Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Washington, D.C.
We’ve arrived in D.C. The last real “big” destination we’ve planned as a must see on our trip. It was a long, yet interesting run up the Potomac River. It was mostly uneventful until we passed Quantico, VA, home to the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. Then, things started to get interesting.
“Red”
From there on, ordinary, everyday things seemed different to us. There was a lot of aircraft activity and we became well aware the U.S. Government knew we were there. For instance, can you identify the object in the photo on the right? While it may look like a simple red channel marker, an ordinary aid to navigation, we decided it was a sensitive recording and relay devise using an unnoticeable microphone to record our conversations and transmit them to some secret intelligence organization up river.
A Facade?
How about the photo the tall ship? Just an ordinary, uninteresting colonial ship headed down river, you say? I say it’s a facade for a super, high-tech, hydroplane attack vessel with eight-inch guns in disguise. Oh, sure, it looks slow, but with its hydroplane fins down, that baby can probably go 120 miles an hour across the water! And those phony cannons in those little doors on the side so obviously fold back and the real guns pop out, ready to blow us out of the water as soon as “they” decide “they” don’t like what “they” have heard us say over “their” super-sensitive, incognito, microphoned, audio transmitting, navigational marker.
A Mine?
How about this next photo on the right? Seem just like an innocent log floating in the river? Or, is it a mine, disguised to look like a log? Could it be detonated, via remote signal from the navigational marker/transceiver? Perhaps “they” sit, patiently, waiting for the opportune moment as we casually pass by . . . and WHAMO! We’re swimmin’ with the fishes at the bottom of the Potomac and nobody knows nothin’.
A Secret Bunker?
Is the next one a photo of George Washington’s Mount Vernon home, or is something else? Well, actually, it is George Washington’s home on the Potomac . . . But it could also be a bunker for secret military forces to fire bazookas at us as we make our way up the river! They could fire armor piercing shells that could penetrate our ultra-thick, super-strong, built-like-a-tank fiberglass hull and plant us on the bottom of the river in no time.
United States Coast Guard Cutter
Next, is it a United States Coast Guard Cutter, or . . . well, yes it is a USCG cutter that passed us on it’s way up river. We initiated VHF radio contact with them to verify their intentions. Turns out, they hadn’t heard anything from “them” about shooting us out of the water. They just wanted to get by us in the channel.
Binga Spy?
How about the next one? Is this a top secret agent, working on some ultra-covert plan, attempting to signal an air strike on ol’ Nereus as we inch closer to the Nation’s capitol? Of course not, it’s just Binga waving on deck in her stylish rain coat, Disney hat, and Cinderella sunglasses. She’s saying, “Cheese” as she waves hello. Very nice.
Construction at Woodrow Wilson Bridge
After all this madness – we did have a lot of time on our hands when we motored up the river, didn’t we? – we finally had our destination in sight. We could see the Capitol dome and the Washington Monument through the haze. However, there was one obstacle in our way: the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. They are building a new bridge (a higher one), and the bascule lift bridge was closed. The auxiliary channel on the side of the construction zone didn’t have enough clearance for us to fit under. We had to wait an hour for the crews to finish for the day and the work tug to clear the barge under the lift span. They couldn’t open the bridge for us, but the bridge tender felt we could make it under. We weren’t so sure as it was getting close to high tide. But, we were determined to make it, as we motored two whole days up the river and didn’t want to turn back. We inched slowly toward the bridge, unsure. We made it, with just inches to spare.
Looking Down the Mall
We dropped anchor in the Washington Channel, just off the Yacht Club and the U.S.S. Sequoia, the yacht of Presidents. We were surprised to find three other boats here, one power and two sail. We aren’t the only ones to come 100 miles out of the way to see D.C. And seeing it would be easy. We are only three blocks from the Mall. What could stand in the way?
The enormity of it all, that’s what. These buildings are HUGE! Those are three big blocks! We first stopped by the United States Postal Service Headquarters to mail a package. They sent us to a different, non-postal, building, where there was a normal post office branch to do our mailing (There’s government efficiency for you). Next we decided to go have a “look around.” Two hours later, we’re still looking at the same section of the Capitol Mall, still walking.
The National Archives
Where to start. We didn’t have a lot of time, as we had to stop by a grocery to provision up before returning to the boat. So, we decided to start at the beginning: The National Archives, home to The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States, and The Bill of Rights. I’ve always wanted to see these documents, cornerstones of our country. Standing there reading them, it is plainly apparent that our elected officials need to step back and examine these simple pages.
United State Capital Building
D.C. is not really at all what I’d expected. Besides the size of the architecture, it is a strange place. I suppose I was hoping for some type of American Congressional enlightenment. Instead, I have a strange feeling of uneasiness. The first thing I noticed was there was security everywhere, yet I didn’t feel secure. Security is so invasive around here, you can’t cough without getting some sort of clearance. Every building you enter, you have to pass through a “check-point.” Rent-A-Cops stand around, watching. Funny though, most of them spoke broken English. Any Americans working around here?
So, we’ve made it to D.C., floating gently on our anchor in the channel. Tomorrow, we’ll tackle this tourist jaunt head on, seeing most of the sites and symbols that define our nation. This could take a while, though. The Smithsonian Museums along might take an entire lifetime. We only have a week.
-Steve