Captain's Blog

Season Opener, Let's Go Sail

Season Opener

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

Read More »
'Safety at Sea' seminar

Safety at Sea

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

Read More »
Museum sneak peek

Museum sneak peek

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

Read More »
Cars vs. boats, the other joy of sailing

Cars vs. boats, the other joy of sailing

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

Read More »
Washington's General: Nathanael Greene

Washington’s General: Nathanael Greene

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

Read More »
Unusual Navy ship

Unusual Navy ship

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

Read More »
Oyster harvest comes up short

Oyster harvest comes up short

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

Read More »
Sailing with the Navy

Sailing with the Navy

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

Read More »
National Sailing Hall of Fame

Sailing Hall of Fame

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.

Read More »
Last call of the season

Last call of the season

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

Read More »