All Hands Sailing

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All Hands Sailing

All Hands Sailing We're a small charter sailing business located in Lake Superior's fabled Apostle Islands.

01/31/2025

The sailing isn't over just because the water turned hard! Earlier this month, Brontë and a friend (the ever chill ) got a chance to take a spin out on the frozen lake. It was a calm, sunny day so we only got a top speed of 30mph. Still scratched that sailing itch! Can't wait for the next day out there - on ice or water, just feeling that wind transfer into glorious motion.

12/03/2024

While the snow and ice are ramping up in earnest in our region, we thought we'd share some island views from this season.

Stay warm out there! Have fun to those of you who love winter, best of luck to those who don't!

11/20/2024

We'd like to apologize. Yesterday, we posted about all of that blue light stuff, and the cloudy days wanted to point out a few errors in our argument.

Here's to all the colors of the clouds, those painters who obsess over their shading and refraction, who know the light more intimately than any; letting it pass through them, straining it like baleen whales and breaking down the pure white into a variety of colors that will captivate us forever. From the wild stormlight to the sunset showings, the clouds truly know how to make the most of the light that falls on them.

11/19/2024

"The world is blue at its edges and in its depths. This blue is the light that got lost. Light at the blue end of the spectrum does not travel the whole distance from the sun to us. It disperses among the molecules of the air, it scatters in water. Water is colorless, shallow water appears to be the color of whatever lies underneath it, but deep water is full of this scattered light, the purer the water the deeper the blue. The sky is blue for the same reason, but the blue at the horizon, the blue of land that seems to be dissolving into the sky, is a deeper, dreamier, melancholy blue, the blue at the farthest reaches of the places where you see for miles, the blue of distance. This light that does not touch us, does not travel the whole distance, the light that gets lose, gives us the beauty of the world, so much of which is in the color blue."
-A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit

11/06/2024

Time flies when you're preparing for the slow season! Here's a couple of photos of the fall, of things put away, of what we do with our extra time, and those bright moments in the sharp afternoons, where the sun still overpowers the crisp air.

10/09/2024

With solar flares popping off nearly every week this summer, we have been feeling a little too spoiled with the Northern Lights. They would often appear as soft-glowing clouds that hung like a gray blanket over the northern horizon. We had cruised out to Rocky Island and were enjoying a late night (okay, it was 9pm, but the sun sets so early these days) chat on deck, watching the weak lights as they wobbled gently, and then went down to play cards.

When we came back up to close up the boat for the night, it was to a light show like seldom we have ever seen. And while the camera does exaggerate the light, it fails to capture the movement, the shimmering and dancing that are so integral to this natural wonder. Nonetheless, we're happy to share our photos with you - and hope you are so lucky the next time you're out late at night.

Photo credits (and the 'get outside and look at these right now' warning) to

10/04/2024

Captain Brandi sailed with folks from the Superior Rivers Watershed Association on a beautiful, sunny, Superior day. We appreciate all that they do to promote and protect our water resources! (And a big thanks to Captain Brandi for volunteering her time!)

09/25/2024

Despite this sweet, warm embrace of September, we can see the touch of winter on the trees, and that means it's time to begin hauling boats and prepping them for their upcoming torpor! Thanks to the Bayfield Marina for their expertise.

Vahevala was pulled last week, and today it was Jalapeno's turn in the slings.

Don't worry! We've still got more than a few weeks of good sailing left, and our stalwart and steady Raptor will be sailing until October 15th. Come up and enjoy the sunshine!

09/20/2024

Happy National Talk Like Pirate Day! There are so many reasons to celebrate a little piracy, and we're doing so with all kinds of shenanigans - and at , of course!

09/09/2024

We might be past the dog days of summer, but we certainly aren't past the dog days of sailing. A pleasure to spend time with Rachel, Justin, and Poppy! We had an excellent first sailing voyage for all! Thanks to for connecting us and doing a stellar service to all the wonderful dogs (and dog owners) of Wisconsin.

May there always be paw prints on our boats!

09/03/2024

Happy September, all! As pumpkin spice aromas drift around the coffee shop, we wanted to take one more moment here to celebrate the majestic summer sky, in all her ephemeral beauty.

Not a single day goes by that we don't look up and say "Wow. Look at that. You see that cloud? It's just so dang pretty up here."

So here are some of those moments, big and small. We'll have a few more months of summer skies before the prowl of the long, slow stratus clouds blanket the winter skies - so don't be afraid to come visit, lay out on the foredeck, and admire the brushwork of atmospheric moisture.

08/27/2024

Rainy mornings slow down everything - except the coffee lines. Here in the office we like to use the breather to make plans in beautiful places, like at new hangout space. Hope you're all staying dry out there!

08/21/2024

Bagidaabii-minis, or Michigan Island, was on my (Sarah's) bucket list to visit. I heard that there were a couple of stellar docents in residence and that the grounds were beautiful. So we snuck in a day off and sailed over, and wowie! What a great place to explore!

It's one of the western-most islands and feels very exposed to the lake. A good weather window is needed to visit, that's for sure!

The sand and clay cliffs made me think of the seaside. The grounds are indeed, beautiful, filled with flowers and fruit trees and wild blackberries, and the docents were remarkable. The history of the island is fascinating, with tales of misplaced lighthouses and abandoned stations!

The grand intrigue and tiny details kept by the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore make this a place full of stories and bursting with life!

It's a great island to explore if you are on a long day sail or an overnight trip.

08/19/2024

We just couldn't get enough summer with ! Two excellent trips with so many stories, the pictures just can't do it justice. With two trips, two National Parks, two states, and two much fun, we ran the whole gamut - bobbing in doldrums, sailing in storms, diving wrecks (like the America at ), and having experiences that can't ever be repeated. Thanks to Hayo-Went-Ha for a stellar season!

08/15/2024

By all accounts, Dragonfly and its crew of intrepid Warren Campers are having an excellent voyage, filled with bountiful winds and opportunities for adventure. Whether it's dodging the potential for water spouts, exploring the caves at Devil's Island on a calm day, or making way at sunrise for a Grand Marais crossing, it sounds like they are having the trip of a lifetime.

They even received free pizza and custard from Sydney's Frozen Custard & Wood-Fired Pizza - an honor only for those who sail into Grand Marais!

These campers committed to a nine day trip - can you imagine the fortitude that takes? We are so excited to hear their stories when they return.

YMCA Camp Warren
Photo cred: Cap'n Greg

08/11/2024

The wind blew in a fantastic sunset last night! Camp Warren sailors are out soaring through Superior's waters on Dragonfly, Vahevala, and Jalapeno. The wind has been up these past couple of days, and they are learning to navigate their routes wisely. They are also learning how to "put in a reef," which means reducing the amount of sail area while underway ⛵️ Certainly no fair weather sailors here!

YMCA Camp Warren

Photo credit to Captain Hyland!

08/09/2024

An All Day Excursion brought us to Raspberry Island. We took advantage of a light wind day to dock and explore the grounds. The historic lighthouse tour given by dedicated National Park Service volunteers was wonderful (shoutout to Bonnie and Fred!).

Raspberry Island is a frequent stop for our day-long and multi-day trips. The tidy gardens, croquet field, and cheerily painted buildings provide a welcome interlude for sailors under way.

07/19/2024

Just a quiet celebration of the Apostle Island beaches. As the waves nibble away at the sandstone cliffs, carving sea caves, the currents and waves carry that sediment to the stunning beaches that decorate so many of the islands and parts of the mainland. We're so grateful for the ebb and flow of our shorelines - and extra grateful for those beautiful days on the beach!

Address

E Dock Road
Bayfield, WI
54814

Telephone

+17158616699

Website

http://allhandssailing.org/

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Videos

The sailing isn't over just because the water turned hard! Earlier this month, Brontë and a friend (the ever chill @sam__adair) got a chance to take a spin out on the frozen lake. It was a calm, sunny day so we only got a top speed of 30mph. Still scratched that sailing itch! Can't wait for the next day out there - on ice or water, just feeling that wind transfer into glorious motion. #iceboating #chequamegonbay

A lot of people ask: can I swim in the lake? We say: I don't know. Did you take lessons when you were a kid? Jokes aside, Lake Superior is a legendarily cold lake, with summer surface temperatures rarely breaking 50°F. But in the sheltered Apostle Islands, water temperatures regularly climb to 70° or higher! That's plenty of reason to take a dip. So jump in and celebrate the world's greatest lake! #setsail #adventuretravel #adventure #bayfieldwi #lakesuperior #swim #doaflip

Vahevala getting some beeswax love today! 🐝 Her teak is gorgeous after treatment. Vahevala is our 1982 Tartan 37, and being a boat of that vintage requires lots of TLC. But with her comfort and handling, we wouldn't have it any other way! #sailing #boatproject #tartan37 #sailinglife #teak

Little moment of Bliss at Bear Island 🐻

Just floatin' and watching the Bayfield sunset. No wind, no worries. #sailing #apostleislandsnationallakeshore #sailinglife #lakesuperior #sunset

April blizzards bring...boatwork in the snow.