Who Goes Sailing
“It’s remarkable how quickly a good and favorable wind can sweep away the maddening frustrations of shore living.” – Ernest K. Gann Those who cruise with Let’s Go Sail on the York River cross all demographics, but they tend to skew more affluent. They are slightly overweight but never obese, and they have some college […]
Sailing Under the Bridge
Although it’s taken for granted by locals, the Coleman Bridge is a spectacular piece of engineering and a vital link between two regions of eastern Virginia. It’s an adventure to go sailing under the bridge. After the boom years of World War II, it became apparent the ferry from Yorktown to Gloucester Point would be […]
Sailboats and Warships Compared
Arguably there is no comparison because the two experiences are so different. My daughter, who’s in marketing, suggested imbedding a giant billboard in the mainsail saying, “You’d have a better time on this boat.” So let us consider sailboats and warships compared. The biggest difference with the two tourist boats is that you get to […]
Is Sailing Considered Safe?
Is the boat safe? Stand back on the dock and look at it. One tell-tale sign that a sailboat is ship-shape is that the lines (ropes) are clean and not frayed. The fiberglass doesn’t have to gleam, but it should be intact without gouges, cuts or holes. (A few spider cracks are to be […]
The Art of Sailing
The art of sailing dates to ancient time and has only gotten better. From Monet to Manet, sailing and sailboats make compelling images. Many paintings derive from five scenes. 1. Sunsets are immortal. They convey the end of a day, and if that day was spent on the water, all the better. The romance of the […]
Ships of the York
You can go for days without seeing another boat on the York River. Then they show up in multitudes, seemingly for no reason. In fact, there is a cycle to the boating and shipping traffic. Here’s a rundown of the range of boats and ships along the York River. Next, a unique factoid is […]
Sail Past Navy Ships
Nearly every week, except during the holidays, we sail past Navy ships as they ply the York River to and from Yorktown Naval Weapons Station. They arrive usually on Monday around noon and depart Thursday or Friday morning. These ships are magnificent to see coming over the eastern horizon from Norfolk Naval Base. I […]
New Look at Old Shipwrecks
UPDATE: Sept. 20, 2020: News Release by JRS Explorations Survey of New Wreck Completed During Sept. 13-18, 2020, JRS Explorations Inc. conducted an extensive shipwreck survey within the Yorktown Shipwrecks National Register District, thanks to the efforts of experienced researchers. The goals were to survey and map “Wreck 11,” a recently discovered wreck in the […]
Read about Tacky’s Revolt
The British brought 2,000 “free” slaves to Yorktown in 1781. Then they left them to fend for themselves in no-man’s land. Years earlier, slaves revolted with great consequences. Harvard historian Vincent Brown’s latest book is Tacky’s Revolt: The Story of an Atlantic Slave War.” It tells the story of the largest slave revolt 1760–61). He […]
Ships Under the York
Underwater archeology is an important field that is poorly funded, according to John D. Broadwater, a world-renowned practioner who’s now pursuing his 11th ship under the York River. Broadwater once explored the Titanic and helped raise booster rockets from the Apollo space flights. His career has spanned 50 years, with much of it right here […]
