DSCN5179

us navy hovercraftAlan and Val Domzalski of Gross Pointe Woods MI enjoyed a late afternoon sail on the York River with their pal Jeff Craig. Alan’s beverage company has a suite at Comerica Park, where they can watch the Tigers play in comfort. “The suite is beside home plate, looking down the first-base line. We’re there tomorrow night, when temperatures will be in the low 40s, so it’s really quite nice inside.” Alan sailed with acumen despite gusts of 20 mph. “I got it,” he said confidently.

Suddenly a US Navy hovercraft came barreling up the river and sped around us. “Wow!” was everyone’s reaction.

Sailing Beats Snowing

7 feet in 24 hours

With the temperature approaching 80 and the sailing winds running 10 mph near Yorktown, Aaron and Patty Wozniak of suburban Buffalo compared the sail on the York River to an early fall snowstorm. “Seven feet fell in a 24-hour period,” Aaron recalled. “We were trapped. I opened the front door and took a picture since the snow was taller than me. I slowly dug a path out to the street. From there, the neighbors pitched in and we helped clear each other’s driveway so we could get to work and get on with our lives.”

Patty added, “Three days later it was gone, melted. You could see the grass. We call it ‘Snow-vember.’” Once winter dug in, the American side of Niagara Falls froze over. “Water still ran underneath the ice, but it looked to be entirely frozen,” Aaron said. “The famous mist of Niagara Falls froze in the air, creating a winter wonderland. We went the entire month of February below freezing.”

Nomenclature Counts

It’s not necessary to know the jargon of sailing to enjoy the cruise, but it comes in handy in a pinch. During a three-hour introduction sailing lesson, you can learn enough terms to be literate on the water. Why bother? Because if there’s an emergency and you have to radio the US Coast Guard, you don’t want to be reduced to reporting, “The thingamajig fell on the whatchamacallit and broke it. What should I do now?”

Let’s Go Sailing Out of the Park

Scroll down Rates and pick a day for a sailboat charter. Scroll down Reviews on Trip Advisor. Go back to the Home Page of Williamsburg Charter Sails.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m39FxNo8dc

sailing out of the park sailing out of the park sailing out of the park

More from the Captain...

Wedding

Bonnie and I went to Gainesville for the wedding of our daughter Robin Ann O’Donovan to Christopher Chase Tucker. They’ve known each other for five years, and he has endeared himself to her children Remy and Ivan. It was a solemn yet festive occasion on a beautiful day, followed by

Full Story >