November 16-18, 2017 – Overnight anchorages at Solomon Island and Rosier Point (at the mouth of the Potomac) and we arrive at Gangplank Marina. Gangplank Marina, walking distance to the Mall in DC, is part of the Wharf District which, until recently, was a seedy neighbor where politicians would go mingle and party with other low-life. Inevitably, this colorful neighborhood has been transformed by real estate developers into a restaurant and theater district, leaving only the local fish market in its original condition. We were lucky to get in at a weekly transient rate of $1.50 per day per foot (next year it is going up to $3/foot). Other than a Thanksgiving trip to visit Karin’s father and sister in Austin, we enjoyed DC, with visits to the museums in the Mall including the new African American Museum and the old faithful Air & Space. Karin got a pass from Senator Blumenthal’s office to go watch the blowhards “debate” the tax bill in the senate (really more of a mugging session for C-Span in front of an empty house). Also caught up with old Wharton friends: Rich and Keiko Lemmerman and their daughter Emily, who treated us to an excellent home-style Japanese dinner, Tim and Lauren McDonnald who took us to see Mississippi Paul Thorne Band at the Birchmere Concert Hall, Michael and Caroline Van Vleck, and Mike Young who allowed us to join his annual family fishing trip on the Chesapeake. We left after a fun fortnight loaded with delicious fresh filets of Rockfish (Striped Bass).
