Steel Arch Bow

Steel Arch Bow

Playa rebounds

I'm on board Apolonia, a 43-foot yacht, riding in the parade of the Colonial Beach Riverfest boat. Riverfest is the largest City and takes place every year since 1951, against the wind and water of great imagination and I have had many times. We have just obtained, on the Potomac River protected Monroe Bay, which is the back door of the city, and we work our way north, beyond the Colonial Beach Yacht Center Point Bar and gums and of course for the future once the municipal wharf. In our starboard side, and extends to the rear are the famous cauldron of bank funds history some banks oyster rich world. It is 13:30 and the sky is overcast and threatening in June, but the Potomac is flat and happy, at least it feels that way ofApolonia in comfort. Its owner, Paul Bolin, is driving, we travel along the parade route of the number two spot, just behind the captain of the fleet and bring the rest of the pack.

It is precisely here, when I look at the six mile wide Potomac River and then back to the famous range of five kilometers from the city I see: It's a good thing, I'm not driving this boat, because if I had to be dodging the ghosts head. You see, this part of the Potomac, 60 miles from Washington and 40 of Point Lookout, is positive, full of historical events, and this afternoon, I see every way you turn. For example, the starboard bow, I see a fleet of phantom ships-British war being distorted by hand in the oyster thick on the road to the capture of Washington. It is 1814, and he will succeed. Returning by River which have an additional prize of 25 boats in tow, and, again, the Crews were unloading everything and pull the ships through the banks to hand. A slow and stressful, no doubt, but still reach the port Baltimore, when Francis Scott Key to see the red glow of flares. And look, there, tearing through our root, is a patrol boat of Maryland Hot on the tail of a dredge oysters. Listen to the machine guns? One of them will eventually die. Now look ahead in passing under U.S. Route 301 bridge is the ghost of the famous paddlewheel steam St. Johns, its roads filled with happiness hikers start of the 20th century bound for Colonial Beach. Yes, the ring of a thousand bandits arm to the brim with an oar as a Confederate spy slips between a pair of vessels Federal War, Colonial Beach water is alarming and charming and full of ghosts.

Paul Bolin, however, is not distracted. Apolonia has firmly Cpl. His eye is not in the past but the future of Colonial Beach and what this city has had more ups and downs of a plug in a wave of five feet, is on track converted. Because of Colonial Beach, strikes the most recent wave of unprecedented storm, Isabel, is also sure to get to the next big wave of the boatman's life is in decline.

With us on this record Sunday in the Grand Parade marshals are boats Sonny and Dottie Schick who live near the Plaza Bell House Bolin & Breakfast, and his son Kyle and his wife Reldo. Kyle and Reldo are particularly eager to walk in any wave at all, and that Elizabeth was actually the second punch a combination of one to two left the Colonial Beach Yacht Center astounding.

The largest and one of the oldest marinas in the area, Colonial Beach Yacht Center has been devastated for the first time in May 2002 by a fire that destroyed the docks of the marina after the bombing of a ship in port that many mines. Fifty-six ships, classics wood for some of them irreplaceable, were destroyed. Many Woodies lost would have been with us today in the parade boats, but are now part of a fleet of new ghostly. After the fire, the Lavry established by the reconstruction of the marina and was track, rolled it up like a bulldozer Isabel, throwing stones about half a ton and the destruction of 40 more vessels, many of them on trailers and cradles.

"That fire is taken, the hurricane did," Kyle told me that Schick we made a visit to the sailing center before the weekend in a golf cart, Colonial Beach new vehicle of choice. Damaged by the storm were docked Boat Center restaurant, a store ship, dock, boat lift area, the region and pump the gas station. "We're putting things together, but better" Schick said. "We had great support from the community and other marinas, but the insurance does not cover what you think it will. "

The new docks are wider than the old and everyone has a booth having a phone jack and enough power, even for the day hottest and most demanding vessels. The new docks are covered with armor plates and Web form an arch over each band. They are resistant to fire and prevent UV rays while letting in the sun. With several new platforms and the Aquatics Centre will soon have 100 open slips and 20 covered slips. There is room for another 100 boats on the hard disk. Currently there are 15 slips with plans to move 40 people.

Colonial Beach Yacht Center location at the entrance of the Bay of Monroe has always appealed to large boats coming and going from Washington, DC, but also makes the marina more vulnerable to storms that have stuck in the bay Monroe. The facility was originally an oyster packing plant established in the 1930s. During the Great Hurricane of 1933, the building floating wharves, but was pulled back and a slab of concrete was poured to hold it in place. In the decade 1940, while the Navy has developed nearly 200 pages, the oyster packing house became a restaurant. Elizabeth could not move, but he destroyed the interior. Who has since been restored and reopened the restaurant docked earlier this spring.

Two other popular restaurants in Colonial Beach water also have been destroyed, the Happy Clam Restaurant and Wilkerson both at the north end of town. Wilkerson, rebuilt and reopened a few months with fresh, hot hush puppies and a wall of windows on the Potomac. But the happy clam has not yet reappeared.

Well the Nautical Center of the marina was only in the region vessels lost in the storm, others felt the effect as well. January Swink Nightingale Motel and Marina on Monroe Bay is located in the center of your new kitchen to show me where you left that night, small fish in deep water knee, watching swim between his fingers. "Our docks are like an accordion in some points," he said. In motel rooms Nightingale, water is mounted above the headboard, the six units have been completely redone. But, like hundreds of others throughout the city, Conrad Bob and her husband went to work and were ready to reopen in time for the 2004 season of navigation. "And I wanted to make some changes, anyway, he said, opening the door to show me two new bathrooms and showers for boaters.

Just a little further up the bay nightingale is the last marine railway Iron Colonial Beach and one stop for all lovers of the craft. Here, the oldest marina owners in Colonial Beach, Virginia, Mary Stanford Stanford Marine Railway is located in the warehouse of the ship "lounge" and shakes his head slowly money when I ask for the loss of Elizabeth. "Many people had trees fall on their house," he said sadly. "In the car the next day I want to ride a bit and then cry a little." In the railroad where more than 60 years to her husband, Clarence built boats that are still in use today, the wind blew over the roof and the water reached the middle of the building store. But does any serious damage, since all electrical appliances have been moved to higher ground before. The sheets have survived, as the covered dock, houses both Hermione, a meticulously restored 1927 Elco, and Pathfinder II, the last boat built Clarence Stanford.

Back in the center of the city in Doc Motel, Ellie Carruthers and her husband, "Little Doc," just went to bed when it got too dark to take pictures the storm, power is not. "The next morning, I said, 'Oh, my God!" "Ellie said. The last wave of water has increased following the closure of four feet separating the oldest motel in the town of Potomac and planted between the two wings left chambers. "We are large bags full of eighty, he said. "Everyone settle. It was like being in a parade at the landfill. Finally, they had to close the landfill. "

Doc northern waterfront that day was in ruins, like a neighbor charterboat spring. When I visited the site before the parade boats, I could see that the dam was charterboat in place, but the waterfront still need a few tables over.

sections and spring Doc famous promenade of the Colonial Beach, after living with families on vacation who filled the wooden walkway and stands food. Today, concrete is a sidewalk that meanders through the sand, bordered by only two or three survivors sale of food products. Buy ice cream and walk along the waterfront, however, and you do not be alone, be with some of the beaches most vehement them ghosts casinos and dance halls that attracted tens of thousands of visitors eager Summer of 1940 by 50s. But time, antigambling laws, a fire in 1960 and several earlier storms have wreaked havoc, and Monte Carlo, the jackpot, Joyland, Little Steel Pier and his companions had disappeared years before Hurricane Isabel was a breeze and in the Sahara. The boat-fly (a small Once Reno) remained perched on the property Potomac, Maryland and Paris offer off-piste, keno, two state lotteries and food to a multitude was quiet. But the barge is gone, it also, another victim of Isabel. Unlike others, however, the riverboat will be back.

Linthacum Browning Peggy Raley and Laura, who are sisters, will chair a construction trailer at the end of the beach under the pier in the ruins of the boat. Their job is to ensure the curious me, for example, that the boat is actually going to be rebuilt. "We had to go throughout the authorization process, which took a long time," he said Linthacum. " But the riverboat was more or less protected, so they finally move forward. "Linthacum and Raley are sisters Peggy Flanagan, who with her husband, Tom is the owner of the boat since 1992. The new riverboat, which must maintain the same space as the previous one, is like a boat in this opportunity Linthacum said, with a working waterwheel. "We've been number one sellers in the Maryland lottery," Raley proudly. "Customers buying a lottery ticket in Virginia and Maryland, then a ticket a few steps. "

It is the ability to take action the coast of Virginia to the casinos that sat on the docks along the Potomac, Maryland, which require the neon blazing and a joint-jumpin'desde 1949 until 1958 when the armed robber was the king of entertainment in Maryland. After the completion of U.S. Route 301 bridge over the Potomac in 1941, Colonial Beach was not that long trip from Washington and Baltimore, the city and hundreds of slot machines, casinos, dancing, welcoming the beach and boardwalk rich entertainment gave people a lot of reasons to come.

"We used to open the motel XV and full board in May over the summer," Carruthers Ellie remembers. "If this is not completed before noon, we wonder what was wrong." Carruthers came to Colonial Beach when his father, a builder from Washington, finally found time to take the family on a beautiful two weeks of vacation. "When I arrived in 1951, there were machines slot everywhere. It was crazy! "She met shortly Doc (his father was the Doc) and stayed at Riverside." Would you go on the walk night, with mothers and fathers and children of all ages, all with a wonderful time, "he said as we sat in his small office in the motel, but comfortable. Now in his 70s, recently broke her hip Carruthers, but, discouraged by the experience, it puts me in a wheelchair to speak as he settles in the office chair. "I have clients who met each other couples on the promenade, and other who make their reservations to meet here at the same time every year. Some of my clients have stayed with me all the years after fifty years. I can make reservations for them before they even call. "
Before this years boat parade from Doc is one of the first customers the motel, now a frail elderly 90 years. With him is his daughter, his granddaughter and her granddaughter and their families. They took six rooms weekend. Mary Virginia Stanford is another long-time coming here for Colonial Beach, fondly recalling his ten wild and crazy. She met Clarence has been in this case during the Second World War while in Apalachicola, Florida, in a menhaden fishing trip with his father. She and Clarence returned to Colonial Beach and in 1945 built a store at the marina and Boatworks, which he said: "We have worked in our lives." Both are now 80 years and remains active for Virginia Marie, Clarence is confined to a wheelchair.

Mary Virginia has no objection to the slot machines, however. "I support gambling. Live and let live. "She played nickel team once," she said. "I put one in sixteen left. I put in my pocket, went home and bought curtains. She remembers the walk, the old houses and the singer Jimmy Dean time "before he was famous, "Came in Colonial Beach to perform." My head is a belt buckle. "

Stanford also recalls the wars of oysters of the 1950s, when Maryland marine police would hunt down the Virgin IANS Maryland oysters were dredged (in the Potomac were all oysters in Maryland). Energy dredging has long been considered illegal in Maryland, which beat the oyster already diminished. Only tonging hand, the slow and difficult, it has been authorized (And some days, could Skipjacks dredging under sail). Taken oyster tongs with what looks like a posthole digger staggering, bringing just enough once to a man appetizers moderately hunger. But dredging (or drag) the beds can provide many more bushels of oysters tonging. If illegal dredgers hightailed it was not uncommon for Maritime patrol to open fire as they gave chase, sometimes to Monroe Bay.

"I was in the back with a baby in my arms, "says Stanford," when the police kept a boat in the bay. Both vessels were flying in. The ball bounced around. "Carruthers recalls the sound of machine guns during the night. "The young men approached on the beach to be in Virginia from Maryland where police were behind them. I saw a young man walk out of the water and remember, "I can". They sat there and waited. "

On April 17, 1959, bullets, finally find a target and was Muse Berkley Colonial Beach residents dead. The fate of Governors asked the Maryland and Virginia to reach a compromise, and wars of the oyster, which had been conducted from time to time, for a century more or less finished.

But as the harvesting of oysters weakened and disappeared from slots, holiday habits also change, and over the next 40 years, Colonial Beach is a quiet place now, "a dreamer a colorful past, "as Federico tilp called in his book 1978, it was the Potomac River.

In 1985, residents discovered some of the ghosts do not even know. One morning, after a heavy storm, she saw several strollers foot skeleton of a stick in the sand When gums Point Bar unreasonable bodies showed they had received a blow on the head. "They were probably immigrants supported the bars of Baltimore in the late 1800s to work aboard a skipjack oyster, "he said Apolonia Kyle Schick what happens often called Ghost Point. "This was his reward."

It now appears that Colonial Beach is about to receive a payment from a very different sort. In the past year, housing prices have grown wings, and real estate agents and Bob Conrad of Colonial Beach Realty can not keep enough ads to meet demand. Homes now sell often within a week to reach the market for a new home - owners of Northern Neck Virginia. Michael Wardman, who recently invested in a central block of his property, he said that for the price, he bought his house Colonial Beach a few years ago could not even buy lots now. Housing construction are in place as well. "Over the last two years we have built approximately ninety new homes. Previously, he was a child of ten years, "said City Manager Brian Hooten. "The beach has been solved."

Colonial Beach Planning and Zoning Commission also gave preliminary approval to two major development projects. The largest is championship golf 18 holes and approximately 900 homes on 600 acres near Restaurant Wilkerson. The second, more controversial, because it includes a marina for 250 homes, most houses, and boat slips for residents on 50 acres bordering Monroe Point. "With all this growth, the greatest challenge that the city has now is maintaining its charm, "said Wardman. "It's a great opportunity."

It is a challenge both in the spirit of Brian Hooten also. 10 years ago, the city bought all the waterfront properties abandoned, then demolished. Now, the city has four acres of land for what the offer with the hope of securing an offer to develop the site with tourist businesses. After doing this twice, Hooten said, the city is still not satisfied. "Proposals must be weighted in favor of the home" Hooten said. We want business applications used by tourists and residents, such as restaurants and ice cream. "The proposed residential projects are also several articles that are both Hooten and Wardman. "I am against high buildings of medium height and Wardman said." I do not think it would be a good decision Colonial Beach appears everywhere. "

Paul Bolin, is also a driving force in the revival Colonial Beach. He is President Chamber of Commerce also manages Bell House Bed & Breakfast with his wife Anne and to take customers for cruises Apolonia four course dinner. He is also the spearhead of the Vision 2015, which states develop a consensus among the residents of the City address and growth. "I think the city will change," she said while holding Apolonia from the wharf of the city so that we can see the rest of the parade. "But once you start development is difficult to control he goes. No rheostat. "

"This city is often older, who were young in the 50s, who want to see the city go crazy for again, "said Reldo Schick, sits next to me on the flying bridge, we see the Apolonia Elco as gracefully sliding. And young who want to retain its picturesque charm. It is one of the paradoxes of Colonial Beach. "

There are at least one resident, however, who would like two ways. "I would like to see some changes, but I would like to see things change," Mary Virginia Stanford had said like a duck came through the door Front store the boat in the Marina Railway Stanford. And the mallard, at least, was not ghost.

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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