7/21/08

THE FAMOUS SEAFOOD MARKET IN DOWNTOWN WASHINGTON DC NEXT TO OUR MARINA
THE WORLD WAR TWO MEMORIAL
JEFFERSON MEMORIAL
F D R MEMORIAL
WASHINGTON MEMORIAL IN THE BACKGROUND WITH OUR LOOPER FRIENDS L TO R
REX & JAN FROM OK, LEE & CAROL FROM MD, ALICE & PHIL FROM IL
LINCOLN MEMORIAL
LINCOLN
GEORGE WASHINGTON MASONIC MEMORIAL ALEXANDRIA VA
CB"S MEMORIAL ARLINGTON VA
WILLIAMSBURG VA
ON THE YORK RIVER
STAINED GLASS OF GEORGE WASHINGTON
FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL WITH THE CAPITAL BLDG IN THE BACKGROUND
ONE OF THE MANY FLOATS AT THE 4TH OF JULY PARADE WASHINGTON DC


WE HAVE BEEN DOCKED IN WASHINGTON DC FOR THE LAST MONTH. OUR NATIONS CAPITAL HAS SO MUCH TO SEE. OUR DAYS WERE FILLED WITH SIGHTSEEING. THE SO MANY SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM BLDGS., THE CAPITAL BLDG.,WITH THE SENATE & HOUSE OF REP., THE SUPREME COURT, THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, THE "MINT", THE WASHINGTON , LINCOLN, JEFFERSON, FDR, WW2, VIETNAM, KOREA, THE NAVY MEMORIALS, THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES (MIRIAM DID RESEARCH AT THE ARCHIVES & THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS), GEORGE TOWN, THE NATIONAL CATHEDRAL, ALEXANDRIA VA, ARLINGTON CEMETERY & THE CHANGING OF THE GUARDS, & MUCH, MUCH, MORE.

OUR PLANS WERE TO MEET FRIENDS HERE IN DC. ALICE & PHIL (WONDERLAND), CAROL & LEE (CAROLANN), REX & JAN (GRAND START) FLEW IN FROM OK, ALSO JIM & PEG ALONG WITH THEIR GRANDSON NICK WERE THERE ON THEIR BOAT. WE ALL HAD A GREAT TIME TOGETHER AFTER NOT SEEING SOME SINCE LAST FALL. MY SISTER NORA DROVE UP FOR THE 4TH OF JULY FESTIVITIES AND FIREWORKS.

WHEN WE FIRST ARRIVED WE LEFT THE BOAT IN WASHINGTON MARINA & DROVE HOME FOR OUR SON JOSH'S WEDDING TO DANI. WE STAYED A WEEK AT HOME BEFORE RETURNING. IT WAS SO GOOD TO BE WITH THE KIDS & GRAND KIDS FOR A WHILE. EVEN OUR SON GEORGE & HIS WIFE NAHLA & SON HARRISON WERE HOME FOR THE WEDDING WHOM WE HADN'T SEEN FOR OVER A YEAR.

WHEN WE LAST UPDATED OUR BLOG WE WERE JUST LEAVING WASHINGTON NC HEADED FOR BATH. BATH WAS A NICE LITTLE TOWN IN NC THE OLDEST IN THE STATE. THEY HAD ONE FREE STATE DOCK WHICH WE USED FOR OUR ONE NIGHT STAY.

NEXT IT WAS ANCHORING OUT ON THE ALLIGATOR RIVER & THEN ANCHORING AT BUCK ISLAND ON OUR WAY TO PORTSMOUTH. WE STOPPED FOR TWO NIGHTS AT GREAT BRIDGE VA, WHERE THERE IS FREE DOCKING BEFORE ARRIVING AT PORTSMOUTH. ON THE WAY TO BUCK ISLAND I SPOTTED A SAIL BOAT OUT OF THE CHANNEL. I DIDN'T THINK IT LOOKED LIKE A GOOD PLACE TO ANCHOR &. IT WASN'T. HE WASN'T ANCHORED ,HE WENT AGROUND. AS WE APPROACHED HIM HE YELLED FOR HELP. I TOLD HIM TO GET ON THE RADIO SO I COULD COMMUNICATE WITH HIM MY INTENTIONS. I DIDN'T WANT TO GET TOO CLOSE TOO HIM IN FEAR OF US GOING AGROUND, SO I TOLD HIM I WOULD GO BY HIM AS FAST AS I COULD AND SEND HIM A BIG WAVE OF WATER TO ROCK HIM FREE IN ORDER FOR HIM TO BACK OFF THE SAND BAR. IT WORKED ON THE SECOND TRY. IT WAS GOOD WE COULD HELP, HE WAS A LONG WAYS FROM ANYTHING.

AT PORTSMOUTH WE STAYED AT OCEAN MARINA FOR TWO NIGHTS SO WE COULD ENJOY THE NORFOLK FESTIVAL BEING HELD ACROSS THE RIVER. WE FERRIED BACK AND FORTH AS NEEDED. MY SISTER NORA CAME FROM NEWPORT NEWS VA TO STAY WITH US WHILE WE WERE THERE FOR THE FESTIVAL & HAD A GOOD TIME. THE FIRE WORKS THEY HAD ON (2 BARGES SETTING THEM OFF) SAT. NIGHT WERE THE BEST I HAVE EVER SEEN.

AFTER THE FESTIVITIES WE CRUISED UP THE CHESAPEAKE TO THE YORK RIVER & ANCHORED OUT & USED OUR DINGHY TO TRAVEL BACK & FORTH TO SHORE. WE VISITED THE YORKTOWN BATTLEFIELD, JAMESTOWN SETTLEMENT, & COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG ON THREE DIFFERENT DAYS. THEY HAVE COMPLIMENTARY BUS SERVICE TO ALL THESE LOCATIONS FROM THE YORKTOWN DOCKS.

FOLLOWING YORKTOWN WE ANCHORED ON THE GREAT WICOMICO RIVER FOR A NIGHT (BIG THUNDERSTORM @ DUSK) & THEN WE STAYED AT OLVERSONS MARINA ON THE YEOCOMICO RIVER FOR FOUR NIGHTS AND RELAXED BY THEIR HEATED SWIMMING POOL. WE HAD "MEET" FREDDY OLVERSON ON THE MARINE RADIO THE PREVIOUS YEAR WHILE IN NC & HE INVITED US TO COME BY AND SEE HIM WHEN WE WERE IN THE AREA. WE HAD A NICE TIME WITH FREDDY AND HIS LOVELY WIFE CASS OVER DINNER AT A LOCAL RESTAURANT THEY TOOK US TO FOR ALL THE RIBS YOU COULD EAT.

NEXT WE ANCHORED OUT AT MATTAWOMAN CK FOR THE NIGHT BEFORE GOING ON TO MT. VERNON, GEORGE WASHINGTON'S PLANTATION. THEY HAVE A DOCK THERE ON THE POTOMAC RIVER THAT WE TIED UP TO IN ORDER SEE THE PLANTATION GROUNDS & BUILDINGS & OF COURSE GEORGE'S HOME. AFTER OUR VISIT WE WENT BACK OUT IN THE POTOMAC AND ANCHORED FOR THE NIGHT BEFORE PROCEEDING UP THE POTOMAC RIVER TO WASHINGTON DC.

WE ARE NOW HEADED BACK DOWN THE POTOMAC TO THE CHESAPEAKE TO CROSS TO THE EASTERN SHORE. WE WILL ATTEND A FAMILY REUNION IN OCEAN CITY & THEN LEAVE OUR BOAT DOCKED THERE WHILE WE GO HOME FOR THE REST OF THE SUMMER TO BE WITH OUR FAMILY.

NEXT UPDATE IN THE FALL HEADING SOUTH.