Sailing Lake Travis with sailATX

Back when I was a kid growing up near the waters of Lake Michigan, my parents had a friend with a sailboat. I was too little to be interested in learning anything about how to sail, but always remember the excitement when the opportunity came to be out on the water in a sailboat.

The waves on Lake Michigan are notorious for making the hardiest of sea captains lose their lunch. At my age, I couldn’t be compared to any sort of skipper, so I had no problem losing my lunch every time we headed out of the breakwater and got into the rhythm of the Lake Michigan waves. But that never stopped me from getting completely surrounded by water and in a boat powered by the wind.

When Steve from sailATX asked me if I was interested in sailing on Lake Travis, the excitement of sailing — something I haven’t done for 20+ years — came alive again. This time it would be without the Lake Michigan waves that stole my lunch. If you can handle being in a boat on an inland lake, you can sail on Lake Travis.

Take a drive down Stewart Road to the Sail & Ski Marina located right next door to the Sundancer Grill. You’ll meet with Steve out at the slip and take a tour of the Luxury Edition Catalina 270. From there you’ll motor out of the marina and into the deeper channel of Lake Travis.

It won’t be long until the sound of the engine disappears. A large canvas rises up. Adjustments are made. The wind begins to take out the wrinkles in the sail and the boat settles into a gentle glide across the water.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the views. You’re sailing. And even though it might be the peak of summer with temps approaching the triple digits, it doesn’t feel like that when you’re out on the lake cruising across the water.

Let the sound of the wind and the waves take over. Bring out your camera for a picture of the sky as the sun begins to lower itself closer to where land and water meet. You’ll have a hard time putting your camera down as the colors in the sky become more and more vibrant.

The 3 hour tour with sailATX (remember the Gilligan’s Island intro?) did not result in getting lost at sea and stranded on Starnes Island. It was filled with wonderful conversation along with a setting sun and sky filled with ever changing colors. The wind kept us cool as we tacked from shoreline to shoreline.

Back at the marina, the sun settled and mixed with clouds to show off a final display between the masts of sailboats. Colors reflected off the water as the moon appeared on the eastern horizon.

After an evening on the lake, you can talk about how you just sailed one of the Six Great American Sailing Lakes over dinner and drink at the Sundancer Grill located just steps away from the marina.

Raise the sail, steer the boat, get hands on. Or just sit back with a cold beverage and relax. When you’re ready to experience Lake Travis on a sailboat, give Steve with sailATX a call.