[Rhodes22-list] We're In the Water!

[DCLewis1 at aol.com]

Steve,
 
If you were thinking about sailing up to WDC, you might consider being  here 
for the 4 July fireworks.  They're better than pretty good (your  tax dollars 
at work) and staged from the ellipse, which almost  fronts on the water on one 
side - check your maps.  Although we have  never watched the fireworks from 
afloat we have observed them from the shore  several times; each time we saw 
boats on the river lined up at anchor and  the people on those boats enjoying 
the show and their own private  parties.  And the best part always seemed to me 
that those guys didn't have  to face the horrendus commute home after the 
fireworks, they could just say on  their boats.  
 
I don't know the restrictions as to where you would be allowed to  anchor and 
where you wouldn't.  I'm sure that some locations  would be better than 
others, and some areas of the river may be excluded.   As I recall, it's not 
wall-to-wall boats, but there are a fair number, and I  expect they arrive at their 
anchorings early, to get a good location.   I expect the boaters spend much of 
 the day partying on the water  at their anchoring.  And of course, the 
federales are out in force on the  water, so good behavior is at a premium.   
 
If you were going to spend most of a day in July anchored in the Potomac,  
I'd recommend a bimini or sun-shade - A/C would be nice.  Also, you might  need 
bug netting for the evening/night, your nations capital really was  built on a 
swamp.   If there were a breeze, the heat and bugs might  not be an issue, or 
as much of an issue.
 
If you wanted to hang around WDC for sightseeing, I think the Washington  
Sailing Marina (WSM) has transient slips, but they might be booked way  ahead, 
don't know -  I recommend you check this out in advance.   It's a small facility 
and there is a huge demand for slips - and I imagine a  huge demand for 
transient slips.  I think the bad news about the WSM as a  base for sightseeing is 
that it's well removed from any public  transportation - you really need a car 
to get to WDC, or anywhere.   It's located along an idyllic section of the GW 
parkway, except that it's  near enough to the south end of National Airport 
that it's over flown by  aircraft landing or taking off about every 2 to 3 
minutes.  So noise is a  problem, but it's very picturesque, and pretty isolated 
from WDC.  I  suppose you could hike to the Metro subway station at Washington 
National  Airport,  I've never made that hike,  but I think  it would  be 
significant, by my standards.
 
The other marina I'm familiar with, Bellehaven, is just outside the  beltway. 
 It's even smaller than the WSM, and you would definitely need a  car to 
access any of the WDC area for sightseeing.  
 
There may be facilities that would allow you to tie up overnight in  
Alexandria.  WDC sightseeing attractions are only a bus ride away from  Alexandria (a 
long bus ride).  Old Town Alexandria is worth a look if  you're into the 
Williamsburg kind of thing.   I know you can tie  up at Alexandria for lunch, 
shopping, and that sort of thing - I don't know  about overnight.
 
I don't think you can sail up to Mt Vernon, to pay your respects to Mr  
Washington, which is really too bad.  I think water access to that  area is 
restricted, I could be wrong.
 
There is at least one marina over on the Paxtuxent River part of WDC,  but 
I'm told it's in a very rough part of town.  You, your family, and  your 
outboard motor might be at risk.
 
I believe you can tie up in the Georgetown area, which would provide you  to 
good access to WDC.  But I'm not sure you can tie up overnight - as  opposed 
to lunch, shopping, etc.   I understand, from newspaper  reports, that on 
summer weekend evenings it's pretty crowded with  boats tied up 3 deep to get to 
the pier, and it's a hyperactive social  scene.  I haven't seen this, I've only 
read about it.  
 
I've thought of trying to sail up the Potomac to WDC this year for the  
fireworks, but I have no clue as to how long that up-river passage would  take.  It 
might take a long time.
 
Dave