Colonial Beach VA

As we packed up the boat and rearranged the car, I gave serious thought to changing the seasons in my "closet" (aka car).  I've worn nothing but sandals and shorts, and we have a whole storage bin in the boat filled with sweatshirts, fleece, jackets, etc.  It was grey and foggy this morning, but I dressed again for 89 humidity-filled degrees...

Thank God I didn't move that fleece to the car!  As the day progressed, it got cold... and right now we are sitting in the cabin with the heat going.

The cruise today was fairly bumpy, even though the winds were not high.  And the river and bay were dense with logs and other debris.  Not the smoothest or most peaceful ride; but uneventful.

We stopped for the day at Colonial Beach... I have been wanting to come here ever since the kids moved to Virginia... but it isn't exactly the kind of day I anticipated spending here.  It's too grey to take pictures, so I'm taking a few from the net to show you some highlights.

Colonial Beach is on a little peninsula between the Potomac and the Chesapeake.  It is a beach community for the Washington DC area; a very small town that advertises it has only one stoplight. (population 3550). On one side of the spit of land are marinas, and there are nice beaches, piers, and a casino on the Chesapeake side.  The Chesapeake is all technically Maryland, so the casino, which sits on pilings over the water, is taxed and considered to be Maryland!  Nearby is a long pier, though, and we were told that Maryland gave that pier to Virginia because often there would be rowdy folks out there and it was too difficult to police it.

We walked to a restaurant for lunch and as we left to walk to the grocery store, it was starting to rain. The lady who worked at Nightingales Marina happened to be driving by and stopped to ask if we needed a ride.   We did our shopping, and then she came back to pick us up.  Instead of taking us right back, she drove us through town a bit and told us all about this sleepy town.  More southern hospitality.

Alexander Graham Bell lived here at one time.  This was his home.  He also started a school for the deaf here in town.

And this is what it was supposed to look like today :)  "The sun will come out tomorrow...  I hope"

Colonial Beach VA

A Respite in Woodbridge VA

We launched at Occoquan Marina on the Occoquan River (just off the Potomac) in Woodbridge Virginia.  This would be our home base for a few days, and then we would return here to store Freedom for a month.  We have family in Woodbridge and spent a great memorial day weekend with them... taking grandson for a boat ride, going to the B&O railroad museum in Baltimore (we have train lovers in the genetic pool), then to see Medival Times (we also have lovers of knights, swords and horses).

And on the third day, we rested... washed the car and hit the swimming pool.  We have been on the go for a solid month and it was nice to just chill "at home".

 When grandson went back to school, the two of us took a day to drive to see Monticello; the mountain residence of Thomas Jefferson.  It was so interesting... much more so than Mount Vernon which I saw years ago.  TJ was a renaissance man: an inventor, a scientist, a philosopher as well as our 3rd president.  It was a lovely day to see a lovely home in an idyllic setting.

 Then it was back to the boat to do some projects: install our "new" Ebay GPS, and some handles and steps.  There is always something to work on when you have a boat.  In fact, I have a list going of things to sew and buy when we get home.  The weather was extremely hot and muggy and we experienced severe thunderstorms the last two nights.. but we were snug as a bug in a rug.. in our C-Dory

Occoquan Harbour, Woodbridge VA

Medieval Times, Baltimore MD

B&O Railroad Museum, Baltimore MD

Monticello (Thomas Jefferson's Home)