Sailing to a New Future
Many people retire to Williamsburg, but few try to develop a new future by relocating their jobs here. Meet Heather and Michael Savage of Morris Plains, New Jersey. She’s looking to transfer her position with a timeshare company and he’s looking to move his chef career as well. While sailing along the York River off […]
The Gunpowder Incident
We take a short vacation from sailing to report on the history of the Gunpowder Incident, courtesy of the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, from which this is reprinted. The Revolutionary era’s newspapers are rich with stories that inspired the American Revolution. In Reporting the Revolutionary War, Todd Andrlik publishes an array of […]
Sailing with a Grasshopper
While sailing off Yorktown and listening to the history of the Battle of the Capes, Paula and Eric Spalding recalled the story of the grasshopper vane atop Faneuil Hall in Boston. The website celebrateboston.com picks up the story: “The gilded grasshopper atop Faneuil Hall has an interesting history. Shem Drowne was a well known Boston […]
Sailing to College
Sue Jennings and Cindi Love picked up where they were years ago when they went sailing in the British Virgin Islands. They chose a blustery day on the York River, which afforded sufficient excitement to nearly put the rail in the water. They loved it. Cindi is an executive in Washington with the American College […]
The Other Soaring
Anne and Mark Richards of College Station, Texas, went soaring on the York River near Williamsburg, and he was intrigued by the aerodynamics of the sail plan. “I fly a Piper Cub. It costs around $140 an hour to rent and I do it for enjoyment. It takes 40 to 60 hours of flight time […]
Sailing & Shopping
Jay and Jill Vanek went sailing near Williamsburg with light winds that picked up in the afternoon. Jill works in PR communications for QVC Television, where trends have changed over the years. “Jewelry used to be the big seller but the price of gold got too high. Today electronics and kitchen are the top categories.” […]
Sailing with Basketball
While sailing near Williamsburg with Elizabeth and Chris Pack of Cincinnati, he turned out to be a big Kentucky fan. I asked why they’re so good in basketball but not so much in football. “One Christmas, Bear Bryant was given a fountain pen and Adolph Rupp was given a Cadillac. Bryant left shortly thereafter.” Chris […]
The Zen of the Great Outdoors
Here’s what the Zen of the Great Outdoors can do for you. Amy and Jeff Guyer look like newlyweds but have been married 25 years. They spent nine years in Alaska and enjoyed it all. Now they’re taking lessons to learn how to sail. “We were in Anchorage, where the sun comes up around 10ish […]
Flying to Sail
You would think airline pilots would be blasé about sailing since it’s not nearly so fast. But relatively speaking, it is. That’s what Bob Woods of suburban Roanoke found as he took his wife Lisa and their son and his cousin sailing on the York River on a rare blustery day. The sails were reefed […]
Sailing to British History
A family from York, England, enjoyed sailing on the York River off Yorktown while recalling the derivation of our county and river as a function of British history. Linda and Allastair Jackson live in York and were visiting here with their son Will. “The Celtics were first in England, followed by the Romans in 53 […]
Wedding Under Sail
I get asked a lot, “Do you do weddings on board?” Brandon Marks wanted to surprise his fiancé Addie Misnier with a unique wedding venue. She always wanted to go sailing, so he chose the waters of the York River. The ceremony was performed by Pastor Chris and witnessed by Addie’s best friend Katherine. Then […]
Sailing Past William & Mary
Dan and Catherine Marino of Chatham NJ took their family sailing near Williamsburg before their older daughter Juliana toured the College of William & Mary. She’s looking at the club sailing team, having developed experience on 420s with her sister Marisa. We sailed past the Marine Science School of William & Mary. The small boats […]
Best of Both Sailing Worlds
They say every man should have five sailboats for the range of his excursions in life. Mark Muldowney took family members sailing on the York River from their Pennsylvania and New Jersey roots, where he described his two lives. “I belong to the Philadelphia Yacht Club, a prestigious name that belies the annual membership fee […]
Special Ed Sailing
My streak of special ed teachers continued this summer with a 25-year-old in her third year teaching in the Bronx. Meghan Warager went sailing with her parents on the York River and insisted that her school is not in the “war zone” of South Bronx but closer to the Whitestone Bridge. She teaches the very […]
Avoiding the Bridge
Kathy and Ed Raskay of Horsham, Pennsylvania, took their four fabulous daughters sailing on the York River, near Williamsburg, before everyone has to go back to school next month. They found it to be great excitement. People ask, “How do you avoid hitting the Coleman Bridge?” Ed recalled, “One time I was sailing with a […]
Boaters now Sailing an RV
Pam and Dennis Ard of Atlanta worked their way up and down the arc of boating by owning motorboats that were 30, 38 and finally 32 feet long. Today they are dedicated RVers, who went sailing on the York River near Williamsburg on an eastern seaboard trip to Charleston, Hilton Head, Wilmington, Virginia Beach and […]
Memories on the Water
Patti Clark took her family of grown children on a cruise along the York River during a week-long “staycation” in the summer of 2015. It included golf, water sports, shopping, dining and a massage. Sailing brings out the best in everyone and occasional memories of the water that are less than great. People ask, “Do […]
Sailing to Surprise
Ashley Greer took her parents, who live in North Carolina, sailing for the first time as a surprise birthday present for her dad. He wondered if they might be going roller skating. Instead, they enjoyed a brisk cruise on the York River near Yorktown. Ashley is studying for her doctorate in applied behavior analysis at […]
Sailing to Missouri
Bruce Queen of metro Richmond took his daughter Marissa sailing near Williamsburg as a goodbye tour. She’s leaving Powhatan Plantation timeshare resort for Missouri where she has been promoted by Diamond Resorts to be run their timeshare in Branson, called Suites at Fall Creek. “Branson is like Atlantic City without the casinos,” Marissa said. […]
Sailing the Current
It took me years to realize while sailing that once you cross the York River the current on the north side dissipates because it gets shallower. The river current and the tidal current combine in the middle of the river to form a wicked 3-4 mph lateral drag on the boat during mid-tide when […]