Over the years we’ve sailed the Newport Harbor many, many times. It began years ago when my boys were still very young and a Newport neighbor invited us to spend an afternoon on his beautiful yacht.
I’ll never forget the fun, the beauty and the excitement I felt when sailing for the first time. We chatted, we drank, we ate and we laughed. We went around Newport Harbor past the bridge and over to Jamestown. It was unlike anything I’d experience until then. I even had the pleasure of ‘learning’ how to steer the sail boat. The wind eventually blew my hat away but I didn’t mind since I was more in love with sailing. To say I’ve been enjoying it ever since is an understatement.
Honestly speaking, I still get some motion sickness whenever I’m at sea, so my time on a boat is rightly limited. Back in 2004 my husband and I took a cruise on Carnival for our 10th wedding anniversary. It wasn’t what I imagined it to be. Basically, he toured the whole ship while I laid with cold towels and compresses on my head taking Dramamine for most of the trip…
But I’m happy to report that I’ve since gotten much better. Sailing has been a different experience than being on a giant ship. It remains one of the top things we enjoy doing during the summer and sometimes in the fall, whenever we’re in Newport; and it never gets old.
One of my favorite ways to see Newport (aside from scootering around town) is from the water. And if you’re like us and you don’t own your own water vessel, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the priceless coastal views. We rely on great friends who invite us along for trips and other times we charter a yacht for an afternoon sail.
FUN FACT: Newport, RI is the Sailing Capital of the World. It has a longstanding sailing history that is evident everywhere in the “City-by-the-Sea.” From the many Colonial sea captains’ homes that line the streets of Newport’s downtown, to the busy Newport Harbor that is a destination and home port to some of the most renowned sailing and motor yachts in the world!
If you find yourself in Newport and decide you want to give sailing a try, there are courses you can take to prep you for a day at sea. Newport Sailing School and Tours has been introducing people to the joy and art of sailing. Give it a try and take advantage of a successful basic, intermediate or advanced sailing course. The curriculum is designed to provide the ultimate sailing instruction in the shortest period of time.
Experience Newport the way it should be seen, under sail!
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