Scouting the Carolinas for sailing
Hurricane Matthew was unusual for how the damage occurred. Typically a hurricane batters the coast and diminishes as it heads inland. In this case, the outer bands of rain pummeled central North and South Carolina with up to 9 inches of rain, cutting off roads with high water that crested to 28 feet above normal […]
Sailing from Annapolis to Florida
I picked up a hitchhiker named John who was headed to an auto parts store. “I’m looking to fashion a gasket for my fuel pump. I found a leak in the line and have pumped the manual pump to death. It’s for an Atomic Four gasoline engine in my Catalina 27 that I sailed down […]
The ride of their lives
Two couples from Florida got the ride of their lives in 20 mph winds along the York River. For safety’s sake I had everyone suit up in Class I life preservers. Johnny Motoc held the helm throughout. Under a reefed mainsail we plowed out toward the oil terminal, where one freighter was making weigh while […]
All the Ships at Sail
People ask, “What’s it like to see a Navy ship come close?” With a retired US Coast Guard admiral on board, we encountered all the ships at sea beginning with the big one. The USS Mesa Verde rolled past us as we exited Sarah Creek into the York River. The Mesa Verde is an amphibious […]
Unexpected sailing lesson
What started out as one couple going out for a cruise on the York River turned into an unexpected sailing lesson. Chris Loving and his girlfriend Krysten Scafe drove in from Richmond for a quite sail. While waiting for them in the ships store, a couple approached who were looking to rent a boat. Carlos […]
Sailing, boating and shipbuilding news
Nine people from all over America cruised along the York River near Williamsburg with various sailing, boating and shipbuilding news. Tom Jackson of West Valley, Utah, brought his wife and her sister along. “Our biggest body of water is of course the Great Salt Lake. It’s been dry, so the lake is way down. There’s […]
Sailing with Racing Dogs
On a day of coincidental birthdays, we went sailing with racing dogs. Beverly Jackson of Baltimore took her husband Thomas out on an afternoon cruise along the York River. Michel Gauthier did likewise for his wife Valerie. The couple lives in the small village of Casselman in eastern Ontario. Valerie said, “We live on 47 […]
Got to Be On the Water
Every day we see three or four Coast Guard boats buzzing around the York River, but that’s only the tip of the fleet. Meet the captain. “We have 25 boats of various sizes and rates training all over Hampton Roads,” said Patrick Hogan, Boatswain 2nd Class from the Yorktown Coast Guard Training Center. He was […]
Sailing in a Brisk Wind
Sailing a skippered sailboat in Williamsburg is often the most fun that people have on vacation. Just ask Hersh Patel of Newport News, who took his wife Yera out on the York River on a windy day before Tropical Storm Hermine blew in. As the boat headed into the wind, Hersh rolled out the mainsail […]
Sailing Excitement
Let’s face it: Some people have more exciting jobs than others. When you combine that with exciting sailing, it’s energizing. Brittany Luth and Amy Meadors of Richmond took a Saturday off on a “mom-cation” from their husbands and kids. We sailed in brisk winds of 12 mph, tacking down the York River all the way […]
