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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In the far Pacific, long-distance cruisers celebrate what it means to voyage, while locals celebrate what it means to be Tongan.
Even after dozens of visits over the years, I still find that Damariscove Island is pleasantly mysterious in a way unmatched by Maine’s other offshore islands
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.
Known for its racer-cruisers, Grand Soleil builds a sleek daysailer with sustainability driving its brief.
You see a boat raise the Z or zulu flag (four triangles of yellow, blue, red and black). What are they signaling?A) Going alongside for
Building the custom 40-footer was a master class in project management, hands-on skills, and New England sailing industry collaboration.
Managing Editor Lydia Mullan and her team found themselves on a sinking ship 200 miles from shore one year ago today.
Earning a Special Mention in our Top 10 Best Boats for 2025, this expedition yacht leaves no detail unattended and no dream unimagined.
Passagemaking is requires its own special set of skills.
You’ve read about the misadventures of the J/122 Alliance over the past two years, from an eventful Annapolis-Newport in 2023 to her ultimate sinking in
Accon Marine releases a new line of streamline folding chocks for an uncluttered look on deck.
The J/42 Allegiant set a new milestone in the Annapolis-Newport Race this year as the first all-female team to complete the race.
A cruising family and two friends have recovered the University of Washington’s Seaglider in the Pacific, after learning about the plight of the damaged automated underwater vehicle from a story in SAIL.
