Bridge Inspector Goes Sailing
If the wind is right, you can sail under the Coleman Bridge. While proceeding out Sarah Creek into the York River, a fellow asked if we could do just that. I was puzzled since the bridge was barely in view. Then he explained. “I was the chief bridge inspector on the job 15 years ago […]
Sailing Past Ospreys
Even as the sailing season continues to rev up, osprey season is winding down. They arrive in May to build their nests in one week. They have their fledglings in June and teach them to fly and fish in July. By August, they’re out of here on the way to South America. Banding of osprey […]
Can I take my dog sailing?
She’s sitting on the rail, which is always precarious. The rail is better than the lifelines, which move, but it’s still a terrible idea. Hence, her center of gravity is too high. In fact, they both belong back in the cockpit where things are safer. She’s holding the dog while sitting on the rail, […]
Boating Stories, Good & Bad
Stephanie King stopped off in Williamsburg from North Carolina on her way to Alexandria to take her two children sailing. “It’s the first time he’s been on a boat since the accident last year. He was evacuated from the water and spent five days in ICU,” she said of her son Alek. “A big motorboat […]
Ice Sailing Is Fastest
I once wrote an article for the Colonial Williamsburg Journal about the origin of ice skating. It began on the Hudson River in New York, where wealthy aristocrats took to speeding alongside trains on the coast—and beating them. Steve Brown had a similar experience growing up in Michigan. He took his wife and daughters sailing […]
Sailing under the bridge
Although it’s taken for granted by locals, the Coleman Bridge is a spectacular piece of engineering and a vital link between two regions of eastern Virginia. After the boom years of World War II, it became apparent the ferry from Yorktown to Gloucester Point would be insufficient to transit commuters and locals. The bridge was […]
Sail Army
Some men have their heart set on buying a sailboat as a life-long dream. No wonder, since sailing is a magnificent adventure that is too frequently interrupted by life. Seldom do I encounter a woman who wants a boat for her husband. That was the case with LJ and Allen Offord, who drove up from […]
Sailing Near the Navy
A couple and a family got a unique vacation adventure while listening to a narrative about the Battle of the Capes. “How big were the ships?” asked one person. I pointed behind them to a Navy warship steaming into the York River. “That big,” I pointed. The USS Gravely is an Arleigh Burke class […]
Spinn Sail
Question: How do you sail when the wind seemingly dies? Answer: You don’t, unless you run downwind with a spinnaker. Background: Three hours of sailing on the York River usually involves tacking back and forth into the wind as we make way eastward in a zig-zag down the river. We are sailing off the wind […]
Junior Sailor Expertise
A junior sailor from suburban Buffalo got a chance to run a giant spinnaker on warmer waters than she’s used to. Matt Meincke brought his children Madison and Zak to Williamsburg on vacation, and they set sail on the York River on a magnificently breezy afternoon with another family. Madison took the wheel with aplomb. […]
Family Sailing Experience
A Richmond couple got stuck in traffic for an hour as they finally brought their four young children to the marina to go sailing. The contrast was evident as the sailboat scooted out to the York River with all the room in the world to drive. Light winds propelled us across the river and into […]
Courageous Captains Sailing
Exactly one year later, retired Navy Capt. Terry Culton and his wife Helen returned to sail the York River, this time with friends Mike and Debbie Decicco. Unlike last year when the winds were flat, they piped up quickly to 12-15 mph. So we reefed both sails. The couples were in town for a […]
Sailors with Boating Friends
A couple from Northern Virginia left their teenagers at home for a one-day adventure to drive south and go sailing on the York River. Katie and Sam Mangrio are in real estate, so we got to talking about flipping houses. “We’ve only done that once,” Sam said cautiously. “A lot can go wrong, so you […]
Sailing with Manufacturers
Over the years, I’ve found that three things depress people about work: their boss, the commute, getting laid off. One of the intriguing things about work is people who actually manufacture something. There is something robust about Made In America, and it makes people proud. On a day blowing 12-16 mph on the York […]
Scientist Relearns Sailing
For those who are interested, I walk them through the dynamics of sailing. For those who aren’t, I just point them in the direction of a close reach and leave it at that so they can enjoy the adventure. Here we have a scientist relearning sailing. Kim Allan sent her husband Brian and their son […]
Longshoreman Sailing
There’s boating, and then there’s shipping. Dante and April Turner of Chesapeake went sailing on the York River to celebrate their first anniversary, complete with a picnic basket of wine and cheese. “I’m a longshoreman,” Dante said when I asked what he does. “We have three container terminals in Norfolk, Craney Island and Portsmouth, as […]
The Perfect Sail
A Minnesota couple on vacation in Williamsburg took their three children sailing on the York River. They asked about the perfect sail and as luck would have it, this was it. Jim Keane took the helm as an accomplished boater. “We don’t have boats,” he said. “Instead, we have boating friends. We bring the lunch […]
Sailing with Hospitalized Prisoners
For sheer outdoor fun near Williamsburg, people enjoy sailing the York River. One woman brought her niece to celebrate her high school graduation. A couple brought their young children to show them how to steer a sailboat. And a family from Utah experienced a river much wider than found in their native state. Along the […]
Sailing from Land-Locked Texas
A couple vacationing from the Fort Worth area took their two sons sailing on a quiet York River, where they got to appreciate the serenity of the concept. It proved unique outdoors fun near Williamsburg. “We used to live in San Rafael,” said Chris Gilbert, “and I sailed with my parents on a boat this […]
Sailing after Disaster
To wrap up their vacation in Williamsburg, a Maryland couple and their son sailed a serene York River on a balmy afternoon. The trip brought back memories of disaster. Lori and Bill Rodean have traveled all over the world. They got to recall some eerie aftermaths. “We seem to bring bad luck wherever we go,” […]