Setting sail on a New York tour that’s fit for a prime minister
Just like Justin and Sophie, my wife and I make a beeline for Tribeca Sailing for a sunset outing on New York Harbor.
Granted, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was on a break from signing the Paris Agreement at nearby United Nations headquarters when he appeared for his two-hour sail.
My wife, Kerry, and I simply showed up after a day of Big Apple shopping and sightseeing and a swim in the pool at the Four Seasons Downtown.
Regardless of disparate circumstances, we had the same magical and relaxing experience as the prime minister and his wife, Sophie Gregoire.
“Really, it was a highlight of my life to take Justin and Sophie out,” said Tribeca Sailing Captain David Caporale.
“He had just four hours of free time from signing the Paris Agreement (in April 2016), so Sophie arranged it as a treat. They are such an awesome couple. They spent most of the sail up at the front to have some romantic time. And then they came back to chat as we headed back to the marina. Apparently, a Canadian who works at the United Nations recommended me.”
Tribeca Sailing’s 35-foot 1964 gleaming wood sailboat, Tara, is one of only 117 Hinkley Custom Pilots to ever be built.
Captain David will only sail with a maximum of six people at a time for US$100 each.
Or, do as Justin and Sophie and my wife and I did and book a private excursion for US$485.
The big, clunky, tourist-laden Circle Line boats will take you past all the city’s greatest hits such as Manhattan’s otherworldly skyline, the Statue of Liberty on Ellis Island and the Brooklyn Bridge.
But we wanted an exclusive look and feel for our jaunt on New York Harbor.
Captain David and Tara delivered by billowing the sails at eight knots and effortlessly skimming us over the body of water that juxtaposes outdoor adventure and one of the most populous metropolises on the planet.
Of course, we ooh and aah, sip Champagne and congratulate ourselves on discovering this unique and luxurious diversion.
It’s in keeping with our conscious decision to swerve off the beaten tourist path and interact more with New York.
Rather than take in Manhattan from a double-decker bus, we ride bikes the 10-kilometre circumference of Central Park and board the eight-minute ferry with locals to Governor’s Island for beers and fish tacos at waterside Island Oyster.
An idiosyncratic itinerary calls for special accommodations and meals.
An opulent room on the 46th floor of the Mandarin Oriental overlooking Columbus Circle and Central Park and a foie gras-andhalibut dinner at the hotel’s Asiate restaurant fit the bill for the first two nights.
For the final two nights, a sleek room at the new-and-trendy Four Seasons Downtown and filet mignons at Cut, celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck’s steakhouse off the lobby, is apropos.
In keeping with this maxim, we flew Air Canada’s new Signature Service on the Dreamliner from Vancouver to Newark.
Air Canada also flies to Newark, New Jersey (actually the closest international airport to Manhattan) from Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Calgary.
Signature Service amps up business class by also fast-tracking you through immigration and serving dishes by Canadian celebrity chef David Hawksworth.
Check out TribecaSailing.com, AirCanada.com, NYCGo.com, MandarinOriental.com and FourSeasons.com.