Big smile for our first little cruise

[aflanigan]

Well,

I''m very pleased to have successfully done a first cruise down the Potomac from Alexandria to Matawoman Creek. I feel like I can start to earn membership in the River Rat club. Prior, I had done day sails and racing within a few miles of the marina.

My family and I motored downriver 25-30 miles to a marina/campground and had great weather just about all weekend. Motored back against about a 1 knot tidal current. Nice weather made navigation by chart, sighting buoys, and the occasional glance at a hand-held compass easy. Depth meter helped confirm where we were relative to the channel, especially the shallow upper part of the Tidal Potomac.

Although we didn''t get to do any sailing, it was great to navigate on my own in unfamiliar waters. Sure, a river is easy, but baby steps first, right? Plus, we were even able to take a shortcut through a narrow secondary channel about 1 foot deeper than our draft with CB down between Craney Island and the VA shore.

I''m raring to go on more down river adventures. Maybe by next year or so, I''ll get to the Chesapeake! Yippee!!

Allen Flanigan
Alexandria, VA

[Bruceo1]

Congratulations. Sounds like you had a great time. There are a lot of great places to go to on the Chesapeake.

Bruce

[capttb]

Morning Coffee on the hook is priceless from the cockpit of your own boat ain''t it? BTW I''m used to the ocean and rivers just plain scare me, they are narrow, there''s a lee shore everywhere, sand bars that move, bridges, cables etc., I think you done great.

[Johnno]

Well Allen,

If enthusiasm counts for anything you certainly scored top marks there. I admired your candor too!

All of us had to start somewhere and it is easy to be blase and forget some of the sphincta spasming experiences we went through to get where we are.

Keep smiling mate because while I don''t have any idea of your neck of the woods your attitude is inspirational for all of us.

Johnno