With the sailing season quickly coming up, and the boat about to come up from Annapolis—I’ve been thinking about places I want to sail to this year.
The most obvious local sailing destinations include a trip around Cape Cod, and possibly up to Cape Ann; the islands in Boston’s Outer Harbor; the Elizabeth Islands; Nantucket; and Martha’s Vineyard. For my first weekend trip, I think Martha’s Vineyard or Cuttyhunk would be ideal.
One destination for this year would be sailing up in Maine. I‘ve always loved New England’s sea coast, and nowhere is it more beautiful than along Maine’s rocky shores. The only real issues I see with sailing along the Maine coast are fog and the rocky shoreline. However, there are a lot of fairly good, protected anchorages and harbors along Maine’s extensive shoreline. Maine would be ideal in the heat of August, provided you stay far enough from shore to avoid most of the mosquitoes and deer flies that can plague any visit to Maine.
Another destination for me would be the Chesapeake, especially the Tidewater area of Virginia—where Gee’s parents live, and Annapolis—where the Pretty Gee was built. I believe Performance Cruising holds an annual gathering of Gemini and Telstar owners in October. I could go down for the Performance Cruising gathering and stop in Tidewater on my way back.
The final destination for this year, probably towards the end of this year, that I’d like to sail to is Key West. It was one of the four places that Gee had wanted visit with me. The first was Cape Cod and the Martha’s Vineyard, and we did get a chance to go there on our last trip together. The second was Key West, and I think that would be a wonderful trip for Gee’s namesake. The shallow draft on a Telstar will be a huge advantage in visiting the Florida Keys. The ability to drop the mast, while on the water, is also quite useful from what a few other Telstar owners have told me.
The last two places we were to visit were Greece—where we were supposed to go for our honeymoon, and Napa Valley—to visit the wineries that fascinated Gee, who was a wine aficionado. The Greek isles would be fun to sail, but I don’t think you can sail much in Napa Valley. The Greek isles will have to wait a bit longer—maybe next year.
Where do you want to sail?
Sounds like a great plan. Should make excellent material for the blog.
Oh! I used to sail to CuttyHunk as a kid…A friend of my father’s…Cap’n Ed we called him, as I recall had a wonderful, gracefuk old schooner and I signed on as first mate one summer. Thanks for bringing all those good New England sails back… Does sound like a wondeful plan and excellent fodder for the blog!