8/19/15 St Marys to Occoquan, VA

Wednesday, 8/19 St. Mary's to Occoquan Bay & Belmont Harbour Marina
Miles on our trip to date: 1650!

Leaving St. Mary's anchorage at first light - 6:00 am

The forecast for today was for a calm morning until around 11:00 when the wind was forecast to jump to 10-15 knots with gusts to 20 knots out of the South. To confirm our concern, the Coast Guard issued small craft advisories in advance of the front that was headed our way. The bad news is that it was supposed to then begin raining the rest of today and all of tomorrow.

With an 82 mile trip ahead of us to get to our rendezvous location with Carol's sissy & her husband on Saturday, we decided to forego any side trips or anchorages and head up the Potomac for the Occoquan River. With any luck, we would be able to hit the big 90 degree bend in the Potomac River at Mathias Point before the wind picked up and use the land mass to shield us from the wind.

Around 9:30, a loud voice came on the radio hailing the "cruising boat near Red marker 18". We looked & discovered we were near Green 17 so we let them know who we were. He made it clear that we were in a "hot zone" and to effect an immediate U Turn and head to a different marker which was quite close to the shore - maybe a mile away from our position. We couldn't figure out who was talking to us but it was pretty clear that he was in a position of authority. Possibly Coast Guard?

We made the turn and then he proceeded to give us a set of complicated way points we needed to use. There were a series of special yellow Navy markers that he listed. Then we saw him - a US Navy range control boat. Then, we heard the boom & saw the large water splash!

It seems the Navy was in the midst of live fire practice out of the Dahlgren Naval Surface Warfare Center up the river from where we were. During the exercise, most of the Potomac River in that area was shut down! Needless to say, we followed the instructions - exactly.

The Governor Harry Nice Memorial Bridge marked the upper
end of the firing range - - and safety!

As we were rounding a large shoal point along the route he had provided, the voice from the range control boat came back on the radio and asked if we were making our best speed. We cruise at 10 knots but can go quite a bit faster. At his encouragement, we picked up the pace to 18 knots and made tracks to get out of there. We counted 4 or 5 shots before we got out of range of the guns. Phew! Fortunately, no shells found their way to Samba.

Much of the Potomac was unsettled.
This was one of the exceptions. Nice digs!

Mallows Bay Boneyard

Mallows Bay is the largest ship boneyard in the world. Even some
1800's ships were sunk here. We couldn't go in, though.

A pair of Osprey leaving the nest

Though the day was hazy with a very high humidity level, the forecast winds and rain never came. What a blessing!

As we pulled into Occoquan Bay and
then Belmont bay, we noticed quite a
few duck blinds.

You can't see me!

Nice floating docks at our marina. However, we were
miles from the nearest grocery store or restaurant

We have a beautiful view out the front of our
boat into Belmont Bay

Just call me mule!
Our second trip to the grocery store for provisions.

Some boaters rescued a young Osprey with a broken wing
from the bay

The officer is taking it to a vet. We hope it survives!