Captain's Blog

Sailing with Heroes

Sailing with Heroes

People ask, “Who has inspired you the most?” Among 900 essays in the Captain’s Blog over the past seven years, Sailing with Heroes from 2016 is the most poignant. On a dark and dreary afternoon, a couple from Portsmouth drove up to the Peninsula to go sailing on the York

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Sailing Wisdom. Life's Metaphors

Sailing Wisdom, Life’s Metaphors

People often ask, “Why is sailing so special?” Unlike any other sport, sailing lends itself to inspiration, as these three illustrations show. No other mode of transportation is so inspiring, except maybe trains (“City of New Orleans”), or the bus ride with Kathy in Simon and Garfunkel’s “America.” Sailing memories

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Destroyers Compared

Destroyers Compared

Sometimes people ask, “Can you compare Navy ships?” Yes, but preferably in profile. On a whim, Daniel Katekovich took his bride Connie sailing along the York River on their 30th anniversary. She had never been on a sailboat before, “if you don’t count a small catamaran.” She did great as

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8 Little-Known Ways to Sail

8 Little-Known Ways to Sail

I get asked, “Are there different ways to sail?” Yes, here are eight ways. 1. Caribbean Day Sail—The common expectation for a trip on a yacht rental in St. Thomas or St. John is to fly in and take a bareboat out for a week with another couple or two.

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7 Menu Ideas for a Sailboat

7 Menu Ideas for a Sailboat

People frequently ask, “Can we eat on the boat?” Yes! Everything is better on a sailboat, especially food. Here are 7 menu ideas for a sailboat to make the voyage a culinary adventure.  Subway Consider Subway a metaphor for any take-out food from chains, supermarkets and restaurants. Subway just happens

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Sailing Back to Virginia

Sailing Back to Virginia

People ask, “What if it rains?” Two weeks of rain led to a third week, but we were away in Florida. Finally, the skies cleared and charter returned as we went Sailing Virginia again. On this day we got to fly the spinnaker not once, but twice, and gybing as

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Marry Me? Yes!

Marry Me? Yes!

People often ask, “Can I get married on a boat?” You bet. Ziquine Hopkins and Crystal Dorsy went on an evening cruise along the York where he proposed to her on the bow of the sailboat. She was totally surprised and slightly astonished that Zi had already told her family.

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Sailing on Memories

Sailing on Memories

People ask, “Why do people go sailing on vacation?” Visitors to Williamsburg go sailing on memories. They are surprised to discover so much water surrounding them. Indeed, when the second capital was formed in the city in 1699, it had ports on both sides of town along creeks extending to

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