(New York, NY)- Martha Stewart thinks sailing and boating is fun!?
Yes. Martha, the doyenne and fashionista of all things for home lifestyle, design,
food, clothes and gardening also happens to be a lifelong boater, sailor
herself. When she heads up to Mt Desert Island for brief moments of
respite to recharge her batteries, like many of us do, she relaxes in
her beautiful home that overlooks Seal Harbor and the Eastern Way
towards Little Cranberry Island (a.k.a. Islesford). In fact, her
self-professed "best lobster roll ever" happens to be at the Islesford
Dock Restaurant, who's proprietors are Dan and Cynthia Lief (themselves
refugees from the madness of working in New York City and working at
Goldman Sachs). How does she enjoy her time in Maine? Martha often
hops into her 36 ft Hinckley Picnic Boat with a pile of friends and
dashes around the gorgeous Maine islands in Frenchman's, Blue Hill and
Penobscot Bays, trying the lobster rolls in Islesford, Frenchboro,
Stonington and Northeast Harbor-- all of them hard to beat since they're
so delicious. She also hops aboard various friend's beautiful
sailboats to go out for daysails around the Cranberry Islands, the Ducks
or simply for a picnic on the famous Marshall Island sandy beach or at
the famous "Dancing Rocks" on Baker Island. 
This past weekend found Martha down in New York city supporting the New York Harbor School. There she found common ground with long-time
J sailors Dawn Riley and local Newporter/ Jamestowner Hannah Swett--
both of whom have cut their teeth sailing J/22s and J/24s for
decades as they grew into the talented, world-renown women sailors they
are today. Martha was in "good hands" with Hannah and Dawn and
thoroughly enjoyed her weekend with these gals and, most importantly,
supporting a wonderful program supporting dis-advantaged public high
school kids from New York City's various burroughs- the Bronx,
Manhattan, Harlem and so forth. Here is Martha's account on her "Martha
Blog" of her recent experience:"I have become very interested in The Urban Assembly New York Harbor School, a wonderful small public high school located on Governors Island (in Upper New York Bay just off the southern tip of Manhattan Island), founded by Murray Fisher.
The school partners with New York City's maritime community (such as sailing Manhattan YC's red J/24s)
and uses New York Harbor's marine resources to create an extraordinary
public high school experience that instills in its students the skills
and ethic of environmental stewardship. Harbor School's mission is to
graduate students prepared for success in college and who have earned a
technical credential in one of the six marine fields: Aquaculture,
Marine Biology Research, Marine Systems Technology, Ocean Engineering,
Professional SCUBA diving, and Vessel Operations.Last Thursday I had the thrilling opportunity of sailing in the second annual Harbor School Regatta to benefit the Harbor School. Hannah Swett, one of my Godchildren, who comes from a very famous sailing family in Rhode Island, invited me to sail with her and her mother, Ellie Burgess, upon the historic America's Cup 12-meter boat, Intrepid.
I
first met Ellie many years ago when were neighbors in New York City. I
had many exciting sails with her and her family and learned what I know
about sailing from them. Hannah's sailing credentials include Collegiate
All-American, multiple World and National champion, Rolex Yachtswoman
of the Year, America's Cup Sailor, and was nominated for Rolex World
Sailor of the Year. Please
enjoy these sailing photos of the Regatta (MYC J/24s and the 12 Meters
INTREPID and AMERICAN EAGLE) taken by photographer Lori Hawkins.
