Three people were rescued by the Abington VFD when their small fishing boat capsized Saturday morning near the entrance to Sarah Creek on the York River. Later, the Conservation Police towed the wreck off the river.
Running Aground
Doug Drummond has sailed numerous times with Let’s Go Sail and recently reported on a boating accident.
“My wife and I went out with others on a pontoon boat for my birthday and anniversary. We buzzed along the coast of the James River at Kingsmill and suddenly hit a sandbar. Everyone had to get out so we could get some floatation to push it off. But the revving of the engine drew silt into the lower housing. It cost $250 to fix.
This raises three reasons to avoid grounding:
Dangerous — Every summer some young fellow races down Sarah Creek toward the marina and avoids the last two channel markers. As a result, he runs aground hard and often gets thrown out of the boat. Even a slow grounding can be trouble if people are thrown from their seats and hit a fixed object on board.
Expensive — Any silt in the outdrive of an engine that’s stirred up during the exit process can eventually reach into the engine. That can be prohibitive to fix if the engine has to be replaced. Not to mention damage to the hull and other repairs topside.
Inconvenient — The day is ruined by a hard grounding, requiring hours of rescue work and embarrassment for many weeks and months.
Solutions: (1) Have NOAA charts on board and study them for the day’s route. (2) Install a depth meter and watch it like a hawk. (3) Avoid cruising close to shore. (4) Watch the water to look for low water.
Engaging Sail
On a mild afternoon of light breezes, Nicole and Jared Van Oss of Dayton OH returned after five years. “You may not remember us,” Jared said, “but your cruise during Covid was the last thing we did before I proposed to her that night. We had dinner at the marina restaurant, and I got the bright idea of showing Nicole the [17-mile] Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. She was scared of it — at night by now — and that’s when I proposed. It was very meaningful.”
Memorial Day
A family of three sailed briskly under cloudy skies as the US Coast Guard Training Center fired 21 cannon shots at noon on Memorial Day.
Samantha Nash came walking down the dock while holding the hands of her two girls, who suffer autism disabilities. She took them sailing because they love the water.
“Some years ago, we went on the pirate ship at Yorktown and they learned about boating and about fish. They’ve been on a pontoon boat as well.
“I got them as foster children when they were 9 and 13 years old. Then I adopted them, and now they are 22 and 23. They graduated high school and now go to a daytime support group.” The girls are largely non-verbal, so Samantha used questions and thumbs-up signals to communicate. The girls gave a lot of thumbs-up along the way.
Samantha has her PhD. in education. “Yes, I qualify for becoming a superintendent. I did my teaching and became a principal at three high schools. Now I work for a company that screens documents for state agencies to ensure they are in compliance with Medicare and other rules.”
As a single mother of two special-needs children, she has her hands full. “I could become a superintendent, but it takes 80 hours a week and I need to be at home. I can’t do that with my other responsibilities.”
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.
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York River Sailboat Tour / An unforgettable Boat Tour / Ideal for Couples
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