Skip
Well-Known Member
- Oct 5, 2006
- 1,085
- Boat Info
- 07 58 DB
Truly Blessed IV
2010 Nautica 12' RIB, 40HP Yamaha
- Engines
- MAN CRM 900s
This past Saturday we loaded up and headed up the Potomac to Washington, DC for our annual Cherry Blossom cruise. This is the official start to our boating season. We will run the 420 now until the week beofre Thanksgiving, then do the winterization and shrink wrap drill.
The weather forecast for Saturday did not look promising-partly cloudy and low 50s. We ran up the river with the aft enclosure up and it was quite comfortable. Boat ran great. I had Cummins out on Thursday to adjust valve lash and do a few other items beyond my current technical comfort level.
We arrived at the Alexandria City Marina at 1:30 and had the distinction of being the first transient in this season. The link below will take you to a short photo album we pieced together. The first couple shots show the 420 at the Marina, in front of the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Old Town Alexandria, which is about 5 or 6 miles south of the Capital as the crow flies. We loaded a bunch of friends aboard, around 2:00 p.m., then headed up the river past the Defense Intelligence Agency/Bolling Air Force Base, Naval Research Lab, and a few other landmarks. We then headed up the Washington Channel past Fort McNair on the starboard side and Haines Point on the port side. The cherry blossoms were beautiful. Haines Point and the bridges across the Channel were packed with people, but there were only a handful of boats on the river. From the Washington Channel you can get within a few hundred meters of the Tidal Basin, and the view of the Cherry Blossoms is pretty spectacular. For our perseverance we were rewarded with a beautiful sunny afternoon with very little wind.
We turned the 420 at the head of the Channel and proceeded back down to Haines Point, then turned north past Reagan National Airport and brought the 420 on plane for the short run up to Georgetown. This is really a beautiful cruise-the Kennedy Center is on the starboard side heading north, Roosevelt Island is to port, and you can get well past Georgetown before the Potomac becomes hazardous. We then turned and headed back to the Alexandria City Marina. We got the boat secured in her slip and broke out the fishing poles, and the kids were rewarded with a couple 3-4 pound catfish that were clearly desperate for entertainment, or a quick snack. At any rate, the kids fished, the adults chatted and had a few frosty beverages, then we all headed off to dinner. We spent a great night aboard, then repeated the cycle on Sunday with another group of friends. On the way downriver on Sunday afternoon we explored the soon to be opened National Harbor on the Maryland shore just south of the Wilson Bridge, then headed for home.
All in all we put about 6 hours on the Cummins and had a really spectacular weekend. All the boat's systems performed as they should, which was pleasing since I do all my own winterization. Coming out of Quantico on Saturday morning, as soon as the engines were up to operating temperature and I brought her on plane I was grinning like an idiot. There is no better cure for the winter blues than 834 turbo diesel stallions pushing 45' and 14 tons of Sea Ray on plane. I hope I never grow tired of the rush when the Turbos spool up. All in all a great, and thankfully safe, weekend aboard. On a slight down note, a sailboater capsized downriver and this caused three separate fire and rescue boats from Alexandria to respond. The water was pretty cold so this must not have been too pleasant for the sailors.
I'd encourage all the Northern Virginia/Maryland/DC CSR captains to really consider the Cherry Blossom cruise next year. It is a spectacular time, and from the water is really the best way to see the sites. If the url to the photos does not work, I will resize and upload them.
regards
Skip
http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=218107993/a=50692639/t_=50692639
The weather forecast for Saturday did not look promising-partly cloudy and low 50s. We ran up the river with the aft enclosure up and it was quite comfortable. Boat ran great. I had Cummins out on Thursday to adjust valve lash and do a few other items beyond my current technical comfort level.
We arrived at the Alexandria City Marina at 1:30 and had the distinction of being the first transient in this season. The link below will take you to a short photo album we pieced together. The first couple shots show the 420 at the Marina, in front of the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Old Town Alexandria, which is about 5 or 6 miles south of the Capital as the crow flies. We loaded a bunch of friends aboard, around 2:00 p.m., then headed up the river past the Defense Intelligence Agency/Bolling Air Force Base, Naval Research Lab, and a few other landmarks. We then headed up the Washington Channel past Fort McNair on the starboard side and Haines Point on the port side. The cherry blossoms were beautiful. Haines Point and the bridges across the Channel were packed with people, but there were only a handful of boats on the river. From the Washington Channel you can get within a few hundred meters of the Tidal Basin, and the view of the Cherry Blossoms is pretty spectacular. For our perseverance we were rewarded with a beautiful sunny afternoon with very little wind.
We turned the 420 at the head of the Channel and proceeded back down to Haines Point, then turned north past Reagan National Airport and brought the 420 on plane for the short run up to Georgetown. This is really a beautiful cruise-the Kennedy Center is on the starboard side heading north, Roosevelt Island is to port, and you can get well past Georgetown before the Potomac becomes hazardous. We then turned and headed back to the Alexandria City Marina. We got the boat secured in her slip and broke out the fishing poles, and the kids were rewarded with a couple 3-4 pound catfish that were clearly desperate for entertainment, or a quick snack. At any rate, the kids fished, the adults chatted and had a few frosty beverages, then we all headed off to dinner. We spent a great night aboard, then repeated the cycle on Sunday with another group of friends. On the way downriver on Sunday afternoon we explored the soon to be opened National Harbor on the Maryland shore just south of the Wilson Bridge, then headed for home.
All in all we put about 6 hours on the Cummins and had a really spectacular weekend. All the boat's systems performed as they should, which was pleasing since I do all my own winterization. Coming out of Quantico on Saturday morning, as soon as the engines were up to operating temperature and I brought her on plane I was grinning like an idiot. There is no better cure for the winter blues than 834 turbo diesel stallions pushing 45' and 14 tons of Sea Ray on plane. I hope I never grow tired of the rush when the Turbos spool up. All in all a great, and thankfully safe, weekend aboard. On a slight down note, a sailboater capsized downriver and this caused three separate fire and rescue boats from Alexandria to respond. The water was pretty cold so this must not have been too pleasant for the sailors.
I'd encourage all the Northern Virginia/Maryland/DC CSR captains to really consider the Cherry Blossom cruise next year. It is a spectacular time, and from the water is really the best way to see the sites. If the url to the photos does not work, I will resize and upload them.
regards
Skip
http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=218107993/a=50692639/t_=50692639
Last edited:
Take care, Brian
