All About The Chesapeake Bay in Six Minutes

For a boater in the Washington-Baltimore metro area, nothing beats the pull of "The Bay." The Chesapeake offers fishing, cruising, sailing and those succulent blue crabs. One of our senior members in the Potomac River Power Squadron told me he found to Bay to be superior by far to the Florida coast for cruising.

This video describes the Bay and its conditions. My only beef is that they made the water look a lot clearer than it really is.

Boating and Tennis Love 4U--Water Taxi Service to DC's Pro Tennis Stadium

"As you well know, Washington Kastles season is fast approaching, and D.C.’s pro tennis team (and most recent champions) (who are very aggressive at reaching out to local bloggers) have a new venue this time around.

"Kastles Stadium at The Wharf is in Southwest, and the team is set to announce that there will be limited boat parking at Gangplank Marina.

"This makes The Kastle the first tennis facility in the U.S. with boat-up parking, and the first pro sports venue in D.C. with boat-up parking. And it’s free for season-ticket holders, which might cause a gagging reflex in other local ownership suites."

Read the rest of this story on Dan Steinberg's DC Sports Bog (Washington POST site. May require registration)

Speaking of the POST, a story up today reports the start of a water taxi service from the South West waterfront to Georgetown. The service by American River Taxi is intended for commuters looking for alternatives to driving, biking (in this heat) or the Metro.

American River Taxi offers a service transporting baseball fans from Georgetown to Nationals Park. Commuter service is an expansion that may, or may not, catch on. The fare is $8.00 one-way for the 30 minute trip.

The Potomac Riverboat Company offers a water taxi service from the National Harbor in Prince Georges County to Old Town Alexandria that makes for a cool outing. The one-way trip is 20 minutes and costs $8.00 for adults.

I hope these services catch on. The District of Columbia ceased to be a boating mecca long ago. Yes, there are boaters here, but a boating supplies retailer or boat dealer is not to be found within city limits.

Photo: New members of Potomac River Power Squadron, a unit of United States Power Squadrons(r), after passing the basic boating class in 1963. From the files of Potomac River Power Squadron.