You can go for days without seeing another boat on the York River. Then they show up in multitudes, seemingly for no reason. In fact, there is a cycle to the boating and shipping traffic. Here’s a rundown of the range of boats and ships along the York River.
1. OVER-THINKING—Look, this is a sport. It’s not rocket science. Many of my students had bad experiences on a sailboat as a child or with their dad or first husband. That was then. Now you have another chance. Clear your mind of preconditions and take one step at a time.
Our charter company Let’s Go Sail offers a special Boat-Buyer Cruise for those inclined toward acquisition. The three-hour cruise is a challenge because the prospective buyer is often a fellow whose wife isn’t all that crazy about the idea. In fact, some women remain hell bent against it. For both
The American Sailing Association is a venerable organization that I belong to as a professional mariner. I hold ASA credentials to teach three certified courses. Having said that, the ASA list is flawed for lacking “Sailing,” by Christopher Cross. It is the single-most mentioned song by guests at Let’s Go
I once toyed with running an ad in the Ford’s Colony community bulletin that replicated the info graphic above. It derived from a burst in activity from couples who were visiting friends in the planned community and evidently stayed too long. Normally the home couple would join them, but clearly
Nearly every week, except during the holidays, we sail past Navy ships as they ply the York River to and from Yorktown Naval Weapons Station. They arrive usually on Monday around noon and depart Thursday or Friday morning. These ships are magnificent to see coming over the eastern horizon
A young man from Prescott AZ (grew up in Baltimore) brought his wife to Williamsburg for an annual trip they’ve done for years. They wanted the History Cruise, so I dove deeply in the 1781 Battle of the Capes and the Siege of Yorktown that effectively ended the Revolutionary War.
Boating season on the York River has resumed, and with it the cosmic reasons to go sailing. The romance is intrinsic, the allure irresitable, the impact powerful. People ask, “What’s the allure of sailing?” Pick up any boating magazine and look at the full-page ads. They often depict a fast
There are two kinds of boating that are mutually discrete: Sailing & Fishing. I refer people all the time to my colleagues at York River Yacht Haven who offer fishing charters. But occasionally someone will ask if they can try fishing off the back of the boat. It’s tricky because
Here it is almost October and we’re still swimming in the York River. An ambitious family from Raleigh NC took advantage of a lull in the wind to jump off the boat on a beautiful Indian summer afternoon. The water is still 80 degrees, so why not? Also on board
