Impulse Cruising Again

Monday, June 11 - 9 hours, 59 miles
Two days' worth since I missed posting one...
This morning was miserable - rainy, cold, and windy - as we left the dock at 6:45 am. We slogged up the river against the tide and wind for several hours, and then started to see the debris in the water that we had heard about. Bill pointed out that we passed Pope's Creek, which is where John Wilkes Booth jumped into a boat he had previously hidden to cross the Potomac River after assassinating Lincoln. We also passed Quantico later in the day, after the wind had backed down and the tide had turned in our direction. Debris fields were numerous, so we both watched most of the day for logs, branches, and an occasional tire floating by. This was pretty difficult since it rained several times and "sprizzled" (Bill's word) the rest of the day. We saw the Diva Di pass by on their way down the Potomac. They are friends of ours from the PGIslanders Cruising Club at home in Punta Gorda who are headed for Maine. They did the Great Loop and the Maritime Loop during the past two years. We were supposed to meet them yesterday but didn't because of our change in plans, but we did visit a bit on the VHF. The flotsam decreased as we approached our anchorage, and we dropped the anchor at 3:45 pm at the base of the hill on which Mt. Vernon sits (see photo taken from the bow). We heated up some chili we had frozen and had that with tostitos, cheese, and scallions. Delicious - it warmed us and the cabin. Long pajamas tonight!
Tuesday, June 12 - 11 miles, 1.5 hrs
Last night was the quietest and calmest night we have ever spent on the hook. We could have been on land! I woke up several times because we weren't moving, actually. After our oatmeal we pulled the anchor and headed for the Wharf at Mt. Vernon. After tying up we headed up the hill towards the mansion. There were lots of high school age kids there from many states - Oklahoma, Tennessee, Michigan, and more. (By noon they had all left for other destinations.) We visited many outbuildings and then went on the Garden Tour that we signed up for online. The guide was very informative, especially about George Washington and Mt. Vernon. We walked around and saw how GW changed the layout of the gardens and buildings. After that tour we had to wait for our assigned time for the mansion tour. Only then were we allowed to get in line and wait some more. This tour was disappointing - it was like a cattle call - we were herded from room to room and docents recited from scripts as we were hurried through the rooms. 20 minutes later we walked to the education/visitor center for lunch at the food court and a walk around the museum. The shuttle took us down the hill to Pioneer Farm to see the 16-sided treading barn, and then walked to the wharf. We cast off the lines and headed for Alexandria which is only 11 miles away. We docked in Old City and watched the Wednesday Beer Can Races in the River, then rode the trolley up King Street, ate dinner at a Lebanese restaurant (delicious!), and headed back for bedtime. I think we will stay here another night so we can explore museums, etc.