March is here and the weather is definitely warming up. We don’t care what some rodent in Pennsylvania says, spring is definitely here! That means it’s time to de-winterize your water-hoopty and get ready for another exciting season on the river.
This season may be a bit different than the last, as theres been some changes on the river. Rick’s won’t be open this year, and we lost Gilligan’s last year, but Tim’s II is still open so we have that going for us. Speaking of places to go for food though, Alexandria has Ada’s on the River which is right behind BARCA Pier and Wine Bar, which has fantastic food and drink. Just pull up to the BARCA docks and walk to the restaurant. This place is impressive – we got burgers there and to be honest, it was the best thing we’ve ever eaten. Their collection of bourbons and whiskeys is also amazing. Go there now!
Other changes this year include some of the channel markers. Josh over at Potomac Marine told us that the channel has “moved” a bit between the power lines near Mattawoman Creek and the 301 bridge, and thus so have the channel markers. It’s probably a good idea to update your chart plotters with the latest greatest info now.
Finally, just like every season before, it all starts out with boat shows! This weekend, March 10, starts the Chantilly Family Boat Show at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly. This year also marks the start of a new boat show – the DC Boat Show at National Harbor which happens from May 5 to May 7. We expect more of an “Annapolis feel” from this show, so it should be exciting!
With events like Belmont-a-Palooza 2023 and others in the works, and falling fuel prices, this season is shaping up to be a great one!