"On the Rocks" or "Neat"?

Ok, maybe that's not the question we should be asking our charter guests.  But, we ARE asking our guests if they would like us to provide a bag of ice for their charter instead of just assuming that they do and automatically providing one for them.  The new default will be to NOT provide a bag of ice unless a guest says "Yes" to this question.  Why?  Because we are making an effort to reduce our impact on the environment.  It's a bit of a buzz kill for us if, at the end of the day, we have a bunch of bags of ice that will simply melt away unused and wasted.

Just think about the amount of energy and resources that go into providing a single bag of ice.

• Fresh water
• Energy to convert the water to ice
• A plastic bag to store the ice
• A metal or plastic closure for the bag
• Energy to transport the bag of ice
• Energy to store the bag of ice until its use
• Energy to recycling/dispose, as appropriate, of the plastic bag and closure.

Listen, we're not saying that people shouldn't enjoy the luxury of an iced beverage while sailing on a beautiful summer day.  Quite the contrary.  Chartering a sailboat for a private and relaxing sail on Lake Michigan in Chicago is a luxurious activity that should, by all means, include iced beverages.  That said, if we can avoid providing a bag of ice to a guest that has no intention of using it, then we can avoid wasting all of that energy and all of those resources that would have gone into providing that one bag of ice.  One bag may not make that big of a difference, but every little bit helps.  Added together over time, it will make a difference regardless how small.  And as someone who relies on natural resources, like our beautiful ​Lake Michigan, for their livelihood, I think that's a good thing.

- Capt. Mike

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