Epilogue

Since returning home, we’ve had the boat hauled at our local marina where it’s getting the bottom painted and hull waxed. We’re going to take most everything off, clean it up good, make sure everything is working properly and list it for sale (anyone out there interested in a Monk?) If we get a reasonable offer, we’ll sell; if not, we’ll continue cruising. In the meantime we plan to do a little exploring by land for a change. We just finished a week in the Williamsburg/Jamestown area. In September we’re taking a long road trip to Colorado where we’ll visit our cruising buddies, Jana and Michael from Second Star, and then on to Utah to visit family and friends. In early November we have plans to visit the Cape Cod area for a week as we’re using up our yearly vacation timeshare points before we lose them. For now though, this is Monk’s Vineyard …. Signing off.

Monk's Vineyard -- at home !!

Homeward Bound

June 26-27 - After a short run back to Solomon’s Island, we dropped the hook, settled in, and then dinghied ashore to meet Sterling and Judy. We ended up at Catamaran’s for drinks and a light dinner and then walked the riverfront before returning back to the boats.

We planned an early departure for our long trip to Annapolis, but there was a morning shower that delayed us until 8:30. We had a perfect run to Annapolis – flat seas and a light breeze to keep things pleasant. We arrived at the mouth of the Severn River around 3:30 and then headed the 7 miles up river to our home on Plum Creek. We, along with Sterling Lady anchored just down the creek from our home. We dinghied ashore and were welcomed at Edna and Peter's for welcome home drinks and snacks and then on to Jim and Karen's for drinks and a great dinner.

Returning home is always a little bittersweet – we’re sad that the adventure is over, but, at the same time, happy to be home.

Monk's Vineyard and Sterling Lady at anchor - Solomon's Island



We saw a gaggle of geese ....



... and a lone swan

As we got closer to home, we passed Thomas Point Light



With no wind, the small sailboats had to be towed in by dinghy.
The kids still had fun (see them swimming on the left)



On the way to our friend's home for dinner, Sterling
volunteered to ride in the back -- it was a tight squeeze

Dinner at Jim and Karen's

The next morning we bid a fond farewell to Sterling and Judy
as they headed north, eventually to the Erie Canal.

Patuxent River – Solomon’s Island and Vera’s White Sands

6/21 – 6/25 – We departed Washington, D.C. a little after 8:00 in the morning. It was a pleasant day on the Potomac and we had a push from the tides and ended up traveling to Canoe Neck Creek off St. Clement Bay arriving a little after 5:00. It was a quiet anchorage with very few houses and no boat traffic. The next day we had a much shorter trip to Solomon’s Island where we anchored in Back Creek. After settling in, we went in search of our friends Sterling and Judy on Sterling Lady. We found them, not surprisingly, at the Tiki Bar. We first met Sterling and Judy in New York when we were doing the Great Loop. We’d seen them several times along the Loop, but not since Key Largo (their homeport) over a year ago. We had a few drinks and then dinner at a local restaurant. The next day we did some provisioning and had happy hour aboard Ashton Gray, a 65 footer owned by Dwight and Carolyn.

On Friday we headed up the Patuxent River to St. Leonard Creek where we docked at Vera’s White Sands for an MTOA Rendezvous. We had been to Vera’s several years ago when she was still alive. She had lived in Hollywood before meeting her husband and had hopes of becoming a star. However, after her marriage, she and her husband traveled extensively and eventually bought a huge parcel of property on St. Leonard Creek and built a restaurant and marina. By the time she passed away, the property was quite run down, but it was bought by people that renovated the marina and restaurant and are currently turning her home into a Bed and Breakfast. We were given a tour of her home – very interesting. We had an enjoyable rendezvous with lots of socializing, food and, of course, drinks. There was even a wedding on our dock while we were there. On Sunday morning we headed back to Solomons.

Entering St. Clement Bay

Our anchorage in Canoe Neck Creek

Solomon's Island Anchorage - Back Creek

After settling in - we met our new neighbors --

-- and then found Sterling and Judy at the Tiki Bar

We had a nice sunset in the anchorage

Happy Hour aboard Ashton Gray

Our hosts, Dwight and Carolyn

Gerry checking out the good food

Arriving at Vera's White Sands
(left to right - restaurant, marina, Vera's home)

Vera's home -- every livingroom should have a swimming pool

Dining Room

Unique bathroom fixtures

This is Vera in her younger days

Even the bar had a bit of her "personnality"

Happy hour at the MTOA rendezvous



Tiki Bar on the beach



Gerry checking out the bar

Judy and Sterling on the
dinghy trip

Heads poking above the grass

Dinghies up the creek

Wedding on the dock
bride and groom

Wedding party

Wedding guests - very casual wedding



Reception at the tiki bar



Last morning of rendezvous -- don't be fooled by the coffeepot
Everyone's drinking Mimosas

Our Adventures in Washington, D.C.

We stayed at the Capital Yacht Club for a week (well, we did stay an extra day because we needed an R&R day after all of our activities). The Yacht Club was very accommodating and we participated in several activities – happy hours, spaghetti Tuesday night dinner and Saturday morning breakfast. We were close to the metro and the circulator (which we used daily) and were able to easily get anywhere we wanted to go. The marina was a bit noisy with all the airplanes, helicopters and cruise boats, but after awhile you got used to it. Definitely worth the noise to be so close to all the action. We lucked out and had great weather while we were there – high temps in the high 70’s and low 80’s. It rained hard several times, but usually for no more than an hour.

6/13 – After arriving early on Monday we checked in, cleaned up, and headed out to get the “lay of the land”. We ended up having a drink and a couple of light dinner appetizers at Marina Cantina and then walked to the closest Metro stop so we’d know the easiest and fastest way to get there.

As we made the split into the Washington Channel,
we passed by Fort McNair



Up ahead is the marina (Capital Yacht Club) with the
Washington Monument in the background



Most of the boats at both the Capital Yacht Club and
the Gangplank Marina are liveaboards.  Here at
the Gangplank, many of them are houseboats

The Presidential Yacht, Sequoia, is docked at the Gangplank

A view of the marina taken from Banneker Circle

The fountain at Banneker Circle



Every night there were several rowing boats that would
cruise by our boat



6/14 – Today we rode the circulator bus to the Museum of Natural History where we spent the morning.  After a quick lunch at a British Pub, we caught the Metro to Arlington Cemetery where we took a tour that included the Eternal Flame at the gravesite of JFK and the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  That night we went to the spaghetti dinner at the Yacht Club.  It was actually bbq chicken and pork, but they still call in Tuesday Spagetti Dinner -- Go figure.

 

The Museum of Natural History has
quite a variety -- here some
seashells millions of years old

The Hope Diamond.  It
was our anniversary, but
Gerry thought it was a bit
out of his price range

A very large old elephant

The eternal flame at the gravesite of John F. Kennedy

The Changing of the Guard

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Inside the Arlington Memorial Ampitheater



The outside of the theater



Chicken and pork loin cooking at the Yacht Club

6/15 – We had a leisurely breakfast and then took the circulator to China Town where we wandered around for awhile.  After a very good Thai lunch we went to the Verizon Store where Gerry got a new phone.  The buttons on his old one (it was NOT really that old) no longer worked.  He could not turn the phone off.  Yesterday at the Changing of the Guard during complete silence, it rang – OOPS !!!  After purchasing a new 4G phone we were off to our Segway Tour.  What a great way to cover a huge area in a short amount of time with little effort.  Based on a recommendation from the Segway personnel, we went to Matchbox for dinner and had great wood fired pizza

Mr. Segway ....

... and Ms. Segway

Jefferson Memorial

FDR Memorial

Washington Momument

Lincoln Memorial

Korean Memorial

World War II Memorial

White House

6/16 – This morning was spent at the Spy Museum, the afternoon at the Museum of American History and then dinner in the Capitol Hill area at a German restaurant with a friend that Gerry was doing some work with in DC.  Unfortunately, as we got off the circulator, it started to pour.  We walked about 3 blocks and were drenched by the time we got to the restaurant.

James Bond Car at the Spy Museum -- only picture I got
as you were not supposed to take pictures

6/17 – Today Gerry had several meetings (a work day) and so Linda did laundry and other boat chores and went to the fish market.  Once Gerry and Jon got back from their meetings, we all went next door to Phillips for their seafood and Italian buffet.  While we were there it rained hard again. 

Crab Legs

One of the vendors at the fish market

Shrimp and lobster
(things Gerry can't eat)

My, what big eyes you have

Salmon fish heads -- $2 each

6/18  – We started the morning out with breakfast at the yacht club, then took the circulator to the mall area where we walked through the sculpture garden.  We  boarded the circulator and headed for U Street where we went to Ben’s Chili Bowl (an institution in DC) then on to  Adams Morgan finally ending up in Georgetown where we sat at a bar facing the waterfront and had a few drinks while we did some serious people watching.

After Gerry's day of work on Friday,
he said he felt like this statue

... or maybe this one

.. or this headless guy

This one is called Lunar Bird

The Thinker

A bunch of headless bodies

This fountain was popular on a hot day

Here's something obsolete -- a typewriter eraser

Gerry standing in line at Ben's Chili Bowl

Linda with the Chili Bowl Bear

A view of the Potomac from a restaurant in Georgetown

6/19 – Today was Father’s Day so Linda made Gerry a nice breakfast.  Later in the morning our friends from the neighborhood, Jim and Karen, came to visit us.  We went out to lunch and had a great time catching up on everything that’s been happening since we left last October.  In the evening our daughter and grandson joined us for dinner.  It was great seeing them as we also hadn’t seen them since leaving home.  With the visits from our family and friends, it almost feels like we’ve never left.

Cheers!! Our friends Karen and Jim

Our daughter, Kara, and grandson, Cameron

6/20 – We were going to leave today, but we were exhausted from our week’s activities and the forecast was for rain most of the day – so we stayed put and rested.