There is an interesting difference in cruising style amongst the few sailors we know from the UK. Their boats are smaller but more seaworthy in design and function. They have more open water sailing to do such as bashing between GB and Ireland and across to places like the Northern coast of France. That sort of thing is a pretty regular occurrence. The distances are not that long but the open seas can be rougher, lot's of windward bashing.

And the couple we sailed with from Wales couldn't stop remarking how nice it was to have anchorage after anchorage available(and the space to use spend the night) where we took them on an overnight.

I take our natural harbors and anchorages for granted in NE but for much of the sailing/cruising world I've seen traveling, life is tougher.