Return to Williamsburg

Return to Williamsburg

People often ask, “Why is Williamsburg so popular?” I like to say that so many people have moved or retired to Williamsburg from up North that it has eviscerated the southern accent. In a new twist, Claudia and Scott McDougal returned here. “We left 40 years ago,” Scott said. “We’ve been living in Denver,” Claudia […]

Distinct Navy Ships

Distinct Navy Ships

People often ask, “How can you tell Navy ships apart?” Two Navy warships blew into Yorktown Naval Weapons Station this week with distinct profiles and missions. The USS James E. Williams is a classic destroyer of the Arleigh Burke Class. Launched in 2003, the Williams is usually part of a carrier strike force in the […]

Name that Boat

People are always asking, “What are the best and worst boat names?” Most boat names like these at right reflect bad puns, good women or bad situations.  While traveling through North Carolina and South Carolina, I found a curious set of names at a marina in Wilmington. The US Coast Guard has strict naming rules […]

Sailing Through a Storm

Sailing Through a Storm

People often ask, “What’s it like to sail through a storm?” It’s challenging, for sure. A young couple from Charlottesville drove all the way to Williamsburg to take three children sailing on the York. They wound up learning quickly about sailing through a storm. Actually, when a storm approaches is the best time to roll […]

20 Best Sailing Jokes

20 Sailing Jokes

Everyone wants to know, “What are the best sailing jokes?” Alternatively, “What are the best boating jokes?” What’s a boat party without nautical jokes? These are gleaned from Yachting & Boating World’s ybw.com.   Barcode Navy Why does the Norwegian navy have bar codes on the side of their ships? So that when the ships […]

Buying a Sailboat? Do it Yourself

Buying a sailboat? Do it yourself

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxU-kkiYFeU People ask, “Is it difficult to buy a sailboat?” No, and you can do it yourself without a broker. At Let’s Go Sail, the Boat Buying Cruise is for those who are determined to own their own sailboat. Unless they’re flush with cash, I recommend buying used. For one thing, the engine is already […]

Sail Alaska

Sail Alaska

People sometimes ask, “Can you sail in Alaska?” Certainly. Tripp Wood lives in Charlotte NC and Alaska. It’s rare to find anyone who can sail Alaska. “My sons help as deck hands and first mates on our fishing charter out of Whittier, Alaska. I used to sail, and I’ve always wanted them to experience the […]

Sailing the Great Outdoors

Sailing the Great Outdoors

People ask, “Can you sail full-time?” Sailing the Great Outdoors is a way of life for a select few who cruise off the coast and sometimes around the world. Some days are busier than others with big ships coming and going. Winds can become at once fluky and gusty on the York River. We observed […]

Make-A-Wish Sailing

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 […]

Stay Fit by Sailing

Stay Fit by Sailing

Sailing can make you physically fit and keep you that way. If you work out at the gym, work on the boat becomes that much easier. Sailing is quite an adventure for one’s muscles, without that much effort. The very activity of getting on and off a boat takes some exertion, especially at extreme low  […]