We're back...

We're back on the boat and ready to begin this year's travels. Actually, to be technically correct, we've already begun this year's travels. As I write this we are in Cobb's Island on the Potomac River, about 65 miles south of Washington DC.

We got back to the boat last week and spent the week "de-winterizing" the boat. To get it ready to spend the winter in cold country, we had to put anti-freeze in the engines and non-potable water lines (shower drains, etc.). For the drinking water lines, we blew out the fresh water with a pump and replaced it with cheap vodka (really cheap, Odesse vodka from Baltimore, that well-known vodka capital of the world). You use vodka in the water lines because it doesn't leave the same soapy aftertaste that anti-freeze can. All the winterizing had to be reversed and all systems checked before we could leave Virginia.

All things considered, the boat had a great winter, very few things needed to be repaired. Jim had the engines checked by a mechanic and we had a boat detailer come down to give the outside a good thorough cleaning. After a trip to Walmart (the best grocery store in the area, a mere 40 minutes away), we were ready to go. Of course, the weather chose not to cooperate.

The forecast for the day we planned to leave was winds 15-20 knots and seas 2-3 feet. (Actually, the forecast included a small craft advisory which Jim chose not to share with me. From now on, I'm checking the forecast nyself.) It wouldn't have been so bad if the seas hadn't been on the beam. Beam seas means the waves were hitting us on the side of the boat, making the boat roll from side to side. I got seasick. Fortunately, Jim has no sense of balance and therefore doesn't get seasick.

The irony of this is I got seasick last year when we hit rough seas entering the Potomac River. This year, entering the Potomac relieved my seasickness, because the river conditions were better than the conditions in the Cheaspeake Bay.

We are headed to DC for cherry blossoms and touring around. Today the wind is blowing 15 knots with 25 knot gusts from the northwest, or straight down the Potomac. Tomorrow it will switch to the southeast (behind you if you are headed up the river) and drop to 5 knots. So we're sitting in this little fishing destination for one more day before continuing up river.

Peak cherry blossoms are predicted for Thursday and Friday this week. We'll be there on Friday. I promise pictures for the next post.