Memorial for Lee Baxter

A truly sad event, yet a very happy gathering of people whom we rarely get to see.

This past Saturday, July 15th, a memorial was held for Lee Baxter on the docks of Jack's Boathouse. It was one week after her passing. Her son, Frank, who continues to run the last privately owned boathouse on the upper Potomac River was very solumn during the gatering. At least eighty people gathered to pay respects to Lee, the wife of the boathouse's original owner, Jack Baxter. Food was brought to celebrate; photos of friends and family over the years were circulating; and Frank's brothers, Bill and Jack we on hand to greet friends.

The Washington D.C. Harbor Patrol and a Fire Ship showed up to help in the ceremony as Frank spread his mother's ashes across the waters that she loved and lived by. The Fire Ship sprayed water from its hoses to make the occasion more dramatic. It was realy a great site to see with all the friends gathered in respect for a wonderful woman. Lee was always so friendly to us Pirates of Georgetown when we visited the Docks. She told me many stories of her past and how she met her husband Jack. She was so proud of the Boathouse and loved to hand out souvineer pens to everyone who visited. She was as much a part of this home-away-from-home for me as the River itself. And she will always be there in my vision of the Docks.

In honor of this passing, the Chesapeake Paddlers Association and the Pirates of Georgetown have donated a bench to the Boathouse. Two plaques are installed on the bench dedicating it to our memories of Lee Baxter. I know that I am not alone in saying again that Lee will always be in our thoughts as we fondly think of this wonderful place on the Peaceful Potomac River. Lee is and always will be a vital interwoven part of this area which can never be untangled. Seeing her smiling face; hearing her friendly "Hello"; and her warm hug everytime I came to the River. These are memories that will always be with me when I think about and tell people of THE Boathouse by the River.

Come join us some warm Thursday evening as we Pirates paddle the waters with Frank Baxter and then relax on the bench and think of Lee. It is a great place to be, and there are some great memories that we can all share.

Lee Baxter 1924 - 2006

Fourth of July Paddle with the PoG

This is a Trip Report from Todd Angerhoffer, who coordinated the PoG Fourth of July Paddle and Cookout this year.

For those of you who tried to call me on July 4 for updates or e-mail me after 5pm on July 3 - sorry, I was running errands, etc., and don't get e-mail at home. Jack's was busy, so they weren't able to answer all phone calls.

In the account below, any errors in names, etc. are intentional to protect the guilty slugs who want you to think they are innocent (hey, everyone's guilty of something!). Seriously, any corrections by attendees are welcome.

Athough we had a small turnout, we had a great time. First, I dropped off the food and equipment I got the night before (grill, charcoal, ignition device, and food - buffalo burgers, lamb kabab, swordfish kabob, two types of vege burgurs, condiments) around 9:30 am, returned the car home, and biked in via the Folklife Festival on the Mall (pretty lame and too much security). I had to convince the guards that the charcoal - all by itself in my panier - was for a cookout in Georgetown, not on the Mall.

I got to Jack's about 1:20 pm, and set about the main activity for the day - lazing about and watching others. Neil showed up pretty early, and hung out. Soon, Peter and Tina came paddling in after spending some time a bit down the Potomac, doing tricks for rewards from the power boaters (like a pair of well-trained pinapeds). I won't say what the rewards were.

Barbara and Anatoly passed through on their way to join a tour. Anne of the Orange Monstrosity Sit-on-Top, Tammy (red Feathercraft), Page (sp.?), Nancy and Leslie showed up later in the afternoon. Jesse showed up, ate some food, but was too lame to paddle. I think his new name will be Jesse James.

Sometime between 4 and 5 pm a powerful but relatively short thunderstorm passed through (we had been monitoring the NWS, I concluded that we should wait and see what happens, not bail prematurely). Barbara and Anatoly's group huddled under the Key Bridge between Jack's docks and the shore; Anna kept station (mostly) under the first span between the docks and the first footing. I think she abandoned that position temporarily when a raft that looked like a large inflatable wading pool broke free of the power boat to which it was tied, and came flying under the first span like an out-of-control UFO.

We watched the skies for a while, started cooking at about 6pm, bummed some utensils and plates off of other groups, and chowed down. I had to give away some food, because too few CPAers showed up, but that's okay. It was really really delish - you missed out on some good eats if you didn't show up. Yes, I am trying to make those who didn't show jealous.

As 8pm closed in, I decided I was confident that we could paddle safely, and held our briefing about 8:10. We were on the water and ready to cross not too long after. We went behind Roosevelt Island, and stopped between there and the Memorial Bridge for photos. By the time we were ready to move on, the fireworks started (a little early), so most of us watched the show from that location. Although I had promised to tell the story of Reuben Clamzo and His Strange Daughter in the Key of A, I had missed the opportunity ( if interrested you can find it here: http://www.arlo.net/lyrics/reuben-clamzo.shtml ). Tammy and I went downriver of the bridge for a few minutes to check out the other view. I noticed a zipping noise heard only in my left ear, that I think was the effect of the shockwave from the fireworks traveling along and reflecting off the downriver side of the Memorial Bridge.

We returned to Jack's by reversal of the original route, and got off the water rather quickly. I biked home - when I got home last night, I had to endure local pyrotechnics, but managed to get to sleep around midnight.

Lessons learned (personal opinions - if you have better ideas, let me know):
1. Screening and Float Plan data - it's easier and clearer for the trip leader to compile a list of data they want than to ask for the standard data (for example, most people don't know where to find the sample float plan). From now on, I'll post a consolidated questionnaire to the List Serve and/or the event page for my events.

2. Food - for some inexplicable reason, most people like to have utensils, plates, napkins etc., to eat. And I've been eating off the floor all these years . . . .

3. Bistromatics applies to CPA events.

4. Brief the takeout. First priority - get the boats off the dock and out of the way.

Flood at Jack's Boathouse, June 29, 2006

After all that rain that we got this week, who could be surprised that the Potomac River has started to swell with water? Frank is never very happy to see this happen. Today he had to close up the rental business for the duration of the flood. He is only watching and waiting patently now in hopes that the water receides quickly, and before it can do any damage.

Click here to see some photos of the river. Jesse Aronson went down to the Boathouse this morning in order to se what state it is in. He captured a few photos and three movies of the water rushing by. The movies are large (> 2 meg), although they are worth watching.

Perhaps the Pirates of Georgetown will skip the paddle this evening, and go straight out to dinner and a little pillaging.

Successful 2006 Cherry Blossoms Paddle and Work Party

Yes. On April 1, we had a wonderfully successful Cherry Blossoms Paddle and Work Party, coordinated by our Hearty Pirate Mate Todd A. (a.k.a. The Angry Paddler). Goto this link to see the Trip Report by Mutineer Dave. And be sure to come to our next event. They are all a blast!

Under the Cherry Blossoms

The 2006 Season is Almost Upon Us

A Hearty Yaarr! To you all. I hope the winter has been well for everyone.

Now, it is time to shake off the cobwebs and drag your boat out from under the back porch. The 2006 Pirates of Georgetown season is about to begin. In two Thursdays from now, that is on April 20th, we will meet for the first official PoG paddle evening.

We will meet at the usual time and place, have a wonderfully relaxing time on the water, then take some time to eat and talk afterwards to catch up on the times we have been away.

Remember that everyone needs to complete the new CPA waiver before you come down for the first time. It is a simple one page sheet now that can be completed before you even print it out, courtesy of one of our own Pirate Crew Members.