Mother Nature’s Dramatic Fall Show Is Even Better By Water

Lake Ridge Park at Oxford Boathouse & Rowing

I've been looking forward to this season for months. Don't get me wrong; I enjoy the dog days of summer and all the fun boating brings to our family during that time of year. However, after those months, the cool, crisp temperatures of early autumn are very welcome. One of the things our family particularly likes to do this time of year is to get out on the water to view the fall foliage.

The shores of the Potomac River are less well-known for their fall colors than New England, but residents know that they are no less spectacular. One of the joys of the boating lifestyle in this part of the country is cruising along the Potomac River and out to the Chesapeake Bay to marvel at the vibrant oranges, reds, yellows and even purples interspersed with the evergreen pines.

Viewing the fall foliage from the river is a great form of family recreation. There are no crowds or congested highways, no obstacles in front of the nature display or busloads of sightseers taking pictures of one another.

Our family gets out early in the day and packs a picnic lunch with soup in a thermos and plenty of coffee in another. I usually bake an apple pie or pick up some apple fritters from the local orchard to complete the meal. It's a yearly tradition that we all look forward to. Around here, most of the city boaters get bored with boating after Labor Day, so we pretty much have the river to ourselves.

If you've never thought to get off the highway and onto America's rivers, lakes, bays or coastal waters to view Mother Nature's dramatic fall panorama, consider starting a family tradition at your house this year. It's an outing even the teenagers will enjoy.

Enjoy your time together!

Sincerely,

Your Family at Prince William Marina

Top 5 Boating Themed Songs

You have been to the boat dealer and have selected your Sea Ray sport boat, cruiser, yacht or Harris Flotebote pontoon. Now that you have adopted the boating lifestyle it’s time to pick your nautical anthem with some excellent boating themed music! Obviously, any “best of” list is going to be a subjective proposition. That said, we believe that our list is probably the best!

"Changes in latitudes" - Jimmy Buffet

Any list of nautically themed musical selections would be completely discredited without the inclusion of at least one Jimmy Buffet song.  As such, it makes sense to us that the song we include his breakout favorite, Changes in Latitude.”  This 1977 groundbreaking tract epitomizes the island lifestyle.

"Come Sail Away" - Styx

As it turns out, 1977 was a good year for boat themed music because that was also the year that the progressive rock group Styx released their acclaimed seventh album The Grand Illusion with “Come Sail Away” as the lead single.  The song invites you to do what you have always wanted to do, and now you can because you have the boat to do it.

"Brandy " - Looking Glass

Dipping into the “one hit wonder” bin, “Brandy,” by Looking Glass, tells the story of a port town barmaid who loved a sailor whose first passion was the sea.  Although the song’s title character was roundly appreciated by those sailors that remained, her heart set sail with the unnamed paramour. The haunting melody is especially poignant when you are all tied up on a foggy night.   

"Wreck of Edmund Fitzgerald" - Gordon Lightfoot

In addition to being an excellent song in its own right, Lightfoot’s “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” is a haunting reminder of the dangers we sailors can sometimes face when dealing with the capricious temperament of Mother Nature.

"If I had a boat" - Lyle Lovett

You loved this song before you went to the boat dealer, and now that you are enjoying the boating lifestyle you are in a great position to live the dreams that the lyrics promise.  With the right boating themed music your hours on the water will slip away like the slow rippling current of your favorite anchorage.

Bonus Song “Pontoon” - Little Big Town

Little Big Town’s hit, Pontoon, is the perfect summertime boating song. Whether you hear it during work, and brings back all those enjoyable memories from your last time on the water, or turning the song up while you’re on your pontoon.

What’s your all time favorite boating song?

Do You Need A Boating License in Virginia?

By 2016, all Virginia boat operators will need a Virginia boating license. This applies to all operators of motorboats with a motor of 10 hp or greater as well as operators of personal watercraft (PWC). When the requirement goes into effect, all Virginia boaters will need to have a boating safety education course completion card on board when they operate their craft.

About the Virginia boating license regulations

The first phase of the new Virginia boat license law requires that effective July 1, 2013, all boat operators age 40 or younger must complete a boating safety course. By July 1, 2014, all boat operators age 45 and younger must have completed the course. By July 1, 2016, all boat operators (of any age) will need to complete the safety course.

Experienced boaters may opt out of the safety course requirement by taking a boating license test to show their mastery of boating safety regulations. Exempt from the safety course requirement are commercial fisherman, those who have previously taken a NASBLA-approved boating safety course and those who have a boating license issued by the U.S. Coast Guard.

To learn more about the Virginia boat license regulations, visit the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Website.

Where to find boating safety courses in Virginia

A number of private and public groups are offering the authorized boating safety course. There are both classroom and online options. Some are free; others charge a fee. Just a few of the available courses are:

• Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries - Free classroom course; various locations; pre-registration suggested
• U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary - Classroom course; $25-$40 for materials
• U.S. Boat Foundation - Free online course

Boating in Virginia can be a fun and relaxing way to spend the summer. Make sure that you're legal by taking the required boat safety course.

Boat Shoes: Fashionable Footwear or Functional Purpose

Photo Credit: Sperry Top-Sider

There are many legends that surround boat shoes. However, we do know a few facts about this wonderfully comfortable type of footwear. One is that the sipping (cut groove) sole pattern was originally patented by John Sipe in 1923 and was intended for use on tires, not shoes. This seems odd as the legends (as shared by his son) say that he got the idea either working in a slaughterhouse or on a ship and got tired of sliding on the wet surfaces and cut grooves to help improve his traction.

The most recognizable story of the modern boat shoe, is that of Paul Sperry. In 1935, Paul Sperry noticed his dog's ability to run easily over ice without slipping. Using a knife, he cut siping into his shoes' soles, inspiring a shoe perfect for boating and a company called Sperry Top-Sider.

Sperry's boat shoes upper design was borrowed from Native American Moccasins featuring low sides, and heavy stitching across the toe. Easy to put on and take off even with wet feet.
Traditionally worn without socks, they became very popular, on and off the water, during the more relaxed times of the 1980's and have remained so until today.

Boat shoes for men and boat shoes for women are considered more casual than dress shoes but more formal than loafers or tennis. Boat shoes in both canvas and leather are the perfect compromise between the two worlds for both men and women or work and play.

If you want a go anywhere shoe, that offers you excellent traction and comfort, both on and off the water, then Boat Shoes are the perfect choice. There is a reason Paul Sperry's design has remained essentially unchanged since 1935. Classics become classics because they are near perfect to start with.

5 Nautical Terms You've Never Heard Before

Whether you're a first-time boater or a seasoned Captain, knowing your nautical terms can be helpful and fun sharing your knowledge with your family and friends while spending the day on the water. But today we're going outside the norm by sharing five nautical terms you've probably never heard before.

Baggy wrinkle – Baggy wrinkle are short lengths of yarn which are attached to a marline with the use of a knot. The baggy wrinkle is basically frayed out as a protective gear to prevent the sails from chafing.

Cats Paws – Believe it or not, Cat’s Paws is a pattern of the wind. This pattern is created by light wind on the surface of water and it resembles to the paws of a cat.

Down Bound – This term is used in the nautical world when a ship is headed in the down bound lane between the ports on the lake. This terminology is used basically to avoid collision. So if a vessel is down bound, it simply means that it is out of the Great Lakes and headed towards the Atlantic Ocean.

Fluke – Surely you are well aware of a ship’s anchor. Fluke can be designated to any of the triangular blades at the far end of the anchor which is crafted to hold the ground, and yes, we mean that literally!

Quayside – Quayside is basically a wharf or a bank which is created to load and unload ships. A wharf is basically an open construction for handling cargos.

Bonus Nautical Term

Parley – (If you've seen The Pirates of The Caribbean you already know what it means) Parley is a pirate term which is used as a self defense mechanism when one needs a chance to talk to the captain without being harmed.

What's the craziest nautical related word you've ever heard?