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Destinations

Animal Encounters Under Sail

Cruising the Great Lakes has one drawback: you don’t see many whales or dolphins, or frigatebirds or puffins, for that matter. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still have plenty of equally meaningful brushes with nature.

Recipes from Desolation Sound

The Pacific Northwest and the fishing we did on our Desolation Sound charter inspired some great cooking. These were a few of our choice memories, and recipes I highly recommend.

Chartering with a Crew in the BVIs

Most sailors I know—and there are many sailors where I live in coastal Massachusetts—are unmitigated do-it-yourselfers who like to do their own trip planning, boat prepping, provisioning, cooking and cleaning.

Sailing Michigan’s Grand Traverse Bay

I’ve sailed past Michigan’s Grand Traverse Bay many times, first as a deckhand on various ore boats making their way between Minnesota and Indiana Harbor, Indiana, then during the course of a number of Chicago-Mackinac races.

Sun, Snorkels and Sailing in Turkey

Thoughts of Homer’s walled cities, epic battles and tragic heroes filled our minds as we prepared for our weeklong charter in Turkey. True, our charter base in Marmaris was over 300 miles south of Troy, but that didn’t keep us from dreaming of ruins and lost civilizations.

The Six People you Meet in Desolation Sound

Two hundred and fifty miles north of Seattle and 3,400 miles from home, our crew of six was more than a little slaphappy after a long day of travel. As we drove toward Comox, British Columbia, we decided to create a wish list for the charter trip ahead.

Favorite Weekend Cruise: Beaver Island

We left the hustle and bustle of Charlevoix, Michigan, just in time to make the second drawbridge opening of the morning as we pointed our bow toward Beaver Island, an isolated destination about 32 miles offshore in the middle of northern Lake Michigan. There was a thick fog, and a light drizzle fell from the sky. Thanks to our chartplotter, I knew our position and the proper heading to the island, but having no radar I remained wary.

A Pit Stop at Refuge Cove

From June to September, the Cove is open to the public, and twenty families live and work there together. In the off-season, the number decreases to 12 residents and fuel and water are only available three days a week. In the words of another local, “Refuge Cove is for the sort of people who max out after three months of socializing.

Trivia

Scraping the Sky

Colloquially the term “skyscraper” is used to refer to a tall city building, but nearly a hundred years before its modern architectural association, it had

Podcast: Suddenly Sinking in the Gulf Stream

Podcast: Suddenly Sinking in the Gulf Stream

For National Safe Boating Week (May 17-23) we’re revisiting some of the best safety stories, recommendations, and gear from our sister publications. Today, Power & Motoryacht’s podcast episode with SAIL managing editor Lydia Mullan discussing the sinking of Alliance and key takeaways from the rescue. 

Courtesy of Passagemaker Magazine

How to Survive A Plunge 

For National Safe Boating Week (May 17-23) we’re revisiting some of the best safety stories, recommendations, and gear from our sister publications. Today, Passagemaker offers cold-water survival tips for boaters.

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