Southern Sail
For the second time in 11 years, we headed south to review venues to relocate or extend the charter sail business. The Carolinas offer a longer season, albeit with few tourists than Williamsburg. First, we stopped in Edenton NC where we took a 40-minute boat ride on Liber-Tea, an electric engine runabout under Capt. Mark […]
Policy Sail
Four family members from Richmond took a well-deserved day off to go sailing on the York. Temperatures in the 90s were offset by winds blowing a steady 15 mph and gusting over 20. It was so delightful and the conversation so intense that no one noticed the boat heeling past 20 degrees. We sailed around […]
Parkway Closing for 3 Years
Parkway Closing for 3 years describes how the detours will work.
Educational Sailing
We got closer to the Kalmar Nickyl for the first of several educational sailing cruises. It’s the state ship of Delaware, heading out to sea after an extended stay at Yorktown. They gave tours to educate the public on how volunteers replicated the entire boat, based on a Swedish design. You wouldn’t want to go […]
Mindfulness through Sailing
Let’s go sail the York River, where couples enjoy a serene three hours. Take one of 6 sailing adventures near the Chesapeake Bay for your best vacation excursion: Adventure, Event, Appreciation, History, Lessons, Boat Buying. Sit in the catbird seat or up on the bow. People ask, “What is the concept of sailing?“ One beautiful […]
Sail Air Force
A local couple took their family sailing on a beautiful Sunday morning. Enrique Lara is retiring from the Air Force after 23 years in a unique career. “I run vehicle logistics for the Air Force,” he said casually and added, “all over the world.” Not planes, mind you, but vehicles. I asked how many. […]
Sailing by Lights
On certain rivers and in certain bays, the US Coast Guard services navigation lights that show the range of a particular channel. Hence the term range lights and why we go sailing by the lights. Together, the tall light is out of sequence with the short light as they blink on and off 24/7. The […]
Sailing past Warship
A couple from Williamsburg took their extended family sailing along the York on a breezy summer afternoon. Hannah Gibbons’ dad Patrick was an experienced skipper who last helmed a 52-footer in Puget Sound. He had no trouble with winds of 10 mph gusting to 15. We got to see the USS John Finn exit the […]
Secrets to Getting Married on a Sailboat
I get asked, “Are their secrets to getting married on a sailboat?” Let’s go sail the York River, where couples enjoy a serene three hours. Getting married in a unique setting is all the rage, whether on top of a mountain or in a canyon. These “venue weddings” are big in Williamsburg, where you […]
Hamilton Lives
A Chicago family spent Spring Break touring Williamsburg and took their son Luke sailing on the York, where we discovered that Hamilton lives. Luke proved adaptable by adjusting the boat to brisk winds and an occasional gust. We went under the bridge to see the USS Hudner guided missile cruiser at NWS and eventually got […]
Let’s Go Sail Charleston
Let’s Go Sail Charleston recounts ideas for boats as found at City Docks.
Open Season
After a long winter, Let’s Go Sail launched anew for the second decade.
Sailing Serenely
People wonder out loud, “Is sailing a serene experience?” Entirely! A couple from the Shenandoah Valley went to Richmond to visit old friends in May 2018. Then they included a trip to Williamsburg where we wound up sailing serenely on the York River. Right off the bat, we saw dolphins as we exited Sara Creek […]
How to Sail Like a Pro
People ask, “What’s the best way to sail like a pro?” Don’t forget to wear an ascot. WATCH VIDEOS—This is a good first step because you can choose from myriad short videos on You Tube to see how things work. Focus at first on the Close Reach, Beam Reach and docking. The rest is details. […]
Hurricane Coming
People ask, “What do you do in a hurricane?” The latest thing to do near Williamsburg is to batten down the hatches for the hurricane coming. Not since Isabel 19 years ago has a Cat 4 threatened the Virginia coast. At York River Yacht Haven, the yard crew pulled 33 boats of all sizes in […]
Shades of Improved Ego
People wonder, “Is sailing an ego trip?” When you start out to sail, you set yourself apart from the rest of mankind who lack your ambition. You have chosen an adventure that takes time to learn, time to hone, time to perfect. Not everyone can do it. Already you feel better. You think, This beats […]
Learning to Sail Big
Two fellows from Hampton Roads set out on a brilliant Saturday morning to advance their sailing skills by learning to sail big. Dan Fisher and Jim Brock took the ASA 101 basic keelboat course separately. Now they assembled for the next step, ASA 103 intermediate coastal cruising. They had never met before. Dan has a […]
Sailing Wisdom, Life’s Metaphors
People often ask, “Why is sailing so special?” Unlike any other sport, sailing lends itself to inspiration, as these three illustrations show. No other mode of transportation is so inspiring, except maybe trains (“City of New Orleans”), or the bus ride with Kathy in Simon and Garfunkel’s “America.” Sailing memories are a pleasant reminder of […]
York River Rescue
A sport fishing boat hit a buoy and sank within ten minutes. We were there.
First-Time Sailors
Some people ask, “Can you take me sailing even if I’ve never been on a boat before?” Hop aboard! Ian Whitfield and Makini Clay brought another couple with them from Richmond. They celebrated Ian’s birthday with a unique outdoor adventure near Williamsburg. I asked if he had sailed before? “No, I’ve never been on a […]