July 9 – July 19, 2010
We spent one more event-filled weekend in Portsmouth. Our dock neighbors had shared highlights from last year’s “Richmond-to-Portsmouth Poker Run” of “go-fast” boats, so Roger was DEFINITELY interested in staying for this last event. Plus, it gave us the chance to wait for Susan & Danny (Potest Fieri) to catch up with us. On Saturday afternoon, the boats started to arrive in our marina – 120 Cigarette boats, Donzis -- anything that was fast and loud and filled with hard-bodied, bikini-clad girls. As luck would have it (for Roger), the gathering place was on the dock across from us, so our neighbors came over and watched the parade of boats and people from our upper deck. Everyone on the party dock looked like they were having fun – there was music and a DJ and it got louder as the day went on.
All the guys on our boat had their binoculars out and were positioned perfectly to watch the wet tee shirt contest, which took place on “a pole” on one of the boats. Fifteen minutes before, I had said, “Those people are probably saying to each other, ‘Hey, look at all those old people checking out our party from their old-people’s boat’!” And sure enough, the DJ spotted the ten of us watching them and told everyone on the party dock to turn to us and give us a hand. They yelled and whistled and applauded. And Roger took that as his queue to stand up and lift up HIS shirt and showed them HIS chest -- which brought an even bigger roar from the party dock! You know, there are times that I really wish I could control my husband.
On Monday morning, we finally cut loose from Portsmouth after 48 days at a dock. We left the Elizabeth River for the Chesapeake Bay. Passing by the largest Navy base in the world, there were ships on both sides of us. We heard on the radio, “This is Warship 7 – radio check,” and that took me by surprise. What was I expecting? “Good morning, this is Happy Days Cruise Ship – radio check”? It was a humbling experience to meet the “warships” in the channel on their way to or from resupplying at the naval base, knowing the jobs of the men and women aboard are to protect us and our freedom.
The first night out, we anchored in Put In Creek. Susan & Danny invited us to raft up next to them so we wouldn’t have to clean off 2 anchors in the morning. Ok, here we go again, taking Louie to shore in the dinghy:
Good News – there’s a dinghy dock!
Bad News – it’s infested with crawling bugs, cockroaches maybe?
Good News – there’s a boat ramp!
Bad News – there are jellyfish in the water!
Good News – Roger pulled the dinghy all the way up so I wouldn’t
even have to get my feet wet.
In spite of the hassle of taking the dog to shore, it was a nice calm anchorage that night.
The second day underway was a long one – 9 hours to Tangier Island. The owner of the marina, Milton Parks, offered to take us on a tour of the island in his golf cart. Only 600 people live on Tangier Island and fishing, crabbing, and a little tourism sustain their livelihood. The island is only 2 miles long and the mode of transportation here is golf cart, scooter or 4-wheeler. It’s a simple life. There are no alcohol sales on the island and people bury their dead relatives in their front yard!
On Wednesday morning, the wind was howling in the marina, where generally we are “protected.” It was not a good sign for the day ahead of us, but we left anyway in small craft warnings. We battened down everything inside the cabin – bungee cords on the TV, end table, shutters; computers were stowed away; and everything was off the counters. We were hardly away from the marina and the boat was rolling back and forth from one wave to the next. The seas were about 5 feet, and abeam (coming across the side of our boat), the most uncomfortable scenario. You EXPECT to be heeled over in a sailboat, but not on a Manatee. The wind was blowing stink – gusts of 35 mph. I didn’t like it one bit!
Any of you who know me well, know that I can whirl off a cuss word or two occasionally (haha). Let me tell you, I was too scared to tempt fate, so I prayed instead (always the better choice). And the only expletive that I said to Roger was, “YOU PROMISED ME THAT YOU’D NEVER TAKE ME OUT IN WEATHER LIKE THIS!!!!!” Two hours later, we reached Smith Point Lighthouse and we altered course in the direction of the Potomac River and the seas were now on our port bow, a little better. With my life jacket on (the entire trip), I went down the ladder into the cockpit to bring a bucket up (there was NO WAY I was going to use the bathroom inside the boat in this weather). I saw that my mint plant had tipped over and come out of the pot and the swim ladder, deck brush, and coffee table had fallen over – what a mess! It was an early night to bed.
The next two days heading up the Potomac River toward Washington, DC couldn’t have been any calmer. You could have skipped a stone across the water. By Friday afternoon, we were entering the capital area. We passed Quantico (the training grounds for the FBI, CIA, etc.), Mt. Vernon (George Washington’s home), Alexandria, VA, Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) and arrived at Gangplank Marina in downtown DC. We’ve been to DC several times, but it was a thrill to arrive by water. The location was great, easy to get to public transportation or to walk to the attractions.
On Saturday morning, Roger & I took the Metro to Alexandria, to go to West Marine, of course. That afternoon, back in DC, we went in separate directions. Roger went to the Museum of Natural History and I went to the National Gallery of Art for 3 hours. What a treat! On Sunday, we went to the Holocaust Museum and while it was certainly sobering, it’s one that definitely should be seen and remembered. We walked back toward the marina and stopped off at a seafood market nearby, where we had shrimp for lunch. That evening, we caught up with Susan & Danny and their granddaughter Ella for dinner. We are staying at the same marina, but on docks that are far apart. We talk on the phone when we want to plan something because it’s too hot to walk to each other’s boats. Yesterday, the temperature reading on a marquee at 6:30 p.m. was 106 degrees. It’s nearly unbearable.
This morning, all of us met up to take a tour of the Capitol Building. It is a remarkable site and we often forget what it stands for when we see the Capitol Building on a news report. But when we come face to face with American history like we did today, we understand so much more about our country and we can’t help but feel the patriotism in our hearts. It sounds a little sappy, but that’s how both of us felt today.
We will stay here one more day and then leave for the northern Chesapeake Bay.
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