This morning I wanted to get fuel, which was at a different marina around the bend, in a different river. There are three fingers here: Potomac River, Washington Channel and Anacostia River. The wind kicked up, so I had Roger come with me. I didn’t jump off the boat fast enough the first time I tried to dock, so then we got blown off the dock, with my brand new boat hook hanging by half a loop on a dock cleat, with the pole in the water. At that point I called the harbor master for some help. It was still a struggle to pull the boat to the dock with the wind blowing it off. When we left, the dock hand just cast off the bow before I even had the engine started. That cost them, because my stern swung over the dock and knocked their clipboard, pen and paper receipt into the river. They were not happy. Returning to the mooring ball with Roger’s dinghy tied to it with lots of rope led out was also fun, so to speak. Tried twice and thankfully didn’t get the dinghy line fouled on my boat. He uses a floating line, for just this type of scenario. The wind is blowing harder than the forecast says, but the forecast does include some strong gusts. Apparently the wind is ‘gusting’ most of the time.

Another helicopter just flew overhead. They regularly fly low over the water just overhead. They seem more military grade than anything else. Today they were especially active. Three just while I write this.

We did some more provisioning as I get ready to stick my nose out into the Atlantic Ocean some four days from now. Tomorrow is day 1 as we head back down the Potomac after Ashley went home this evening. For Roger and Tari is was a bit of a melancholy departure, since even though they know they will see her again, when that next will be is unknown