Back down the Potomac
AJAYA'S CRUISE
Phil & Nikki Hoskins
Sun 30 Aug 2009 01:19
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Leaving Washington we began the trip back down
river, passing Ronald Regan airport and the Pentagon on the starboard side then
under the new Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge. Interesting to note that in recent
times ex Presidents have bridges and airports named after them rather than
expensive monuments. We couldn't find anything named after Nixon though
!
That night we stopped back at Mattawomen Creek
which is a jellyfish free zone so the ships diver duly donned suit and switched
on the electric air compressor to clear the considerable growth from the
saildrive legs which lost any antifouling paint a long while ago. The water was
like a dark soup with no more than 12-15" of visibility. There was a lot of
barnacle growth to be hacked away and the starboard prop had a massive tangle of
weed wrapped round the blades. I have to confess to giving out a garbled scream
as a shape loomed into my peripheral vision but it was a fish that had arrived
for a free meal. So inquisitive was the little thing that he kept looking into
my face mask which meant I could hardly see what I was doing, so I bonked it on
the nose and he kept a distance after that. An hour later the job was done and
ships diver duly surfaced.
From Mattawoman we headed for Colonial Beach on the
Virginia side of the Potomac. Going up we had kept to the Maryland side.
Unfortunately the Navy decided they needed to lob some live shells at permanent
targets situated just north of Colonial beach, out on the water, so routed
us down the Maryland side which would have meant a large detour at the end of
the range - just in case their gunnery chaps were having an "off day". We spoke
with them on the radio and after some discussion we changed the plan and decided
to stay on the Maryland side for the night. We sat in the cockpit underway,
eating our Saltines whilst guns were blazing off to our right, with big plumes
of water shooting into the air about 3 miles ahead of us. It made a rather
uninteresting stretch of the river considerably more exciting this time
around. We eventually fetched up in Breton Bay which proved to be an excellent
substitute for Colonial Beach, no bugs, no wind and no other yachts. It was hot
though.
Leaving Breton Bay we motored the 20 or so miles
down to the St Mary's River. The firing range now behind us was in full blast
again. The range boats which are responsible for the safety of craft moving
through the area were busy deflecting strays left and right of the live
shells. An exchange with one of the US Coastguard boats contained a slight
inter-service edge to the conversation, as the coastguard insisted they had some
buoys (pronounced boo-eeze in these parts) that needed servicing in the area
whilst the Navy insisted they were dropping live shells around the place. No
contest really !
As we had last filled up with fuel some 3 weeks
back we were getting low so called into Carthagena Creek which had a small
marina with Gas & Diesel available. We had then intended to move on further
up the St Mary's river as the creek was small with limited anchoring room - but
we are glad we didn't as we were shortly to experience American hospitality
at it's best.
Having taken on just enough fuel to get us back to
Solomons (preferring not to fill up in seldom used marinas) we then motored
a little way into the creek and decided to stay for the night. There was a
beautiful wooden 'Herreshoff' looking sailing yacht, with raked-back masts
moored on a back garden mooring.
 We dropped anchor just 50 yards or so away and
settled down for the evening. The owner of the yacht came down and called across
to find out where we were from and shortly after he came out (with his little
dog) and invited us for breakfast the next morning. We gratefully accepted,
had an early night, but not before watching another fantastic
sunset.........
 .......and were collected at 0800 the next morning.
His neighbour also had a boat on his own slip and he joined us at breakfast. The
meal was punctuated by lively conversation and ended with a tour of the estate
and then the fantastic boat he himself had designed and had built in
Indonesia.
 He then sailed the boat without an engine (except
for the Red Sea where it was shipped as deck cargo) all the way back to the USA.
He is still completing the boat down below but up top it's all done. Four hours
later we were back onboard Ajaya, giving our own guided tour before we parted
company. It was a memorable morning, but one of the reasons we like the States -
great hospitality to visitors, however you arrive!
 The house he built himself & Sandy -
the stray that adopted them !!!
We left the creek and headed for St Mary's City
just a few miles up river.
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