Meandering through the Middle Bay

"Point No Point" Lighthouse, former home of another
lonely lighthouse keeper.  Note the outhouse on left side.

After staying at this Boathouse Marina for a month, which cost only $250 for the entire month, we departed southbound on Friday August 15.  As we left the Colonial Beach area, we heard the big guns from Dahlgren Naval Weapons Testing Facility, just to the north.  Their firing range was “hot”, which means they were conducting live firing into the middle of the Potomac River!  As Captain of my vessel, I made an “executive decision” to stay near the southern edge of the River, outside the danger zone.  Of course, my Admiral readily acknowledged my decision-making skills!

Cove Point Lighthouse - pretty setting

As we exited the Potomac River, turning north in Chesapeake Bay, we experienced the turbulent water for which the Potomac is famous.  The Potomac flows a huge amount of fresh water into the Bay, which at times joins with a strong ebb tidal current.  When all that water hits a wind from the opposing direction, a pretty mean wave pattern builds.  Good thing that we secure all our belongings inside the boat before we leave each morning.

Maybe we WON'T go swimming today!

 

We anchored for two nights in a creek off the Solomons Island area, hoping to launch our dinghy to go eat crab at our favorite restaurant in this area.  But we couldn’t get the motor started to run the 1-1/2 miles to the restaurant, so we rowed ½ mile to a nearby art museum/sculpture garden & tied up at their dock & enjoyed a nice afternoon.

In the Bay, off Cove Point, is a huge LNG terminal

We thought about going swimming, but that thought soon vanished after seeing the multitude of sea nettles (jellyfish) floating past the boat.  They were so numerous that we sucked one through our raw water intake for our air conditioning & plugged the intake.  We couldn’t clean the critter off the hull strainer until the next day when we ran the boat fast (yes, Clint, “fast” is a relative word).

At the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, and old
"Marine Railway" to haul boats out of the water,
long before the existence of a Travelift

We cruised over to the Eastern Shore of the Bay to visit the quaint town of St. Michaels, whose history goes back to the 1600’s.  But we found that the marina prices were about $3.75 per foot per night (they get a lot of rich folks coming over from Annapolis & Baltimore).  For us, that would be almost $200 per night for dockage (remember that we paid only $250 for a full MONTH at our last marina).  Instead, we found a way through the back door, to run up a creek on the south side of St. Michaels, drop the hook, and take the dinghy to a free public dock at the edge of town.   But we still managed to leave our share of tourist money with them.

A restored Skipjack, built to harvest oysters.  Maryland
passed a law that the watermen couldn't use powered
boats to harvest oysters, so it had to be a sailboat.

We ended up anchoring for 6 consecutive nights since leaving Colonial Beach, the longest period that we’ve done so.  On Thursday we traveled the 15 miles over to Oxford MD to a marina, so we could refill fresh water tanks, get a pumpout, and do some laundry.  Also, the Admiral needed to eat some more crab.  After two nights here, we’ll head up the Bay towards Baltimore.  We’ll stay a couple nights at a marina where “Loopers” (members of America’s Great Loop Cruising Association) get cheap dockage.  I’ll pay only $15 per night.  Then next week, we go into Baltimore’s Inner Harbor for the week to see more history & maybe even take a shot at Fort McHenry (with the camera, of course).

In St. Michaels, a restored wooden boat with the
yacht club burgee, out for a row around the harbor
(then they will probably go play lawn croquet)

 

In Oxford MD, a "log canoe" is towed out for the races.
This sailboat was actually hollowed out from a log, a
common method to build oyster boats along the Bay.
It is tradition to have a woman sitting aft, watching the
trim of the aft sail

Log canoe racing.  Note the sailors on the outriggers and
the lady sitting aft watching sail trim.

More races on a rainy Saturday outside Annapolis.
I think we kinda cut across their route.

Thomas Point Lighthouse, off Annapolis. This is the
most photographed lighthouse on the Bay, so I
had to join the masses.

Cruising in the ship channel towards Baltimore, we happen
to look astern & saw this guy at 3 miles and closing.
We figured that the big guys have "right of way"

Back into Tourist Mode

At Solomons, the relocated Drum Point Lighthouse
and a Skipjack oysterboat

So, we have our car now, and find that this area is just dripping with history, so we pack up all our Yankee Greenbacks & set off to see what there is to see.

Our first trip is north across the Patuxent River to the boating community of Solomons Island.  We had visited this town for the first time in 2007, attending a boat show before we bought “Fruition”, and we still remember the fabulous crab cakes we had.  We easily located the restaurant and had a very enjoyable dockside meal.  We also toured the maritime museum in town, learning more about the watermen of the Chesapeake & their boats.

The home of the Lee family of Virginia, along the Potomac

The Colonial "rebels" firing actual smooth bore muskets

The Redcoats had these effective weapons called
"bayonets"

We were surprised to learn that this “Northern Neck” of Virginia (the peninsula bordering the Potomac) was the birthplace of many of the country’s Founding Fathers.  James Monroe (5^th President & author of the Monroe Doctrine) was born right outside of Colonial Beach.  James Madison (4^th President) was born 15 miles south along the Rappahannock River.  George Washington (27^th President) (just seeing if you’re paying attention) was born along the Potomac just 10 miles south.  And adjacent to that is Stafford Hall – the home of the Lee family of Virginia, two of whom signed the Declaration of Independence, and one who graduated from the US Army Military Academy to become an excellent soldier and the leader of the Army of the Confederacy (Robert E Lee for all you Yankees).  Of course, we had to tour all these sites.  We lucked out at the Pope Creek birthplace of Washington, because a weekend of reenactment was being held.  We learned about those dastardly Redcoats & that ol’ George wasn’t necessarily the perfect angel that the school books portray. 

 

Dinner with Jeanie & Bill from S/V Nemo

The next couple days found us together again with our sailboater friends Bill & Jeanie from S/V “Nemo”, who we traveled with for a month & ate lots of crab with in Crisfield MD.  We picked them up at their boat in Deltaville VA to re-provision, and then to drive over to Reedville to another maritime museum. Reedville was at one time the richest town in America due to the vast quantities of menhaden fish caught & processed.  I thought this was almost laughable because these menhaden fish are very odiferous & oily – and in New Orleans we called them “pogie fish” and thought of them as a junk fish.  Anyway, we ended the day over dinner at a unique restaurant called the Inn at Kilmarnock, where we broke bread & told lots of lies – er, I mean, sea stories (some of which were actually true!)

"If God had meant us to build fibre-glass boats,
He would have grown fibre-glass trees"

 

Reedville Fisherman's Museum in front of replica of Capt
John Smith's boat used to explore the Chesapeake Bay

Italian marble crypt of John Paul Jones at USNA

Oliver's battle flag from Put-In-Bay Ohio on Lake Erie

Our “final fling” (kinda sounds like the night before one gets married!) was a 2-day rainy trip up to Annapolis to explore its long history of boats & the sea.  We first took a walking tour in the rain of that little college by the sea called the US Naval Academy & saw all the Plebes (first year Midshipmen) running around in their white Dixie cups.  That gave me the shivers & reminded me of my first year as a Midshipman in NROTC, with the upperclassmen yelling at you all the time trying to make some sense out of everything.  We saw the fabulous crypt of John Paul Jones (“I have just begun to fight”) below the Chapel on base.  We toured the USNA museum, which had a good history of the US Navy.  Two items stood out for me.  As all you relatives from Lake Erie and the War of 1812 can appreciate, the museum had the actual battle flag flown by Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, with the last words of his mentor Admiral James Lawrence, “Don’t Give Up The Ship”.  Secondly, the museum had a fantastic display, the largest collection of 17^th & 18^th century ship models, which were built hundreds of years ago and used as a model to construct the actual sailing ships.  Some of these models were 5 feet long and 4 feet tall, most with a complete set of rigging and a full broadside of cannon!  Impressive.

 

Model at USNA museum made out of silver!

So now we’re finished being landlubbers, and are ready to put to sea.  We’ll head north up the Bay, with no schedule until August 25, when we’ll be in Baltimore Inner Harbor for a couple days.  We plan to anchor a lot & try to use our dinghy, which we have been patching for several days.  There’s things yet to see, and crab yet to eat!

Landlubber Time

"The children we nestled all snug in their beds...."

We made our Pilgrimage back to Chattanooga & then to New Orleans & then back to Chattanooga & then east almost to North Carolina’s Outer Banks & then north to our boat on the Potomac River.  I get tired again just thinking about the trip.

Just like old times

Our first stop in Chattanooga found us meeting up with our best boating friends Leigh & Clint & spending 3 days on their boat “Barefootin” on the Tennessee River.  We took a short ride down river to Guntersville (AL) State Park, which was preparing for their Shrimp Festival.  We ate dinner at the park lodge & enjoyed a magnificent view of the River from the mountaintop.  We brought our swim suits & rafts, so we could act like our “old times together” and take Leigh’s “girls” swimming. We tried out Clint’s new dinghy and propane motor, which he recently obtained so that he could anchor for the night & still get the dogs to shore.   All in all, a very relaxing, enjoyable time.

 

Can you guess what flavor of ice cream is
Madeleine's favorite?

It was a short visit to New Orleans, but we did our best to spoil our granddaughter Madeleine.  Chris & Ali just purchased a vacant lot, so they’re excited about building & owning their first house.  I had a scheduled dermatology appointment, which ended with a biopsy of a spot on my face.  Can we all say “skin cancer”?

 

A jazz band parades around the mall as part of a
bridal show.  Only in New Orleans!

On the return trip to Chattanooga, our special friends John & Susan went way beyond the “call of duty”.  We had planned to stay with them for a couple days, but when they were suddenly called to Texas for family issues, they left the house key with us along with a full refrigerator.  We can’t thank them enough for their hospitality.  But we’d sure like to see them next time we’re in town!

Happy Birthday 92 times!

The main event this trip was an early celebration of Sue’s mother’s 92^nd birthday.  We bought 5 dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts for all the residents of the care facility, so, at least for a couple moments, everyone liked us.  Her mother enjoyed the small gifts she received & REALLY enjoyed the doughnut.  We’ll have to do it again next year!

As we drove east to retrieve our own car, which was in Bellhaven N.C. (right next to the Outer Banks), we realized how wide that state really is.  From west to east, NC is almost 560 miles, which makes for a long travel day.  The western part is all mountains (do we remember from our geography class where the Smoky Mountains are?), and we saw lots of folks on the Ocoee & Natahala Rivers either kayaking or white-water rafting.  Maybe we should sign up for this next time in town!  Or will it be like sky-diving at age 85?

While in NC, we did note that the current tobacco crop is doing nicely, so all you smokers & chewers should be happy.  As we drove our own car back north, the odometer turned over 200,000 miles, so it has finally reached maturity.  Maybe we should start thinking about a new car!

We Walked our Way thru Washington DC – and walked, and walked, and walked…

Coming up the Potomac with Washington Monument
dead ahead, and Jefferson Memorial to port.

We spent 4 wonderful, but tiring, days visiting Washington D.C.  We made reservations to stay at Capital Yacht Club, which is only ¼ mile from the Jefferson Memorial and about ½ mile from the Mall.  Wonderful location to start each day, either on foot or on the Metro subway.  We had visited DC several times by car, back when Sue’s uncle lived about 5 blocks from the Capitol Building, and when our daughter went to college in New York City.  We had previously seen the major monuments and museums, so this trip we focused on visiting secondary museums, and seeing some of the newer monuments.

Our first day, just before the storm clouds
opened up.

Which beer does Sue like?
ALL OF THEM!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the Navy Memorial, one old salt stands next to the
statue of The Lone Sailor

"The Peoples House", but don't try to get in there!

But this time, we did more than our share of walking – sometimes more than 5 miles a day.  Some highlights of our week were a walking tour of Arlington Cemetery (including watching the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns); a walking tour of the monuments one evening (with a night-time look to all the monuments); a free musical performance at Kennedy Center; a tour of the Bureau of Engraving & Printing; and of course, Sue finding several brew pubs to sample all the craft beers. 

 

Main entrance to Arlington National Cemetery, with
Arlington House at top of hill, where Robt E Lee lived prior to 1861

At the Tomb of the Unknowns, the Sgt inspects
the butt plate of the rifle of the on-coming sentry.
Very impressive.

"Here rests in Honored Glory an American soldier
known but to God"

Each time we visit this city, we are amazed at the significance and extent of this country’s history.  Seeing all the monuments and memorials, learning their history and the achievements of the subject individual or group of people, becomes a very emotional experience. 



The relatively new WWII Memorial is right on the Mall.
If you visit this, look for evidence that "Kilroy was here"

Sometimes the ol' feet just need a good soaking

Jefferson Memorial at dusk, reflected in the Tidal Basin

Inside the Jefferson Memorial.  President Kennedy,
addressing a group of Nobel Prize winners at the White House,
said that they were the greatest assemblage of talent in the White House
since Thomas Jefferson dined there alone

 

Night view up the Mall from the side of Lincoln Memorial

Finally, since the yacht club was right next to the seafood markets, Sue ran over there before we left to buy a dozen crabs, so that we had proper survival rations for our trip back down the Potomac.  We departed DC on Friday morning in absolutely beautiful cruising weather, and made our 70+ miles back to Colonial Beach VA where we’ll keep the boat for several weeks while we become landlubbers again.  We’ll rent a car for a trip to Chattanooga to care for Sue’s mother and to go boating on the Tennessee River with Clint & Leigh, followed by a jaunt to New Orleans to spoil our granddaughter and to get some doctor visits.  Finally, on our way back up here, we’ll stop to retrieve our own car, which we left somewhere in North Carolina (I think).

Will Obama say that this guy has more wealth than he "needs"
and needs to share some of it with those less fortunate?

 

How about this guy?  OH WAIT - this is Washington's
Mount Vernon estate!

Up the Potomac (without a paddle)

Crossing the Chesapeake Bay just north of Smith Island
is Solomons Lump Light, former home of another
lonely lighthouse keeper

After a couple weeks at Crisfield MD, plus another couple days waiting for the winds to die down, we departed the Eastern Shore, but not before buying another pound of lump crab meat.  At only $15/lb, we’ll have to eat crab for the next couple days (yeah, I know, this traveling life is hard to take).

 

Crossing the Bay, we passed the restored skipjack
heading to Crisfield.  Skipjacks were the original
Bay oyster boats.

 


READ YOUR CHARTS!  In the middle of the Bay
are wrecks still used by the Navy for bombing
and strafing targets!

We thought we’d be dodging thunderstorms during the entire crossing of the Chesapeake Bay to the western shore, but we had no rain and only 2’ waves.  We entered the mouth of the Potomac River near slack tide, so the water wasn’t turbulent like many boaters find it.  Once we entered the River, I was amazed at how calm & smooth the waters were.  Certainly different from being out on the Bay.

At the anchorage, Sue relaxes on the swim platform
while she drinks her beer, just before she
jumped into the water for a swim.

We were told by several boaters about the beautiful anchorage in Horseshoe Bend up the St Mary’s River, so that was our destination for 2 nights at anchor.  It was a very pretty location with lots of protection from wind and waves.  Following our boater-friend’s advice, the next day we put the dinghy into the water (after fixing yet another air leak), and rowed ashore to see the restoration of Historic St Mary’s City.

Working replica of the "Dove".  Sails are still
unfurled by hand by climbing the cat ropes.

For your history lesson today, you’ll want to know that St Mary’s MD was the 4^th English settlement in the New World, with everything starting around 1634.  Lord Calvert held the charter to the colony and set up St Mary’s as the capital of Maryland.  Since he was not allowed to practice his Catholic faith in England, he set up St Mary’s to be open to all religions, and in doing so, established the “birthplace of religious freedom”.  As luck would have it, his “experiment” in religious freedom lasted about 15 years before the Protestants protested (that’s what pro-testants do, isn’t it?), tortured the Catholics, and moved the colonial capital to Annapolis MD.  Archeologists have been reconstructing the homes, businesses, streets and city for years, so it is quite extensive and authentic.

The "Dove" square rigger sailing among the boats
at the anchorage

Of particular note was a replica of the “Dove”, a wooden sailing ship about 50 feet long which was one of the ships that brought the English colonists across the Atlantic to St Mary’s MD.  We went aboard to see how unimaginable it was to cross the ocean on such a small ship.  Further, the replica is fully functional, and sails regularly, as we found out that evening as a square-rigged sailing ship passed among the pleasure boats at anchor in the cove.  It’s not every day you see something like this!  “We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto!”



Sunset at the anchorage - the perfect ending of
another perfect day!

After two enjoyable nights at anchor, we cruised another 40 miles upriver to a marina at Colonial Beach to check it out for a long term visit next week.  It will soon be time to put the boat up for a month while we become landlubbers again to take care of personal commitments.  The following day we fought a 2.5 mph head current 40 more miles up the Potomac to an anchorage right across from the USMC Quantico base.  We felt very safe & secure sleeping that night.



We’re looking forward to the coming 4 days we’ll spend in Washington D.C. at a marina on the Potomac right next to the Jefferson Memorial.  We’ll have to write something in our blog about those experiences!