Having not sailed since he was 14, Scott Lints took his wife and four children sailing on the York River while on vacation. He did quite well, thank you. Here are a few lessons learned from his big adventure. Always steer directly into the wind to raise the sails, less pressure.
Repeat customers are a joy because they were obviously pleased the adventure the first time. This time, two teachers from Central Virginia went sailing with a vengeance because he’s about to go to sea. And today was his birthday. Robert and Elizabeth Hale-MacKinnon teach eighth and fourth grade respectively at the Charlottesville
We returned to Grand Cayman after an earlier vacation, looking for relaxation and the Caribbean sunsets. Every day is sunny, warm and breezy, comparable to perhaps 30 days all year in Tidewater Virginia. No wonder people flock here from Ohio, Canada, Germany, Poland, you name it. There are no panhandlers,
With great anticipation, a large area behind the $50 million American Revolution Museum at Yorktown opens shortly as a reproduced army camp, complete with female interpreters. They cooked, cleaned and cared for the troops. The following excerpt from Holly A. Mayer’s “Belonging to the Army: Camp Followers and Community during the
I’ve taken thousands of people sailing over the years, including hundreds of children. These were the best kids ever sailing for reasons that are at once obvious and mysterious. Jonathan and Rebecca Torres were vacationing in Williamsburg from Sanford, Florida. Their children range in ages 8, 7, 7 (twins) and
While on a weekend getaway from Washington, DC, Dave Ramish took his girlfriend Ilana Freedman sailing for some outdoor fun off Yorktown. They hit the jackpot by observing a rare Saturday departure of a Navy warship from the Yorktown Naval Weapons Station. We set out with anticipation after a
People ask, “How early does the season beging?” We begin in mid-March for hardy sailors who can tolerate the chill on the water. For the season opener of Let’s Go Sail in 2017, Hannah and Jeff Davis drove up from the Danville area of Virginia to take their daughter Haylee
The sixth annual “Safety at Sea” seminar will run all day Saturday, Feb. 25. It’s designed for those challenging the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. People ask, “Who should attend a safety at sea seminar?” Professional sailors and other experts will show novices and experienced mariners. They’ll learn how to
Armchair historians are anxiously awaiting the opening of the Museum of the American Revolution at Philadelphia in April. A promotional event announced this week offers a chance to “eat birthday cake with George Washington” Feb. 22 from 10 am to noon. It’s a gimmick to promote advanced sales. The real
Cars and boats don’t have a lot in common, but they lend themselves to exotic shows of elegant display. My friend Ed Lafferty and I went to the auto show in Virginia Beach at the Convention Center. He’s a retired Chrysler exec who worked in Detroit and who knows his
He was one of the few American generals to miss Yorktown. As a Quaker, he was an “unlikely warrior” according to Terry Golway in “Washington’s General: Nathanael Greene and the Triumph of the American Revolution.” Greene took command at the low point of the Southern Army in 1780, replacing Horatio Gates. Greene
This very large and unusual Navy ship has been in port for two weeks at Yorktown Naval Weapons Station. I had trouble tracking it down because the number 12 does not show up on typical lists of Navy vessels. Retired Capt. Mike Maddocks discovered that it’s USNS William McLean, a
Commuters from Gloucester County who were headed south on the Coleman Bridge this week could look up the York River and see dozens of deadrise workboats clustered offshore. Watermen were out in force after opening day Jan. 1 of oyster rock season. By Wednesday the fleet had thinned as pickings
Next door to the National Sailing Hall of Fame lies the United States Naval Academy, with a visitor center that heralds sailing among many other traditions. Near the entrance is the plaque to Commodore John Barry. He was the first officer commissioned, and by George Washington no less. Inside the
At the foot of Prince George Street in historic Annapolis lies the National Sailing Hall of Fame. It’s in a lovely white house but isn’t marked with any prominent signage. “We’re in the development stage of building the museum,” explained the woman on duty who gave her name as Sandy.
A wonderful young couple from Ohio wasn’t sure whether they should choose the Adventure Cruise or the History Cruise on their three-day trip to Williamsburg. As it happened, they got both. It was also the last call of the season. Steven Sutters and Casey Carmell work in Columbus, where he’s a
Will Lovo and Thi Do took a spontaneous cruise on the York River on what is likely the last afternoon sail of the season. Will works for Spring in Harrisonburg while Thi is at Eastern Mennonite University doing pre-med studies. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree
Sailing with old friends is the best because it renews ties from years ago and recalls great times on the water. Maxine and Benton Lutz drove up from Beaufort SC for dinner with Janet and George Goode. They were visiting from France. Maxine, Janet and I began at The Virginia
A power couple from Washington celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary by observing the power of the US Navy — twice. On an otherwise placid York River, I saw off in the distance the USNS Zeus proceeding slowly downriver from its home port of Cheatham Annex. That seemed odd, since the
Three people who grew up together 50 years ago went on a history binge through Virginia, stopping to sail on the York River one beautiful fall afternoon. “We’ve known each other since high school in Louisville,” said Russell Wolf. “Brenda and I are still there, but Rebecca lives in Chicago,”