Sailing Near Dolphins
A lovely couple from Hampton Roads moved to Maryland and like to return to Williamsburg on vacation. In all those years, they hadn’t sailed the York River until now. As part of the adventure, we saw a fleeting glimpse of two or three dolphins swimming toward us. They disappeared under the hull as quickly as they surfaced. Then […]
Boating Fails and Tales
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlEdBRv7B-k “We went offshore in New Jersey looking for bait fish,” said Colleen McGowan while taking her children for a sailing lesson on the York River. Hers is the first of several bizarre boating tales this season encountered by Let’s Go Sail. “We ran into a crowd of fish so great that it felt like there […]
Mega-Yacht Sails into York
A 142-foot mega-yacht sailed into the York River before landing at York River Yacht Haven. It trailed a substantial tender with three outboard engines. Out in the middle of the river, the yacht stopped to reel in the boat hawser so a driver could get aboard. He proceeded ahead of the yacht, criss crossing the […]
Serenity Sailing, Then Dolphins
A York County woman took her family sailing on the York River and found it a serene setting of mild winds and warm breezes, part of the outdoor fun near Yorktown. The anticipation was that of a family outing. The adventure arrived in the quietude, as they chatted for hours. In the process, we sailed under […]
Chesapeake Sailor Qualifies
Alex Grunsfeld completed all three on-the-water tests for SailTime Virginia Beach by running a 36-foot Hunter outside the shipping lanes of Chesapeake Bay. He brought his wife and children out on Mother’s Day, and it’s one they’ll remember. He did great in rising winds of 15-18 mph, gusting over 20. As a result of reefing both […]
Sailing Near the Navy
A dreary day on the York River perked up with the siting of an exceptional Navy ship. It was quite an adventure. Amy and John McCarthy took a long-awaited sail with their daughter C.C. and her boyfriend Chris Coe, in town from Ketchum, Idaho. C.C. sailed competitively in high school, so she had no trouble […]
Crisis After Yorktown
For two years after the American victory at Yorktown in October of 1781, the Continental Army remained in the field. Peace with Great Britain was still uncertain. By March of 1783, Army officers and soldiers in Newburgh, New York, were growing impatient with Congress over back pay. Discord at headquarters was rampant. An inflammatory address circulated […]
New journalism, rationalized
People frequently buttonhole me about why The Virginia Gazette is declining. Corporate guidance explains a lot. This is why I took up sailing. –Capt. Bill NEWS Emphasize the digital website as timely and relevant. Print is dead. Substitute the idea of genuine news with “content.” More catchy. Jettison experienced reporters and editors. They’re too costly. […]
Sailing into Historical Feuds
Sometimes the stars align for the perfect publishing break. That was the case last summer when Colonial Williamsburg released “Founding Feuds” in the middle of the presidential primaries. The subtitle seemed ripped from contemporary headlines: “The Rivalries, Clashes and Conflicts That Forged a Nation.” This week, author Paul Aron will discuss his book at the Virginia […]
Happiness on a sailboat
Happiness on a sailboat comes in many forms. There is first of all the sheer joy of running a boat on the wind. With a few minutes training behind the wheel, anyone can enjoy the sensation of guiding a sailboat through the waves. Boats steer like cars except that the “wheels” are in the back […]
Sailing on Three Anniversaries
By coincidence, three couples from Chesapeake, Williamsburg and Minneapolis celebrated by sailing the York River. They were followed by two college chums. Rebekah and Jonathan Macalvey got married three years ago after meeting on duty in Afghanistan. She’s a physician’s assistant in the Navy and he’s a SEAL with 20 years in. Rebekah said, “I’m on […]
Sailboat Essentials
One of the most frequent questions fielded by Let’s Go Sail is, “What should I wear?” Here are the sailboat essentials for a day’s adventure on vacation. The easy answer in summer is whatever you have on for the day in the way of shorts and shirt, plus a hat and sunscreen. Temperatures out on […]
Sailing Under Air Force 1
Two couples from Pennsylvania and New Jersey got to sail the expansive and historic York River while Air Force One flew overhead. The presidential jet, of which there may be three, flies from Dover AFB to Langley AFB in Hampton to do touch-and-go practice landings. Sometimes it lands at nearby Williamsbrg-Newport News International since the […]
Sailing with the Army and Navy
Five couples from diverse backgrounds got to sail the warm spring winds of the York River while taking in an air show overhead. Two intriguing fellows had never sailed before but quickly got the knack of the helm for a particular reason. Steven “Junior” Sawyer was a parachutist in the US Army, and Joshua Franck is […]
Living and Boating Along the Intercoastal
An experienced boating couple who spent decades on various cruisers and motor yachts got to go sailing for the first time. Charles Grimes took Tammy Bell and her parents JoAnne and Tom Bell sailing on the York River, and they loved it. The Bells found it exciting in a brisk wind of 15 mph that […]
Rigorous Sailing Class, Day 2
The rain held off and the wind held up for Williamsburg Area Learning Tree’s second rigorous sailing class. Seas built to three feet as a northeast wind rotated north with chilling breezes. Participants felt the tug of a vigorous close reach, taking the boat to 15 degrees heeling but no farther. They tacked and turned […]
Sailing Past Ike
Phil Sorsky flew in from London and went sailing the next day with his friend David on Willoughby Bay and the James River. We cruised past the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, under repairs at Norfolk Naval Base. Phil is an executive with a worldwide company that builds telecom towers. “We are based in Great Britain and […]
Sailing is all about you
Charter sailing is all about you. Exquisite customer service compels attention by the skipper to get it right, and quickly. It’s helpful to size up at the dock some of the things people are looking for on a three-hour sail. They may have already indicated a preference for one of three cruises: Adventure, History, Lessons. […]
Weathering a Hurricane
When he published “Travels with Charley” in 1962, John Steinbeck was arguably the most famous living author in America. His bestsellers traced American society during the mid-century in “The Grapes of Wrath,” “Cannery Row” and “East of Eden,” among other books. Before he set out to see the country, Steinbeck had to prepare his […]
Easter Weekend Sailing
Three families from Pennsylvania and Virginia enjoyed Easter Weekend sailing and outdoor fun off Yorktown. Winds on the York River were a brisk 10-15 mph, making it a challenge both days to keep the sailboat heeling between 10 and 15 degrees. Many enjoyed hanging out on the bow, where the views and the experience are […]