Sailing Off Brazil

I get asked, “Does it take imagination to sail?” Oh sure. Two adult siblings and their spouses arrived from southwest Louisiana to check out the bayou known as the York River, otherwise sailing off Brazil. They were on adventure while vacationing at Williamsburg. Brothers-in-law Timmy Brunet and Darrell Scott have known each other for years […]
Man Overboard!

People often ask, “Is it hard to rescue someone who falls off a boat?” Yes, because it requires extensive training. The second scariest moment on a boat is to hear the dreaded words, “Man Overboard!” Fortunately, trained sailors can execute maneuvers to turn the boat and go back for the rescue. It can take as […]
Captain’s Choice

People often ask: “Is it hard learning how to sail?” No, not at all. Two couples from Richmond and Lynchburg had never met until they went out on the York River to learn how to sail. What they got was a primer on the water and a rare view of a passing Navy submarine. En […]
Return to Williamsburg

People often ask, “Why is Williamsburg so popular?” I like to say that so many people have moved or retired to Williamsburg from up North that it has eviscerated the southern accent. In a new twist, Claudia and Scott McDougal returned here. “We left 40 years ago,” Scott said. “We’ve been living in Denver,” Claudia […]
Army Ship Maneuvering

People occasionally ask, “Does the Army have a navy?” Yes indeed. USAV Missionary Ridge has been maneuvering for several days in the York River near Cheatham Annex. The ship has radioed that it is conducting dive exercises and has asked boaters to stay 500 yards clear. At 174 feet long, it’s one of 35 Army […]
Sail Alaska

People sometimes ask, “Can you sail in Alaska?” Certainly. Tripp Wood lives in Charlotte NC and Alaska. It’s rare to find anyone who can sail Alaska. “My sons help as deck hands and first mates on our fishing charter out of Whittier, Alaska. I used to sail, and I’ve always wanted them to experience the […]
Sailing the Great Outdoors

People ask, “Can you sail full-time?” Sailing the Great Outdoors is a way of life for a select few who cruise off the coast and sometimes around the world. Some days are busier than others with big ships coming and going. Winds can become at once fluky and gusty on the York River. We observed […]
Make-A-Wish Sailing

A Texas family sponsored in Williamsburg by the Make-A-Wish Foundation wound up their vacation with an outdoor adventure by going sailing on the York River. Earlier we got rained out but rescheduled the next day under cloudy and cool conditions. It was actually quite pleasant. Because Let’s Go Sail is ADA compliant, I moved the […]
November Sail

A couple from Venezuela celebrated her 50th birthday by taking their children on a November sail on a brisk fallr day. Vanessa Martinez and Tony Torrealba moved here 20 years ago and live in Northern Virginia. Vanessa wanted to learn how to sail, and she did great on all three reaches. They got delayed crossing […]
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 […]