When you get seriously involved with the tradition of cruising literature, it becomes apparent, how many successful travel logs, pilot books and general cruising textbooks are accompanied by illustrations and photographs made by the authors themselves. As early as the second half of the 19th century saw the pioneers of cruising starting to publish interesting and exciting accounts of their adventures based on the their logbooks and self-made drawings.
This originated probably from the need to draw charts of as yet uncharted waters and sketches of the landmarks and navigational signs. When the attention of the writers was drawn to the land, its history and interesting sights of the coastal regions, they brought their sketchbooks and water colours along and used them to the best of their abilities. Later, after the invention of photography, it was more often the camera, that replaced the drawing tools.