Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Cruising the Chesapeake Week 7 DC, Port Tobacco River, Colonial Beach, VA

 Tuesday, June 16

The Craigslist bike did not work out.  We sat at the Safeway fountains for a couple hours waiting on the guy who was," running a little late".  We went back to the boat and had lunch and then the boys and I hung out in the AC at the clubhouse and did the laundry while Brian did some work on the boat.  Later, Brian and I went for a walk and he picked up a burger.  While it was good, it wasn't $10 for a burger and fries good.


Wednesday, June 17

Our friends we ran into upon arrival in DC had given us their Metro passes that still had a bit of money left on them. We decided to give the family the Metro experience. Once was enough. The DC metro system is nice enough. Clean, efficient, but every single person had to have a pass, we were given 4. So even though there was enough $ on the 4 cards for everyone, we still had to buy 2 passes. No way to transfer $ from the cards to new cards.
We had taken it to Union Station where we got off and walked a dozen or so blocks to an Auto Zone so Brian could get some leak stop for something on the engine. Having our fill of the Metro, we decided to walk back. We stopped for our pb&j picnic lunch at the gallery of art sculpture garden and sat by and in the fountain.

We walked back to the boat and rested, made dinner and then went back to the clubhouse patio to hang out and take showers. Brian ended up giving the remaining Metro cards to a guy at the club who had been extra helpful and kind to us .

Thursday, June 18

Time to move on.  Anchor was up at 10:05. We stopped around the corner at James Creek Marina for fuel and then headed down the river.  We went about 50 miles and went into Port Tobacco River.  The river didn't have anything to do with tobacco, it's name came from an old Indian name.  We got the anchor down at 5:50.  It was rainy that evening and overnight.

Friday, June 19

We hung out on the boat. Brian and Jacob went kayaking. Later that afternoon Brian and I went exploring at Chapel Point State Park.  Just a small beach area. Drivers get to it from a highway and follow the dirt road through a wheat field.  That night brought more rain.  Lots of motor boats love to zip around in there, so we were almost constantly rolling a bit from their wakes.

Saturday, June 20

In our exploring, we found a couple rope swings that looked like fun. We moved the boat further back in to get better protection. Then everyone piled into the kayaks and we went over to play.





Another family told us about some holes in the cliffs around the corner. They had first thought wasps, but then saw barn swallows using them.
Back at the boat, we rested awhile then worked on dinner. Provisions are starting to get low, so since we were out of store tortillas, I made some. Luke made enchilada sauce for me and we managed to put a pan together.

There were more storms overnight. 

Sunday, June 21
Father's Day. We had breakfast burritos with the leftover tortillas. The boys went back over to the rope swings, Brian did more touch up repairs with his favorite marinetex stuff. I got caught up on some reading.  After dinner, Brian and I each got in a kayak and went paddling around.

Monday, June 22

Time to move on. Anchor was up by 8:30. Short trip over to Colonial Beach. Anchor was down at 11:10am in Monroe Bay. We fixed lunch and then got ready to explore the town.  Alexander  Graham Bell lived in a house here that is now a Bed and Breakfast.



We found the closest place for icecream, a 7-11, and headed for a park.

We also found Santa's sleigh.
Walking back to the dock, Nathan and I got a ride on a golf cart from some nice gentlemen we had met at the marine supply store. The others came along a while later.

They had a Coke machine that still sold cans for 50 cents, so we shared a couple and relaxed in the shade awhile.  We paddled back to the boat and Brian continued on to explore.  We made dinner and then got a surprise visit from a swan family. They seemed to be looking for a handout, but we didn't have any bread to offer.  I was surprised by how close they came.

Tuesday, June 23

Today is the hottest this week.  We gave haircuts on the sugar scoop of the boat over the trashcan, Brian changed a filter and then took apart the compass. It has had a bubble and he researched how to fix it. the boys and I are at the library while he walked to the store for mineral spirits to fix the compass.

Colonial Beach is a lovely town, easy to walk where ever you need. The people are very friendly. Not sure how long we will stay, but are enjoying it while we are here.







Monday, June 15, 2015

Cruising the Chesapeake/ Potomac Week 6

Leonardtown was a great place to stop over for a few days. Luke took a few photos of our views from the boat in the anchorage.
Monday afternoon, June 8

After our time at the library, we stopped and picked up Chinese takeout and ate it back at the wharf. Before going back to  the boat, we visited a bit with the owner of a tug named "Thistle" that was tied up at the dock.

About 4pm we decided to have Luke take us up the creek as far as the dinghy would go and then we would kayak the rest of the way where we could take out near the Food Lion.

Turns out we were able to go the entire way in the dinghy. We did have to paddle it over shallow spots and under a fallen tree.  Once tied off, Luke stayed with the boats while Brian and I went to shop. Coming back we found the tide had come in. Going back we had to gently climb onto the fallen tree and pull the boats over it then get back in.  An unusual way to provision, but it worked.  We made a special effort to stock up on canned goods.  We have learned that canned chicken is especially good.
We started to take advantage of the storage under the floor in the galley.

Tuesday we did not do much.  Brian pulled out my sewing machine and we worked together to get several jeans patched and a couple other small mending jobs.

Wednesday, Brian and the boys made several trips with the jerry jugs to get water to top off the tanks. They also brought me lots of fresh water and I did laundry in our nifty Wonder Clean washer. It works great. The breeze was perfect to hang everything on the lifelines to dry.

Thursday, June 11

Time to move on up the river.  We had originally planned to go to Old Tobacco River, but since there was no wind and we were motoring and making good time, we went past that and anchored in Mattawoman Creek. Total nautical miles for the day was 56 miles.  It had been a hot day, so as soon as the anchor was down, we changed into swimwear and jumped in to cool off.


After dinner, Brian and I kayaked over to the state park and walked around. Beautiful area!
The next morning we discovered the mayflies had taken over the boat. Green dots everywhere.
While Brian was on a phone call, the boys were compounding and waxing the bottom of the dinghy. Hopefully it will help to keep growth down on it. I did some housekeeping inside and then tackled the sugar scoop to clean up after the mayflies. We got the anchor up and made the final 26 miles to DC.

We went past Mt. Vernon, home of George Washington.
And Fort Washington

Sailing past Alexandria, we saw the L'Hermione replica. It has been making appearances up and down the Chesapeake.  This was the ship that the Marquis de Lafayette came on to help George Washington fight the British in the Revolutionary War.


We continued on and anchored in the Washington Channel at 2:30pm. Brian and Jacob went to shore to see about dinghy tie up at the Capital Yacht Club.  For $16 a day we were allowed to tie up and use all of the facilities.  While they were there, they saw a sailing friend from New Bern.





There were some interesting house boats in the marina.
As well as yachts of all sizes.




We all came up to the clubhouse for dinner. The club had hosted an event earlier in the day and we were invited to help eat down the leftovers. BBQ from Famous Daves!

Saturday, June 13

Museum Day. We walked to the mall and visited the National Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, the Natural History Museum and the American History Museum.


We walked to the Capitol Building.


Then down the mall to the Washington Monument, WW II Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Reflection Pool and Jefferson Memorial.


A few years ago, my Grandpa Shurley on one of the Honor Flights that would bring WWII Veterans to DC to see this memorial.




After all that walking we were, as some NC friends would say, slap wore out!
Thankfully there was plenty of bbq chicken left that we still had a good dinner and I didn't have to cook it.

Sunday, June 14

The boys had been missing waffles,as the waffle iron did not make the cut to come on the boat. The clubhouse had two and we got permission to use one. So I made waffles and we were also offered some fruit salad and biscuits and gravy leftover from their Saturday morning breakfast service.

Still worn out from Saturday's walking, we only ventured to check out  the Safeway store a half mile away.  Outside the store are some fountains that Brian had fun playing in.

 We came back and had lunch. The boys made a bee line for the AC in the clubhouse. Brian did some electrical work and I took a nap.   Brian wanted to check out the local fish markets just up the road and maybe get some shrimp for dinner.
But the prices were a bit steep for us and we walked back to Safeway and picked up fried chicken and ice cream instead.

Monday, June 15

We wanted to get an early start and beat the heat on sight seeing, but didn't get around to leaving until 10am. The weather was nice though and we had nice breezes and partly cloudy skies. We walked to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and got tickets for a 3:15pm tour. the ticket line for the Holocaust Museum was too long, so we decided to wait for another time. We then headed for the White House. We knew we were not going to tour it, but were still surprised at how far back we had to be to see it.

I guess thanks to last years fence jumper they are a little paranoid about tourist getting too close. We had to walk  through a field about the size of a football field to get to this fence.

Next we walked to 10th and E streets and saw the outside of the Ford Theater and the house across the street where Lincoln died.




On this same street is the Hard Rock Cafe.  I remember when I came to DC for an 8th grade trip how cool we felt to see it and get a t-shirt. 

Then it was on to Union Station.

Another walk back down the mall and time to rest before our BEP tour. 

Pictures were not allowed on the actual tour, but it was a neat experience to see.

Back at the boat, we gathered dinner making supplies and came up to the clubhouse. It started to rain, so Brian went back to shut windows and brought back some meat I needed to get cooked off. Boat refrigerators do not keep things as cool as needed, especially in the summer heat.  Lesson learned. If and when we buy meat, it needs to be cooked and eaten that day or the next.

Brian has decided we need a bike on board. So this evening he is meeting a guy at Safeway to possibly buy one off Craigslist.

 Stay tuned to see what happens next.