by miami | Nov 28, 2014
There is a hole where Yume sat the last three months!
We left Ft Washington Tuesday at daybreak. It was chilly, but not too bad. There was enough of a breeze to get the sails up for much of the morning, then it was a motor 65 miles up the river to a place we could take Goose in, then drop an anchor.
They say ” Red sky at night sailors delight” but I think this is for the Southern Hemisphere, because the next day we got pounded!
We left early Wednesday with a goal of getting the rest of the way down the Potomac River (it is 100 miles from the mouth to DC), turn south into Chesapeake Bay, get around the Smith Point Light and into the Piankatank River where I knew we would need some really good shelter.
The forecast was 25-30 knot winds, rain and possibly snow. I just had no clue how big the waves would get.
This video clip will not do the day justice at all. Let’s just say it would have been exhilarating if I was not frozen, if the boat had not been thrown around like a toy, if the wind and waves were not quite so powerful. But it sure makes you appreciate the anchorage!
This is an ocean going tanker less 3/4 of a mile from me and you can barely see him. By 10 am, the wind was gusting over 30 knots, the rain had started, and the waves were becoming fairly large. By the time we turned the corner into the Chesapeake, I had realized the boat was doing much better than we. There were few leaks, when a year ago there would have been water squirting in everywhere.
The cold weather makes Yume sweat like crazy as she has no insulation.
We anchored in a little fishing harbor right next to this old smokestack that was lit at night. Cool! And it was so nice to be still!
Out again early Thanksgiving Day and heading towards Norfolk. After a couple of hours we decided to cut short the day, and made for Deltaville Va so Shelly could manage a nice dinner without having to worry about pots and pans flying all over the place.
We tucked into a very nice anchoring spot, listened to the rain, read books, and cooked. Yum.
You can see the oil lamps burning. With the temps around 30, we keep four or five of these lamps burning for heat, as well as placing clay flower pots upside down on the propane stove. When we get up, and just before we go to sleep, we run the generator to run both reverse AC’s to get it as hot as possible…
We were woken after midnight as the wind changed to the NW and started to blow again. You hear all kinds of noise when that happens and start worrying. At 245 am, we felt the anchor break free of the ground in a really strong gust of wind, and in no time Yume was aground in the mud.
These are the time that try men’s souls too! Ryan and I got dressed up for blustery, wintery, wet weather, and proceeded to make everything all right.
We were very fortunate this time as we could have swept down on another boat that was behind us, or hit the boat on the dock instead of passing through them, and coming to rest on a mudbank that was easy to motor off while pulling in the dragging anchor and 60 feet of chain.
Then we motored back to our original spot and dropped two anchors this time. Of course, the wind was done, and by 7 there was just a 10 knot breeze.
Lucky.
Today we sailed from Deltaville to Norfolk. By 10 the wind had picked up again and the crew were complaining about the rolling of the boat. With the wind coming up behind you at 25 knots, gusting to 35, you can sail as fast as the boat will go ( we hit 10 at one point) but the waves come up behind you to run under the boat creating a interesting rolling motion.
I liked it as we could turn off the engine, save some fuel, and enjoy a sail. But it is a bit chilly at 32 with a strong north wind.
We sailed right into Hampton Roads about 3 pm, right on past the Navy fleet, and up to a fuel dock to make sure we have plenty of fuel for the next several days as we head back into the Dismal Swamp Canal and into North Carolina.
The weather is supposed to be moderating for a few days (in the 60s during the day) before turning cold again midweek.
All we can do is keep heading towards south Florida!
by miami | Nov 22, 2014
After another sub 30 degree night there is a sheet of ice over all the inner marina this morning. Walking Goose has become a bit more challenging, although he absolutely loves this weather and can't wait to get outside, lift his leg up and expose himself to the frigid air every three steps!
We, on the other hand, are very excited for Tuesday morning to come around where we head Yume back south again
It has been an incredible three months. With all we have been able to do and see in the place where our government began, as well as give paws4vets presentations in many of the places few outside get to see, we are blessed through and through.
Thursday Ryan and I were the most underdressed patrons at BLT Steak on I Street, (the only ones not in a suit), where we met with a real lobbyist! Actually, Chris is the father of one of the p4p clients and a super nice guy who just happens to have spent his whole career dealing with politicians in DC. He had some great stories and we would have loved to sit there all day, but in DC they charge by the minute to sit in a restaurant. With my soup, his salad, and Ryan's steak sandwich the bill was still $85!
This is our display we set up 3-5 times every week since Sept at places like the Pentagon, SSA, all the Intelligence Agencies (the definition of oxymoron by the way), NSA, and military bases etc. We tell them about Service Dogs, and Veterans with PTS, and have Goose do his cool stuff like salute the officers. And we ask them to pledge part of their pay to paws4vets. We won't know until April whether we have done any good, but we feel good about what we have done!
We were fortunate to have a private tour guide through the Capitol Blg which was supercool. You can see they are working on the dome.
Ryan has made a promising start on his 2032 Presidential Campaign, having identified a number of issues to tackle. He will be no stranger to the halls of congress as we visited congressmen (and women) in both houses. He impressed them all no matter political affiliation. BTW, check on Ryan's latest animations on his site at http://Tewtiy.com. I'm impressed.
Of course we had to get a pic in front of President Reagan in the Rotunda of the Capitol.
Shelly and Goose are always the hit. Wherever they go…
From our marina, we walked and biked every road out and around in the neighborhoods, but took no pictures until just last week. It was nice watching the fall come and go. The ice I can do without.
We have been lost so many times in DC and Alexandria that I can get around without GPS somewhat. This is the worst place to drive I have experienced in my life. The traffic is worse in Atlanta and New York, but the roads are straightforward.
We enjoyed being on the carrier and watching the planes land…
We even rode the metro as it is the best way to get to the Pentagon.
But Goose, and the Phillips', have had enough of DC, and people, and traffic and we miss cruising.
So bright and early Tuesday morning we will start the engine, and head out this little creek into the big wide Potomac River, turn south and make our way back to marathon Fl for the rest of the winter.
If we are passing near you, please let us know if you would like to meetup and we will do our best!
by miami | Oct 29, 2014
Trying to take advantage of the amazing history of this area, we get out as much as we can. Yesterday we used one of the last nice warm days to visit Mount Vernon and get to know George Washington better. How cool to go through the house the Father of America lived and died in!
His home is on the Potomac River just a few miles south of DC. Of course when his half brother’s father started the farm in the early 1700s there was no DC. President Adams moved from Philadelphia to a half finished White House the year George Washington died from complications of a severe sore throat in 1799.
At any rate, it was a very cool visit to a magnificent heritage of the U.S., and every single person should go.
This is in front of the greenhouse for his gardens. We even visited his distilllery and flour mill. Did you know Washington wanted to be the largest flour producer in the world and almost did it?
This is in front of his and Martha’s crypt. People lay those flowers right behind Shelly and Ryan. Washington left notes in his will to build this crypt. There are over 25 household members interred there.
Fundraising for paws4vets continues unabated. Last weekend we participated in a 2.2K run for veterans and their dogs on the Mall in front of the Capitol. The sun was just coming up when we got there. When the race started Goose was absolutely going to be first and just about jerked Shelly’s arm out to get going. I took over and let Goose lead me around the mile course to finish fifth. There was a USA Today reporter who interviewed us at the finish line.
What we did not know until we got there was the scheduled 10k race after ours with an attendance of 40,000 racers. It was crowded… This is a cool shot of the Washington Monument behind the crowd.
We took a day to run up to the first Capitol at Philadelphia to visit our friend David and to get Goose’s recertification as a Psychiatric Service Dog.
David chaperoned us into Philly for cheese steaks, and a visit to a really neat pumpkin carving fair. We also met Davids friend Sharon who definately seemed too nice for him.
Of course, Goose was the only dog there and Shelly had her hands full getting Goose to visit with all the kids.
It was quite the treat to go downtown and visit the buildings where the Continental Congress met to write the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. Ryan is walking in the square where the Declaration was first read July 8, 1776.
The liberty bell hung in the tower in the first pic. I absolutely love history.
Shelly is becoming quite the front person for paws4vets. You can see the attention these women at the Bureau of Prisons are giving to her. (And Goose of course!)
We have also been to several Department of Defence buildings (they are everywhere!), the Federal Marshals, SSA, DISA, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Army Audit and more… Here Goose has just shown how he can read!
Today we rode the Metro for the first time to the Pentagon and wowed the 28,000 people who work there. (Well maybe a few of them!)
We have maybe a month more at the most as the weather gets colder, and the decreasing number of events makes the cost of staying here combined with pain of the weather time to go…
Thanks for the comments and calls. We enjoy hearing from you!
by miami | Oct 10, 2014
How many 16 year olds get to wander the halls of Congress, in and out of Senator offices, where so much history has been made?
Not many I bet.
This is outside the Senate office that was occupied by John Kennedy.
We would like to say Ryan and Goose were asked to speak to the U.S. Senate, but this conference room was open so we shot the picture!
We all visited every Senator’s office where paws4vets had operations or business, told our story, introduced Goose, and asked for help. It was interesting, fun, we were very well received and helped on our way with recommendations and help where they could. The halls of the office buildings were very quiet as Congress is out of session with a lot of politicians home fighting for their political lives.
This week our goal was to visit the monuments and Congress to talk about p4v as our other events have slowed down a lot.
Yesterday the White House was on the list. You can’t even get close to the “house of the people” as there are armed guards out two blocks in a perimeter every 25 feet. Those are just the ones we saw.
We have enjoyed other less highly guarded places, although every single place we have been has security to make the airports blush.
The Thomas Jefferson memorial was really cool. After coming from the National Archives (documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution) reading about Jefferson’s life surely gave us a much greater appreciation of what the U.S. is about, and how we seem so close to losing it.
We have also visited the National Botanical Gardens, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Union Station, the Senate Offices, and all the war memorials.
After our events Tuesday and Wednesday, given decent weather we are planning to sail the 12 miles upriver and anchor 5 blocks off the Mall so we can easily walk to the museums without having to worry about parking.
We have driven about 1500 miles in the rental car covering events from Aberdeen Proving Grounds north of Baltimore, over to Ft Fredrick in the middle of Maryland north of the city, and down into Virginia. Traffic is just awful. It sure will be nice to head south again at 6 mph and not have to worry about a billion other drivers, crazy roadways, one way streets etc.
We even found time to go to an air show in Leesburg and pass out lots of cards, Although it is hard to see, Goose was absolutely fascinated by the model planes flying upside down just 50 ft away from him. I really, really wanted to let him chase it down!
Meanwhile back at Yume, work on the boat has almost stopped. Shelly did finish the interior cushions and they look awesome!
I am making lists for things to do once we turn south and start moving again. Spreader lights, varnish, deck paint, rigging work etc.
Until then, we continue to focus on this opportunity to create as much difference as possible for the paws4people foundation by raising as much funding as we can.
