A fellow from Hampton wanted to take his girl sailing on the York, but he was apprehensive about her getting seasick. I recommended she take Dramamine the night before, not the day of. And I had seasick wristbands on board. Turned out she needed neither as the seas were calm and she’s been on boats before.
Ira Gregory ran the helm while Stephanie Chandler sat nearby. “I work for the Marine Police,” she said matter-of-factly. “Not VRMC but VAMP,” she clarified. “I’m in the background, listening to Channel 16 and the Coast Guard. We talk on 17, but very seldom. ‘Pan-pan’ alerts on Channel 16 are usually trouble involving people. ‘Securite-securite’ is more informational.”
We talked about some of the bad stuff she’s seen as a dispatcher for 30 years. “Yes, I recall the fireman on the Rappahannock some years ago who hit the buoy at night and killed a girl. He’s still in prison, I imagine. More recently, there was a barge on the James River that ran right over a boat near the bridge.”
I pointed out the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. “We’re not so good with VIMS,” Stephanie said. “At least, I’m not. They’ll call us to find a dead dolphin beached somewhere. And I’m like, ‘Don’t you have vessels to do that?’ ‘Not at this time,’ they’ll respond. So we have to go find them.
“We also find dead whales, four this year including one on the Eastern Shore and one at Virginia Beach. I handle the lower Chesapeake Bay including the Rappahannock and the Northern Neck.”
We sailed quietly as the wind lay down, along with the sun.
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.
Police Sail Police Sail Police Sail Police Sail
