A Monumental Day in Washington, DC

Day 9 – Moored, Washington, DC

We didn't waste a minute of our time in D.C. As soon as Cups was secured on her mooring and tidied up, we headed ashore to check in with the Gangplank Marina, get the lay of the land and begin exploring. The day was glorious … warm and sunny. Washington's many monuments were first on our list of must-sees. We were only a 15-minute walk from the National Mall and headed first to the Washington Monument. Though the monument was closed for maintenance, we weren't phased in the least. Just standing at its base and looking up was a thrill.

We continued along the National Mall to the World War II Memorial, a war in which our fathers fought.

We'd seen the Vietnam Memorial before, but Paul hadn't. The Vietnam Women's Memorial had been added since our last visit. Over 265,000 American women served during the Vietnam War era, 11,000 of whom were in Vietnam, mostly as nurses.

Then we moved on to The Wall. This was “our” war. David served during this war, as did many of our friends and relatives. We used the reference book to find the name of Jimmy Tazelaar, a close family friend of the Lynn family. Though many people were viewing the monument, the tenor was quiet and somber. Wreaths and bouquets, photographs and letters all lay in memory of the thousands who died in this war.

We followed the Mall to its end at the Lincoln Memorial and climbed the steep steps to pay tribute to our 16th President. It's an inspiring, grand monument to a great man.

On the south side of the Mall, we came across the Korean War Monument, very different and almost unnerving.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Monument was next on our path. Another inspiring memorial to a great man.

We crossed the Kutz Bridge over the Tidal Basin for great views of the Jefferson Memorial. During cherry blossom time, this must be an exquisite view.

In our wanderings, we also managed to take in the U S Navy Memorial.

There is no dearth of memorials, monuments, statues and public artwork in Washington, DC and though we didn't see them all, we were invigorated and enthused by what we did manage to see. They are somber and thought-provoking, but elicit a pride in our country that is heartening.

We walked over seven miles during the course of the day and when we returned to Nine of Cups, our dogs were definitely tired and we were “memorial-ed” out. A glass of wine, dinner, a movie and a good night's sleep. We recouped for another day in the capital city. Tomorrow, a tour of the Capitol.

Up the Potomac to Washington, DC

Day 9 – 13 nm (passage total: 236 nm) We could have spent at least another day visiting Mount Vernon, but we were excited about arriving in Washington, DC and wanted to spend as much time in our nation's capital city as possible. As we hauled anchor and rejoined the channel, the views of Mount Vernon were majestic.

It was only 13 miles to DC and we enjoyed the short trip. Not far from Mount Vernon, just around the bend on the opposite shore is Fort Washington Park, Maryland. “Built to defend the river approach to Washington, DC, Fort Washington has stood as silent sentry for over 200 years. As technologies advanced so did Fort Washington, from the brick and stone of the 19th century to the concrete and steel of the 20th century.” Obviously, a strategic place for a fort, but from our vantage point, there wasn't much to see other than walls and a small lighthouse with a designated red marker.

We passed the Spirit of Mount Vernon, headed to Washington's home with a boatload of tourists.

The Woodrow Wilson Bridge, aka I95 lay before us, the last bridge before the city.

There's something very special about arriving by water at a world-famous port city. It's much more exciting than arriving by plane or car - perhaps it's the time it takes to get there and the anticipation that builds en route. We've visited this city many, many times. Perhaps, cities just look differently when approached from the sea. Heading up the Potomac and seeing Washington, DC come into view was awesome. The Washington Monument and the Capitol Building dominated the skyline.

We stayed to port at the fork in the river and headed up the Washington Channel. Our plan was to pick up one of the new moorings at the Gangplank Marina if it was available. The riverfront is being totally “gentrified” in this area and the current anchorage area is further down the river and not as convenient. As luck would have it, a boat that we passed entering the channel had just dropped a mooring that would suit us. We did a quick recon, picked up the mooring and just relaxed in the cockpit for a few minutes, enjoying the view. The location was outstanding … in the shadow of the Washington Monument, only a 15-minute walk to National Mall.

We allowed no moss to gather on our shoes, but that's a story for tomorrow and the days to come. In the meantime, I thought you'd enjoy sharing our view from Nine of Cups' cockpit this evening.

George Washington's Mount Vernon

Day 8 – 0 nm – we stayed put (passage total: 223 nm)

We purchased our tickets on-line and headed to the wharf right at 0900 when Mount Vernon opens. We figured we'd walk around and enjoy ourselves for a few hours, see what there was to see and then head back to Cups. As it was we didn't get to see everything there was to see and they ushered us out at 1730. In a word … “amazing” comes to mind!

First, a little history. When the Washingtons died, Mount Vernon was passed on to his heirs. The Washingtons had no children. Through the generations one of Washington's nephews ended up with the property, but could not afford the upkeep of the place. In 1853, he offered to sell it to the US Government for $200,000. The timing was bad. Civil unrest was brewing and the government declined the purchase.

“If the men of America have seen fit to allow the home of its most respected hero to go to ruin, why can't the women of America band together to save it?” “In 1853, Louisa Bird Cunningham wrote these words to her daughter, Ann Pamela Cunningham, after seeing the decrepit state of George Washington's home while traveling on the Potomac River. Ann Pamela Cunningham, inspired by her mother's words, took it upon herself to challenge the nation to save Mount Vernon. She founded the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association in 1853 and by 1858 had raised $200,000 dollars to purchase the mansion and two hundred acres.” To this day, the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association runs and maintains this outstanding piece of history. It is the first national historic preservation organization in the United States and the oldest women's patriotic society.

I guess what impressed me most was the exceptional way everything at Mount Vernon has been restored and maintained with an incredible attention to the detail. It's all top shelf … from the restorations to the exhibits to the gift shop. It's apparent that improvements have been made and are continuing to be made.

One of the highlights was the mansion tour. Considerable restored original furnishings were augmented with period furniture and replicas. Paint colors, carpet, upholstery and wallpaper patterns are true to the period. Though no photography was allowed in the mansion itself, here is a picture of a picture of the “new room”, one of the last rooms added to his 21-room home. Take a virtual tour on line to get a better feel for the grandness of Washington's palatial estate.

As we departed the mansion, we couldn't help admire Nine of Cups, waiting patiently for us in the anchorage.

Trails and paths wended their way throughout the estate. We saw Washington's tomb in a serene, pastoral setting. The building of his last resting place and that of wife, Martha, and several other relatives was one of his last requests in his will and testament.

George Washington was a slave owner. In fact, when he died, there were 317 slaves working on his plantations and farms. A slave memorial has been erected next to the slave cemetery to honor those who were enslaved here.

We watched blacksmith demonstrations and viewed a spinning display. Many of the original buildings are furnished according to their use … laundry rooms, salt house, a shoemaker's shop, an ice house, etc. There were farm animals and gardens and forests to explore.

We took a free shuttle to the grist mill and distillery, about 3 miles away from the main estate. Washington was an innovative farmer and good businessman. The grist mill was used to grind corn, wheat and barley for use on the plantation, and enough was left over to export.

Washington hired a Scotsman as a farm manager who convinced him to begin distilling spirits. By 1798, it was one of the largest distilleries in America and one of Washington's most successful enterprises. We saw well-done, very informative demonstrations in both venues.

In the Educational Center, we expected some basic info and quick walk-through. The place went on and on and on in a spectacular fashion, providing insights into Washington's life and his great contributions to America's history. We watched three award-winning videos and saw several life-sized models of Washington at different ages, faithfully recreated to look so real, you could almost see him breathing. The displays included everything from Washington's false teeth (no, they weren't made of wood) to firearms to fine china used at the mansion. This was one of the most interesting and inspiring interpretive centers we've ever visited.

I particularly liked a display dispelling several myths about Washington … the wooden teeth, chopping down the cherry tree, never telling a lie, throwing a silver dollar across the Potomac (no way!).

We walked the grounds till we could barely take another step … then walked some more. We ended our day at the Pioneer Farm where Washington's innovative 16-sided threshing barn was open for viewing.

Here, there were replicas of the slave cabins that would have stood on the same site.

Boatbuilding and fishery exhibits as well as agricultural exhibits were just closing down as we walked by. Security folks were encouraging lingering visitors to head for the exits. We explained that our exit was at the wharf. “Oh, yeah, you're the guys from the boat out there.” Yup, that's us.

We returned to Cups tired, but exhilarated by an outstanding day. Life is good!