on if the satellites were disabled accidentally or otherwise. This brings me to a true story concerning myself many years ago when I was Second Mate (before they signed you on as Second Officer). Our Captain, who I had sailed with many times since being an Apprentice, right up to this particular voyage was very definite in the way he wanted things done on board "his ship". That didn't bother me at all because if you did things his way you got on fine. The one thing that did niggle Second Mates was the fact that he would insist on taking sights with you and the Third every day with the inference that if we disagreed his Noon position would be used. Anyway on this trip we were homeward bound making for landfall off the South West coast of Ireland in a howling North Atlantic gale still five days from Fastnet using any sight I could get and dead reckoning. (An old Second Mate had told me that you could sometimes get a passable sight in bad weather but only if you stayed on the bridge and took your chance when it came along). The morning finally arrived when we calculated that we could be anywhere between 40 and 60 miles off Fastnet so as the weather had improved I went up to the bridge and took my sights as usual. The Old Man said you won't need them we'll be in radar range by Noon, I replied I'll just take them in case. As the Sun was on the Meridian at about 1150hrs it gave me time to run my sight up to Midday, by which time the Old Man did have his radar bearing and distance. He turned to me and said now we'll see how b..... good your navigation is, put your position on the chart. He then laid off his radar position which was absolutely spot on top of mine. He didn't say a word, just walked across the chartroom, picked up his sextant, took it to his cabin and went down to lunch. He didn't take another sight with me for the rest of the time I was on that ship. I suppose that could have been a backhanded compliment without admitting anything.