This blog post is courtesy of becketco.com who offers wide range of yacht management services and provides an unparalleled depth of experience in the yacht repair area on the Eastern Coast.

The swell of the ocean beneath your feet, the sound of fluttering canvas, the splash of the hull wedging through the water, and the pure joy of harnessing nature’s power and being one with it—yachting is all these, and much more. It may pass as an action sport these days, but sailing has had a deep influence on human civilization. There were times when towering sail-ships were used to launch invasions and conquer the world. Our very own Easter Coast used to receive immigrants transported across the Atlantic by the wind’s power. But, that was much before the steam engine was invented and the world became acquainted with noise and smoke pollution on a mass scale.

Thanks to yachting, we can still reconcile with nature and be exhilarated. The joy is multiplied if you are spreading your sails in a clean part of the ocean where the wind is right and the weather is pleasant. The destinations that you are sailing to should be attractive, unless you are looking to discover a new island. Speaking of the Eastern Coast, the following 5 destinations are just out of this world.

1. Tampa Bay, Florida

The surf, the sun, the wind, and hundreds of miles of blue, unadulterated water indisputably place Tampa Bay, Florida among the top 5 yachting destinations on the East Cost. More than 100 freshwater tributaries fall into the ocean at Tampa Bay, keeping the water clean and fresh. Florida basks in the sun for 361 days in a year, which means you almost never have to call off a trip due to bad weather. The place has developed a culture for boating and has earned a reputation for fishing and sightseeing by boat.

: Yachting – Tampa Bay, FloridaJ.Armando Serrano Photography / Foter / CC BY

2. Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Fort Lauderdale is home to the world’s largest in-water boat show in October every year, and not without reason. The city has been aptly named the “Venice of America” because of over 165 miles of canals and waterways running through it. The annual revenues from boating have exceeded $5 billion lately, a fact that speaks of the thriving boating and yachting facilities available here. The sunny Florida weather comes as a natural plus for yachters from cold and cloudy areas. And of course, the pleasures and entertainment of Florida is there for the taking.

: Top Yachting Destination – Fort Lauderdale, FloridaJims_photos / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

3. Oconee County, South Carolina

If you want to sail in cold, fresh waters, continue sailing north from Florida to reach South Carolina. Located at the foot of Appalachian Mountains, Oconee County has everything to qualify as a natural yachters’ haven. It is quite natural then, that the county has developed a popular yachting and boating culture. Passionate yachters are even building their homes at the enchanting waterfronts that abound in the county. Yachting is more like a way of life, and it’s hard to find a person who doesn’t take to the waves on the weekend.

: Oconee County, South CarolinaLet Ideas Compete / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

4. New York

If you sail up the cost for a couple of days from Florida, you’ll reach the yachting capital of the United States. With yachting clubs existing in New York for more than 100 years, the place has a history to boast about. Located at the confluence of East and Hudson Rivers, Now York is one of the very few cities in the world where you can sail right through its center. It is easy to reach the beautiful Great Lakes by navigating a system of canals, but if you don’t want to go to the Lakes, keep sailing through Long Island to reach the next of our top destinations—Maine.

: New York YachtingBob Jagendorf / Foter / CC BY

5. Maine

Sailing further up, you reach the enchanting island world of Maine in the extreme North. A perfect yachting destination in summers, Main offers countless bays and rivers to navigate and explore. There are numerous anchorage points where you can stop and internalize the natural beauty of this yachting paradise that extends into Canada.