Well-seasoned in sail, motor, or virtually any craft on the water, Al Thompson is still sought for lessons and advice on sailing. He also keeps a watchful eye on the harbor — and is happy to share about his adventures sailing around the world or about his record-setting college basketball days in Mississippi.

In the 1950s, Thompson attended Tougaloo College in Mississippi, where he played basketball and graduated with a degree in physical education and biology. His 62 points on the road and 49 at home are still school records.

“Teaching comes naturally for Al,” said David Ward, a Jackson Park Yacht Club member for 20 years. “Al’s personality is a good fit for Jackson Park. People are friendly and are willing to share their knowledge. If there’s a question on a boat, Al usually has the answer.”

With no cell phone, television or computer, Thompson spends most of the day chatting with the long-time regular members of the club. Occasionally, he’ll stop into the Jackson Park Yacht Club to watch a movie before retiring around midnight. Up by sunrise, Thompson finds time to keep up with writing in his journal or ride into town or go home to do errands.

With summers off, Thompson bought a 15-foot catamaran sailboat in the late 1960s. After a dozen-plus capsizes in Lake Michigan, Thompson became a natural, sailing out of South Shore and 79th Street beaches.

By 1984, Thompson was ready for greater adventures and bought a 25-foot Hunter for $6,000. At about the same time, he met Bill Pinkney in a ski club, and the two became friends and travel partners.

“Bill was a mentor for me,” said Thompson. “I learned a lot about navigation, and we always had a good time. Bill was docked at Belmont Harbor, so I’d usually sail up, and then we’d go from there. He’d take his boat and I’d go in mine.”

In 1990, he and his girlfriend, along with two friends on another boat, spent 38 days sailing around the western part of Michigan and down the Wisconsin shoreline.

“We’d start going to Michigan City, St. Joseph, [Mich.], and work our way up the coast,” said Thompson. “We’d go about 30 miles a day and then anchor in a marina at night. We brought fold-up bikes, and at each harbor there’s always a lot of fun.

'The 1st Black Sailors We've Seen' —

Pulling into Pentwater, Mich., one day, they surprised the locals.

“They said, ‘You’re the first black sailors we’ve seen here!’” Thompson said. “They couldn’t have been nicer. We stayed three nights and were given royal-carpet treatment.”

In 1994, Thompson flew to Europe and then to Egypt. Taking a water taxi on the Nile, he inquired about skippering. Thompson got the boat going at maximum speed up the river and had it heeling during the four-mile trip before maneuvering it to the dock. The owner was so impressed, he invited him into his home to smoke his water pipe.

Thompson’s excursions weren’t confined to the water. An accomplished skier for over 40 years, Thompson and friends have been skiing at various locations out west, where they would meet up with members in one of three black ski clubs.

Other trips during the 1980s took him to Austria, Switzerland, and Italy. The principal at Williams Elementary insisted that Thompson bring his skiing trophies from the summits to school to show the children and share details on his victories.