Monday, September 29: Potomac Cruising
| Start: Capital Yacht Club Marina (dock) | Miles: 66.2 nm |
| End: Cobb’s Island, MD (dock) | Time: 10hr18min |
| Weather: Warm and calm | Waves: Glass |
We got an early start, leaving just before sunrise. The kids were in bed until 11, meaning they missed almost half of the journey. It was a very fast day, with the Potomac current pushing us downriver for most of the day, which means we made it most of the distance we needed before the north wind kicks up Wednesday.
It was tough leaving Washington, DC, with the incredible free museums, the diversity of dining options, and our friends on Kosmos, but we’re looking forward to the Boat Show in Annapolis.
Potomac cruising is easy until you end up in a minefield of crab pots set on wrapping our anchor. Leanne was on the bow for our last hour into the Cobb’s Island anchorage shouting out crab pot bearings until we made it safely to the harbor. In the harbor, we were hailed by a French-accented man from a marina offering us docking for the night. It wasn’t the Capital Yacht Club, but we were grateful for the slip. He even offered us a car to get around town!
On land, Corban and I walked to the grocery store for lunchmeat to go into Leanne’s famous Montecristo sandwiches. On the way back, Corban stopped at a park across the street from the marina while I dropped off the groceries. By the time I got back, Corban was covered in mosquito bites.
Leanne and I checked out a local dive bar, which had a lovely duo singing acoustic oldies. Leanne and I enjoyed a drink, the music, and people-watching the diverse crowd.
The next morning, we walked around Cobb’s Island (whose claim to fame is being the site of the first radio transmission of the human voice), and got a late start for St. Mary’s City.
Tuesday, September 30: St. Mary’s City
| Start: Cobb’s Island, MD (dock) | Miles: 28.4 nm |
| End: St. Mary’s City, MD (anchor) | Time: 5hr05min |
| Weather: Pleasant temps and light winds | Waves: 1 ft |
We had all day to get to St. Mary’s City, so we took our time sailing in the light winds. Winds are coming tomorrow, so we wanted to be tucked away in this protected river. St. Mary’s City ended up being one of our favorite spots. We visited the small St. Mary’s College of Maryland, which looks exactly like you’d expect from a college established in 1840. This college has beautiful overlooks of the river, and the students take to the water for rowing and sailing in the afternoons.
St. Mary’s City was the first permanent settlement in Maryland, and they have restored some of the original buildings in a walking tour. Within walking distance was the St. John’s historical settlement, an archaeological museum built around the remains of a 1638 home, was a fascinating visit. Also nearby is the wooden tall ship Maryland Dove, a historical reimagination of the 1634 Maryland Dove, which was the smaller of the two ships used to settle St Mary’s City. The boys had a fun time asking the crew about the cannons, the sailing speed, and whether they could climb the mast.
If that were all to the St. Mary’s City story, it would’ve been a lovely little anchorage. What made it our favorite was the college cafeteria, which we enjoyed twice in our 3-day stay. We taught the boys why the “freshman fifteen” exists with our five-course buffet meals (the last two of those being cookies and soft-serve ice cream). And who can forget the chocolate milk taps! They had a respectable salad bar, vegetarian options, and a good entrée. And $40 covered the whole family!
