Feb. 17, 2009 :: SONATA Haul Out, Prep for Down East Loop

Preparations for the Down East Loop, which will commence the end of April. SONATA has been placed in the lift by Bonnie, and hauled out by Steve Grasser, the Service Manager of Ocean Marine Yacht Center. The bottom was checked and all found ready for the trip. The journey will take SONATA up the Chesapeake Bay to the C & D Canal, the Delaware Bay, New Jersey, New York City, the Hudson River, Erie Canal, Oswego Canal, Lake Ontario, the Thousand Islands, in the St. Lawrence River; outbound the St. Lawrence to Montreal, Quebec, and out to the Atlantic. South to Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia (Halifax), then the New England Coast from Maine back to New York City through the Long Island Sound. Then home..... Will try to update the blog in a more timely manner. Stay tuned!!

Homeport, Portsmouth

On the way home from the Tides Inn we had the pleasure of Lynn and Kirk Berkhimer. Lynn had a terrific time guiding SONATA down the bay.

Oct. 5, 2008 :: Tides Inn - Grand Banks Meeting

The Chesapeake Bay Grand Banks Association held a meeting at the Tides Inn and Charlie and Bonnie prepared for dinner. Charlie gave a presentation to the Association on their recently completed Great American Loop Adventure.

Sept. 27-30, 2008 :: Fountain's on Pierce Creek

Bob and Betsey Fountain were so kind to allow us to anchor on their creek, Pierce Creek of Nomini Bay on the Potamac. We visited both aboard SONATA and in their home. A great anchorage and trips to their dock for time ashore touring their home and farm. Charlie had been Admiral Fountain's Staff Judge Advocate when he was stationed in Guam.

September 26, 2008 :: Quantico

On our way from Washington to Quantico the President may have passed overhead just to check us out and wish he was with us.

A beautiful afternoon and evening with Ruth Curl and Jim on their boat up the Potamac to a quiet anchorage.

The Washington Monument.

Bonnie at the VietNam Wall.

Charlie's favorite, the Jefferson Memorial.

A stop at the White House.

We visited the Holocaust Memorial.

Sept. 23-26, 2008 :: Washington, DC

We docked at the Gangplank Marina in Washington, just in the shadow of the Jefferson Memorial . . . and we were with the big guys, the Sequoia (www.sequoiayacht.com). Our adventures in DC were completed by the bicycles we carry on SONATA.

September 22, 2008 :: Mt. Vernon & Alexandria

As we passed Mt. Vernon we sounded the traditional "21 bells". It is traditional for vessels passing Mt. Vernon to toll their bell 21 times in honor of George Washington. From there we passed Fort Washington and then on to the City Dock in Alexandria. That evening we had a very enjoyable dinner with Ruth Curl (Simmons) and Jim Guirard. Ruth Curl and Charlie were neighbors as they grew up in Jackson, Mississippi; first grade through high school. SONATA is at the City Dock in Alexandria, in front of the Torpedo Factory.

September 21, 2008 :: Aquia Creek, Virginia

After departing St. Mary's River we traveled up the Potamoc and under the Highway 301 Bridge at Dahlgren. By late afternoon we arrived in Aquia Creek which provided a quiet anchorage as did the St. Mary's River stop.

September / October 2008 :: Travels on the Bay

Departing Ocean Marine from Portsmouth, Virginia, on September 20, 2008, we commenced our visit to Washington, DC on the Potamac. Our first night was here at St. Mary's River, Maryland, just off the bay on the North side of the Potamac River.