Back in the day, the North Country Men’s Club would rent yachts and sail to Martha’s Vineyard. Jack, who learned to sail on Lake Erie near Buffalo, had the sailing credentials to convince the boat renter to give the NCMC the keys. There was also a bare-boat charter trip on a ketch made in the Virgin Islands, which provided great snorkeling.
On a 2003 trip, the NCMC sailed from Newport to Block Island on a yacht rented from a guy who bumped his car into the Semlers’ vehicle.
Jack, Mary, Tom, Jan and Matt sailed from Newport to Block Island, and were joined there by Conor, Dylan and a girl whose name the editor does not know. The young people all left the boat in Block Island, leaving Jack, Mary, Tom and Jan to make the journey back to Newport.
The Semlers also sailed on their trip to New Zealand in 2009.

Gallery: 2003 Newport to Block Island

Gallery: Auckland sailing