A couple from Nebraska brought their teenage daughter sailing so she could brush up on her skills after taking ASA 101 in Chicago on Lake Michigan, of all places.
Everley Stephens is an ice skater by sport, but she got hooked on sailing while navigating small boats near her native Omaha. She did a great job handling 15 mph winds that kept changing direction and finally died off. The secret to learning is to “see” the wind and react quickly. She did.
I got to asking if they bump into Warren Buffet. “We live a mile and a half away, but we don’t see him much,” her dad Brandon said. “It’s a very modest house, as you know.”
Her mom Stephanie picked up the story. “This is the big weekend when thousands of people stream into Omaha for his annual report. We see people taking pictures of his house, and of his old office. The building wasn’t his in the beginning, just a couple of floors up top.”
“Tens of thousands of people will show up, including his vendors,” Brandon continued. “They’re there for his Berkshire Hathaway Weekend in which the companies he owns display and sell their wares. It’s quite a show.”
I asked if he’ll wade into the Trump tariff controversy. “Yes sure,” Brandon said. “He already has, actually, so I’m sure he’ll update his criticism.” I figured Buffet is so old that he probably met Smoot and Hawley back in the day.
Wine Sailors
Earlier, two couples from Northern California went sailing on a lark. One of them spent his career at Stanford University and traveled widely in Wine Country north of San Francisco.
As we chatted, a USCG bridge-and-buoy tender glided by from upriver where it evidently replaced an Aton as they’re called. It was exactly a year ago that I radioed the Coast Guard that R-24 was sinking. At first, they were incredulous, but they came out promptly and replaced it.
“I wouldn’t say we’re wine snobs,” Ed Caron said from the helm. “We went to your New Kent Winery and found it nice. But the grape skins must be too tough from the cold weather. The taste wasn’t exactly bitter, but it was… different. Perhaps not as sweet or smooth as California. We have fog, but not winter. We went through a wine-tasting session once with blind people, and they did better than we did. So, what do I know.”
Newport Sailors
A couple from Williamsport PA went sailing while touring Williamsburg. Delores and Loy Johnson chimed in alternately.
“We grew up in Newport, Rhode Island and had friends with boats — but never had boats. We saw the Tall Ships come into Newport for the 1976 Bicentennial, and it was fabulous. Eight or ten tall ships, plus dozens of giant yachts scattered about. We would sail our little 20-footer between all of them. More balls than brains!”
People always remember their horror stories. As a youngster, Loy got caught in a sailboat at a bridge in Rhode Island. “We were up against the bridge when the motor conked out. It took a while to start it, but we got away.”
Loy held the helm as we got up to speed. “Delores and I sailed once on the Nefridide after it was decommissioned from the America’s Cup. There was no wind, and a guy in a kayak came past us rowing. Our captain hollered to him to get back. “You’re making me look bad!”
Sailing Home
At least once a week, a cruise gels with the perfect elements of couples, family, wind, laughter and enthusiasm. Meet the Galli family, with three generations of Mel Gallis with their spouses and children. Mel Galli III is a civil engineer from Oregon who got an opportunity to buy his uncle’s house on the York River, just about the Coleman Bridge and facing the Naval Weapons Station. He and his wife Annie refurbished the garage into a B&B with her skills as an interior decorator and carpenter.
Mel always wanted to sail and perhaps own a boat since the house also comes with a dock and deep water. He and the others asked all the right questions and conveyed an excitement for sailing that took my breath away. Just look at the photo, above.
Women enjoy sailing today more than ever, and particularly a romantic cruise. Couples get to enjoy a romantic getaway as they sit up on the bow for privacy, and Let’s Go Sail provides professional photos for free. First-time or skilled mariners are welcome to sail a modern-32-foot sailboat in a unique setting of wildlife and Fall foliage or Spring bloom. It makes for an extraordinary anniversary idea.
Let’s Go Sail
Check the “Book A Cruise” tab and pick a day for a sailboat charter. Scroll down reviews on Trip Advisor. Go back to the home page of Williamsburg Charter Sails.
The best Williamsburg boat tour offers safe sailing daily for up to 6 people. It’s an extraordinary experience for couples. Leave your worries behind. Enjoy the thrill of moving with the wind without a care in the world. Put life back on an even keel with a romantic experience for a birthday or anniversary. 3-hour sailboat cruise as a semi-private yachting charter lets you exhale and relax as you enjoy comfort, stability and speed.
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