THERE is something very appealing about sailing out to sea, stopping at a point where there is an open view of Sunderland's beautiful beaches, and watching Europe's biggest free airshow begin to unfold.

There's the excitement of driving to the Port of Tyne terminal, at North Shields, as if you're embarking on a holiday, boarding a DFDS Seaways ferry and making the short voyage down to the bay off Roker promenade.

On the way, there's enough time to have a lovely meal and a glass of wine on board, while relaxing and watching the coastline roll past.

It's a great commercial idea to make additional use of the ship as it waits to sail back to Holland in the evening. Why not turn it into a sea-borne grandstand to view the wonderful showcase that Sunderland Borough Council has admirably been able to protect despite the ravages of austerity?

It's a lovely experience and DFDS are to be applauded for taking the initiative, which this year attracted 900 paying customers to take the trip.

But anyone considering it has to bear in mind that DFDS is helpless when it comes to the scheduling of the air show. Having left port at 11.30pm, we were heading back by 3pm, and the undoubted stars of the show, the RAF Red Arrrows, weren't due to perform until 4.05pm.

The other main draw, the monster that is the RAF Typhoon fighter jet, wasn't due to bring up the finale with an awesome show of 600mph power until 5pm.

My wife Heather and I saw the first four of five "acts" from the boat but clearly the biggest thrill would have been to see the world's most famous aerobatic display team, and the Typhoon, zooming over our heads as we bobbed out on the North Sea.

Our answer was to get off the ship as soon as possible once we'd moored back at North Shields and drive as quickly as legally allowed to get to Whitburn, where we dumped the car in the nick of time to watch the Red Arrows in all their finery from across a cornfield. The view, although not quite the same as being by the beach, was good enough - the Red Arrows didn't disappoint.

We then took a pleasant walk down through Whitburn Park, which took us half an hour or so, and sat on the grass verge above to beach to watch the Typhoon bring the show to a thunderous climax.

It's hard to see an answer to this conundrum as far as DFDS is concerned. The ferry has to return in time to get prepared for the Holland sailing, but it's always likely that the biggest attractions will be left to the end for a grand finale. Every variety show needs a top of the bill.

It has to be said that we had a thoroughly enjoyable day. I just can't help feeling that the Red Arrows, in particular, are so iconic that the prospect of missing them perform may make sea-faring customers prefer to return to the free show on land.