Smith Creek, Potomac

Long day of motoring down the Potomac. We catch the tide and current in our favor and get a good speed boost most of the day. Much of the day the river is like glass.

Calm morning on the Potomac

At one point there is a call on the VHF radio channel 16 to a sailboat approaching the RT301 Bridge. Only activity on the radio all morning. I have no idea where RT301 is. My charts only shown bridges and there names. A few minutes later the same call comes again, so I go look at the Chesapeake map that we keep on the wall in the boat and sure enough the bridge we are going under has RT301 passing over it. I now answer that radio call and find out we are talking with the Range coordinator for the Navy who advises us on where to pass going down the Potomac to avoid being a target in their test range. Late in the afternoon the wind picks up behind us and we put our head sail which more than compensates for the current which is now against us. A thunderstorm slips by to our south and it starts to get a little rough. We go to Smith Creek and drop anchor in a very calm and protected creek.