Sailing the Great Loop
People ask, “What’s the Great Loop?” One of the most ambitious sailing adventures in America is the Great Loop, essentially up the East Coast to New England, down the St. Lawrence into the Great Lakes and on to Chicago, down the Mississippi to the Gulf, and across to Florida. Meet David and Susan Houghland of […]
Connecticut Sailors
People ask, “Are there things you don’t talk about onboard?” A family from Newtown CT took a sailing adventure along the York River on a sparkling spring afternoon. I didn’t mention the recent tragedy Sandy Hook Elementary. “We sailed once before,” Chris Whorf mentioned brightly of he and his wife Maria Arnoldy. “It was a […]
Boat Extremes
Sailing from New England People ask, “Are there extremes in boats on the York River?” We saw it on this day. Two couples who had never met enjoyed a warm, sunny breeze on the York River as part of their Williamsburg vacation adventure. Shirley Patrick of Washington DC brought her beau James Artis after having […]
What Your Daughter Learns When She Learns to Sail
By Lea Maxwell, Sailor and Scribe When I signed up for sailing school at the age of 43, I had never been on a sailboat. I agreed to do it because the boy I was dating wanted me to. Typical. But I secretly dreaded it. It isn’t that I don’t have talents, but in my estimation none […]
Sailing Toward Fall
On a serene York River that slowly came to life as the wind built, we sailed past the lower range light at Yorktown to show how it has become obliterated. A vacant osprey nest has collapsed over the lens, leaving it nearly obscured to ship traffic. I notified the Coast Guard and sent them a […]
Skimming Along Lake Toho
Of all the boating our family has enjoyed over the years, we have never gone on an airboat. While on vacation in Florida, our son-in-law Trevor Phillips booked us for a unique and private two-hour adventure tour of the marshy shores around Lake Tohoperaliga near Orlando. Trevor knows how much we enjoy boating. “We call […]
Improve Your Life with Sailing Metaphors
One of the amazing things about sailing with guests on the York River is how they rise to the occasion by using appropriate metaphors. They enjoy learning about the derivations. To sail professionally is to be above board, even if one is adrift, against the tide, or at loggerheads with the crew. They recognize that […]
The Sullivans Transits Coleman Bridge
USS The Sullivans made a rare Saturday morning transit through the Coleman Bridge, backing up weekend traffic momentarily. The cruise missile destroyer takes its name from five brothers killed in World War II. People comment that ships like this would make it through if only their antenna stood a little lower. But this view shows […]
Make-A-Wish Sailing
A Texas family sponsored in Williamsburg by the Make-A-Wish Foundation wound up their vacation with an outdoor adventure by going sailing on the York River. Earlier we got rained out but rescheduled the next day under cloudy and cool conditions. It was actually quite pleasant. Because Let’s Go Sail is ADA compliant, I moved the […]
Sailing Under Spinnaker
Memorial Day Weekend started with light winds on a cool, sunny day. Rachel Shepherd brought her family up from Newport News and Portsmouth for a lively outing they did not expect. “We should have told you we’re in AA,” Rachel teased. “Accidents Anonymous is who we are. Every time we go on vacation, something happens. […]
