Category Archives: sailing

A secret wish come true

On Day 9 of my epic sail from Galesville, MD to Ponce, Puerto Rico, at about 1435, I was sitting on the port bench seat when I heard what I thought was a dolphin blow. “A dolphin!” I called, so … Continue reading

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I saw that the world was flat

I was sitting in the only dry-ish spot topsides of a Hunter 38 sailboat, hundreds of miles from anywhere, surrounded by sapphire and cobalt waves with crests of rolling white foam. Bracing myself next to the main hatch, in the … Continue reading

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The world becomes more glorious

Little about conventional sailing prepares one to sail a 300-ton replica of a 17th century armed merchant vessel. For starters, rather than having one or two masts and a handful of sheets and halyards, such a ship has four masts, … Continue reading

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The Best of Safety-At-Sea

It was unnerving to see three people jump from Navy 44 sailboats into the frigid water of the Severn River in 20 KT winds on a bitter cold day in March. Witnesses were also struck by how long the rescues … Continue reading

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Spinning in the Gulf of Mexico

When you have wanted to learn how to fly a spinnaker since you were a kid, and you finally have the chance in mid-life, you do whatever is necessary to take that opportunity. That is how I ended up sailing … Continue reading

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The 5,000 mile tattoo

Two months have passed since this gorgeous piece of original artwork was permanently affixed to my shoulder in commemoration of logging 5,000 sailing miles–a mark that took seven years to make. I feel extremely lucky to have been led to artist Paul … Continue reading

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“So, therrrre I wuzzzzz…” a story about sea stories

The story begins almost four years ago, while I was enjoying my first 1,000 miles of sailing aboard the beautiful schooner LIBERTY CLIPPER. A young deckhand aboard, named Alex, told me that all good sea stories must begin with a very salty … Continue reading

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Single handing therapy

Last weekend I enjoyed my first solo, or “single hand” sail in a very long time. This was something of a landmark for me, because, for almost two years, I was partially disabled by a succession of three leg injuries that … Continue reading

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A poignant journey

Having been in much need of some of what I call “dock therapy,” I gladly accepted the invitation to spend a day helping my friend, Ken, move his Hunter 33 sailboat 60 miles down river. Ken’s friend, Ray, a highly experienced … Continue reading

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“Wait for ze wind”

The couple did not show for their sailing lesson, and neither did the wind. These are two potential- and fairly common disappointments for a sailing instructor. I had taken time to prepare for the lesson and drive to the dock, … Continue reading

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