The next big thing
It was night, and behind glass atrium and 18 floors bright moon shone like a colossal steel. It was July 3rd and my old friend College John and I was about to join a group of sailors in Occoquan, Virginia, at the end of the National Harbor Marina Dock A look at the Gaylord Hotel and Convention Center, the first show of fireworks in July. But first I wanted to take some photos. As usual. John was using his camera under the water, he had prepared for the journey in a sailboat on the Potomac, because he was not sure what type of candle and involve many to switch to wet sail in college was the last time and I had been together on a sailboat. Understood. We have a lot of points.
But John did not understand. I do not failover. She has now. No, she did not understand was the idea of National Harbor, which had difficulty putting point of view, although we now had here since late June
"I mean is right in a crazy alternate universe way, but still do not understand. It really is, and why are you here? "
Large questions of fact. How do you explain?
We were standing on the platform that John turned from the river to take pictures of thousands of spectators who had gathered along the coast in anticipation of National Harbor fireworks. Finally, he stopped and took a brochure from his pocket and began to read their facts and figures. "National Harbor is built on 300 acres, including six hotels and apartment buildings about 20" he said. "When he finished, which has 7.3 million square feet mixed-use community room, 4,000 hotels, 2,500 homes, 500,000 square feet of Class A office (whatever that is), 1 million square feet of shopping, dining and entertainment space and 10,000 parking spaces. "
"Yes, I said," will be bigger the Mall of America's largest shopping center in the world. "
"So that is supposed to be a huge shopping center mall? "
"Uh, I do not."
We walked slowly to the final spring, the lights in the atrium of the moon changes from white to red.
"I think is supposed to be a kind of multiple use, where you can spend your entire vacation or use as a base for the visit to Washington, DC, which is a kind of super-destination. O you can do to Sidetrips Alexandria or Mount Vernon by boat. At least I think that's the idea. "I tried a bit of history. National Puerto Developer Milton Peterson was not the first thought that this former gravel pit Smoots Bay in the shadow of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and bypass the perfect place for something really big. In 1970 and 1980 there were several important projects for the property that ultimately failed. One of them was called the Bay of America and a PortAmerica. "This is a great also sound, as in National Harbor, "I said." But it was only came through, not that I did not have a law of Congress. "(In 1999, Congress National Harbor passed a law that exempted the federal review and protected processing environment, if there is no reason to believe that any trial took place.)
We welcomed our new friends, Occoquan We had met earlier in the day had left in its fourth weekend July to visit National Harbor and saw the fireworks in the city of Alexandria arc silent on the jet black sky across the River. I reminded John to the tree-lined boulevards and especially the works of public art, hotels, restaurants, shops, taxis, tour boats, under letters, artwork, and even stand the fortune teller, were all designed to give visitors plenty to see and do. "There are some things more and are bigger than we are accustomed to at At least here. Hey, you live in Orlando, to be used for this type of thing. "
"This is a point," he admitted.
"Taking these people Occoquan, "I continued. "They understand." I had said earlier they had made the trip to National Harbor four or five times. "They can get into their boats and spend an hour or two to go against the grain, pull your pants, lift chairs and relax. They grill, tent, listening to a calypso band, walking their dogs and go to sleep in his own bed. When the weekend more pull in their lines and go home. "
"We used to anchor in the river of fireworks, "offered Alan Gross, who was sitting next to the group with his German shepherd and Schatzi had heard our conversation." But then we had to return to Occoquan in the dark with all that traffic. It was crazy! It is much better! "
The first rocket fired into the air a barge in River and burst into a shower of color above our heads. Behind us, the atrium of Gaylord changed from red to blue.
John and I arrived at National Harbor on Saturday afternoon sunshine at the end of June on board Snipp, my Albin Vega 27. After a week of Potomac zigzag lazily against a headwind Persistent (Are there others?) Finally Snipp relaxed on the main route from the port of National Marina Potomac. We are happy to happen.
We had spent the previous night in Smallwood State Park on Mattawoman Creek, where we hit a hornet's nest of fishing for men mid-bass tournament eyes clenched teeth of steel, and three things in mind: to take the floor to catch quickly and get high. He had no patience for yachts. We, however, only wanted to get out of the gorge and the port control sports. The problem is that we have become so concerned not to run aground in the narrow channel in the park have fallen into the clutches of the hydra with several heads of marine vegetation lurking beneath the surface. It took us quickly. If there is a hook heroic action of a shovel and a Swiss multi-tool, we feel that soon would have been absorbed and join another unfortunate loss. Once released, we have attached, as instructed by the old phone, then was off because we could not reach Office of the spring. (There was a door lock on the end of the spring.) We near the office where they were assigned a slip in which he could not because the dock was shallow to justify a fishing boat. We chose an empty and slip back again. This change has faces belong to Guy Seatow by the anchor for new and re-re-lowered a boat sank at the dock. It was not a party source of inspiration.
The stretch of the Potomac on Mattawoman is full things to see. First is the entry of Occoquan Bay on Virginia, with beautiful Mason Neck Wildlife Refuge on the northern coast of the bay, then good for beautiful long George Mason Gunston Manor, on a cliff looking down on Gunston Cove and the Potomac. The river narrows here on a human scale, and the channel moves relentlessly from one bank to another.
Soon we had our first view of Mount Vernon, the most familiar of American households, and that filled the banks of the canal for a walk boat three stories high, a large space as bullies in the channel at Mount Vernon. John was seduced, as so it can be but stubbornly insisted on paying less attention to the landscape and spotted floating logs and other debris that often trash this piece of river. Soon after, Fort Washington threatened over us the coast of Maryland, and finally we could see the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, and beyond, The Washington Monument, a show that continues to fascinate.
Among Indian Queen and cliffs Rosier, belly up to the Maryland shore of the channel. Here? Snipp and it was just another big tour boat, both of us live too intimate a moment close collaboration markers turned red and green, and so near the sea you could almost touch the clay and red maple. But soon he crossed on the way to the center River, which is preparing for the trip through the central span of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Not that he reached the bridge. But I must mention the channel because it is here, on time it reaches the middle of the river and off as South Point National Harbor is that suddenly, without prelude, there, like Xanadu or the Emerald City. Only to be Kublai Khan sits as Dorothy or I do not know who. Anyway, it is straight from a fairy tale.
"My God," said John of the bow, " What is it? "
"National Harbor is, of course, little fool." "What are you crying in particular undoubtedly, is the Gaylord Hotel and Convention Center, which is three times the size of everything else. "I had been to National Harbor with friends spring and therefore can be annoying tired of everything. But in reality there is no denying that this is a marvel.
A moment later, however, something else had attention. "Look at that huge sail!"
"You speak of course of the mainsail eight-story high glass decorated semi-transparent the port side opposite the Westin Hotel. "
She looked dark and deserted in the twins by his camera. Click.
"John," called front, which is our next marker? ". Click.
"Wow," I said (or something), "find the next score! "
I sympathized with the desire of John to take photos because the national approach to water Harbor was certainly all in the way of land for a breathtaking view. But Smoots Bay is shallow and our maps, but again there are not enough again to see new post markers of the marina. And suddenly we also found rolling following a large number of motorboats large. Did I mention it was a Saturday afternoon? Click. Click.
"John, stop that! "
She sighed and put the camera away and scanned the bay. "It … Red said, pointing to a marker next to South Point.
I made a sharp turn to starboard, and immediately asked for the next marker, which proved to be two markers, one red and one green, a little further. We continue to follow markers, and bordering the coast until the spring at a distance, which is also the fuel dock. They turned to look well received: B17. A series on because the slippage is almost large enough to contain a B-17. I roughly calculated that also have eight my Albin Vega 27, if the two deep pond. I'm not saying we're a little space, no room could be more comfortable, I mean that National Harbor is exactly the kind of place where you have to readjust his sense of proportion.
Click. Click. John has been again. But this time I did not care, because they were committed to our newsletter and has been acclaimed by those attending the welcome party on the boat next to ours. So I left him and went in search of captain Eric Bradley. I found him in his office / Kiosk on the quay outside, skillfully juggling with a total fuel companies and the allocation of moorings for boats in search of a couple of hours parking or overnight. A small battalion of tanks provides effective between A, B and C docks, quickly have a constant flow of boats coming.
"Wait until the fourth weekend in July! "?" Said Bradley when I noticed the congestion. "We will be completely full and we expect that three boats more than a hundred meters on the north side of the main dock. "
Before coming to Washington to open the National Puerto Marina, Bradley was the captain of the dam dry in Annapolis on Back Creek Landing in Annapolis. "It's a totally different boat," he said. "[In Annapolis] were mainly transient and sailing up and down the east coast. In this regard, especially the superstars, most of whom never go south of U.S. 301 bridge. They are happy here. "
Much of the marina is dedicated to slipholders years, had a 60 percent occupancy by mid-summer, but a generous number of Slip are reserved for transient boaters, the two nights and times. "We are more plus shipping and yacht clubs hold their meetings here." Panels in their particular plan events around special programs provided by the National Harbor almost every weekend, and tasting like an ox and the Festival of foam, or seasonal events Oktoberfest and repeat as Christmas Market, which runs on weekends from Thanksgiving until Christmas.
"I thought it would be an ideal place to come Christmas, he said. "Do you stay open all winter?"
"We took the boat on Pier C in winter, because we got lots of ice pushed up against him by the river, but keep the port open throughout the year. "Eric said there is a pier on Pier C to protect springs cutting at least some of the wind which accumulates in the water exposed Smoots Bay, especially during the winter.
At this point in our conversation, three ships idle and at the dock, waiting their turn, then went back to the base B, wondering idly if John had exhausted the battery from the device yet. Click OK. Guess not.
"Shower" everything he said. I had the key to electronic media slipholders and smiled. We dive in cabin for a couple of towels and clothes clean and dry enough and went in search of rain.
"Whoa, what is?" John suddenly stopped and watched a small beach just to the left of the main dock, where a giant face, legs and hands chopped dramatically in the sand. Over, under and around parts Volkswagen body size, dozens of children scrambled forward, while dozens of parents have taken photos with the same enthusiasm. Click. John also.
"It's The Awakening", I said, trying not to sound too boring. "For twenty years he was on Hains Point, is on the other side of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in the center of Potomac, and plenty of people came to see him. "I said vaguely in the direction of Washington and East Potomac Park, five miles upstream. "But someone in his wisdom has decided that did not fit as the park, which was sold, and Petersen, national port development, which bought and built a track out of it. "
When I finally got moving again Juan, across a courtyard, which seemed to have doubled in a small scene, and turned right at the first street you came to, National Plaza. There, just across the street from the Westin Hotel and next Olympia News, was the entrance to the office of the captaincy of the marina and toilets, laundry and showers. Showers!
As I have come a little later, I met John and Betty Lockard Arlington, Virginia, which keep their boat in the Irish Ayes marina. The Lockard had received their ballots in May and ship in June, "We love it!" They enthusiastically. "The only problem is that we remember to make a reservation at a restaurant if you want to eat dinner when we are here at the weekend."
Hmm, good thinking. As we farewell restless, I took my cell phone.
All clean, it was time to explore all that Oz America feet. The first thing we did was head of the Spanish Steps.
"Spanish Steps" asked Jean.
"Yes, Spanish, I replied. "Probably because they lead to the American Way, Main Street National Harbor, which went on quickly, because I could see no sense," is based on the main shopping street in Barcelona called Las Ramblas, Petersen apparently so in love and wanted to copy here. Therefore, he continued, "like many southern European cities, this is a boulevard, shaded by a canopy of trees. This makes it a cool, shady refuge in the hot summer sun and bright and warm in winter, when trees are traditionally carved almost to the heels.
"I know, I saw many European avenues answered a little coldly," I grew up in France, remember. "
"Oh, yes."
"And the Spanish are in Rome, not Spain."
"Oh, yes."
Fortunately, at that time we had reached the steps, which are flanked by two large mosaics in the walls of each side. Both mosaics are from Washington, DC native Cheryl Foster, representing Maryland, especially those who earned their living in the water.
At the top of the ladder is the lookout. "A place that has a point of view, I repeated. This is a great terrace view overlooking the beach with the giant clock, and beyond Navy, the Potomac, and finally to Alexandria on the opposite bank. A "view" by any standard. But John was not admiring the view. His head drooped and meanders this way and that, as the lookout, Maryland to study artist Steven Weitzman map 1600 square meters, which represents the history of American debut of the Bay Chesapeake. The work, of Chesapeake Travel fotero is made of a concrete structure such as terrazzo, as Weitzman developed for public art.
"Enough that, "he said finally," let's go shopping! "
And we did, wandering from one side of each half-dozen street then the National Harbor another, sometimes cutting through the streets by cunning, few crosswalks. On the Waterfront Street, which swept through art and fossils Whine. The National Mall, we Aromi samples of ice cream in Italy. And we travel in South America Way Under the Moon and the Govinda Gallery, then prevailed Mayorga Coffee Roasters espresso and continued for the street to the shops, restaurants, hotels and residential buildings have to come posters and a fenced area for dog walking. I hope you saw the newsstand guess, but it was empty. I guess I did not know we were coming. The plane had a couple of years to go before making an arch over the street, but it is the central avenue and dotted with various arrangements of stones brought from New England and the form and at times brilliant. The effect is something like the ancient sources in southern Europe, often anchor their main streets old.
Before the walk to the American way over, we have taken the place of the future headquarters of the National Children's Museum. This 150 000 square feet, César Pelli designed the building scheduled to open in 2013. It is within walking distance of another project: a Disney hotel. Just before coming to National Harbor, Disney announced I had bought a plot of 15 acres at the end of the American Way, where the company plans to build a resort with 300 rooms in a date has not yet name.
Oh, yes, all this and had not yet arrived at the Gaylord Hotel and Convention Center. So we did, and spent several hours admiring lazy you can do with 2,000 rooms and nearly half a million square feet of convention space. We learned that in theory could use the conference room of 800 feet long to store all the Washington Monument, if you put on your side. And we have been able to answer the question: What can be done with a cavernous 18-story atrium? Apart the obvious answer: enjoy the view, you can actually build a small colonial town chockablock with shops and restaurants including a sports bar with video screen 30 feet tall. You can also run a small stream through the atrium and gardens in front of the building. And you can create sources within this session of 65 feet in the air and dancing to music from 7 to 22 pm each night.
Ugh! Thank God, it was time for dinner. John and I were able to summon the energy only enough to pick our way out of the courtyard and gardens. Harborwalk and then walked back into "the city." We found the restaurant Rosa Mexicano Frente and happy street collapsed in chairs on the terrace overlooking the marina. We could see Snipp, which seemed a little lost in his appointment huge, surrounded by a phalanx of boats Motor-Boy style.
Several beers, a couple of tortilla soup and mole dishes later, zombie-walked to the boat and fell into our bunks. But not before John had to take some night photos National port Given the arc of a small sailboat gliding B17. It was a magnificent spectacle. . . and very large. . . and maybe even a little strange.
"Maybe tomorrow everything will fall into perspective."
"Of course. Good night, Juan. "
About the Author
By Jody Schroath, Senior Editor for Chesapeake Bay Magazine. For more great articles and photos on boating, sailing, fishing, and cruising, visit http://www.ChesapeakeBoating.net
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