DETAILS FOR FORT FOOTE CRUISE 

HEAR YE, all PRSA and Lightning Fleet 50 skippers, crew, friends and significant others!!  PRSA is doing its annual cruise to Ft. Foote Saturday, July 28.  Last year’s cruise was great; we had 11 boats and 35 participants.  The big hit was volleyball—and we will do it again. So, get your serve and return ready. 

We will bring a PRSA powerboat with us in case of light winds and a strong current.  If there is a high chance of thunderstorms (about 50 percent or more) or wind less than 5 mph the forecast, the event will be cancelled.   If cancelled, a decision and announcement will be made by e-mail or Friday not after 8 am.  Skippers -- please notify me as early as possible of your intention to participate and the number of (and names of) passengers you will bring. Associate members and crew --  If you do not have a boat to sail on and want to participate, please notify me too. Please contact the trip organizer,  David Thompson, at DThomp01@aol.com

What's the carrying capacity of a Lightning?  It depends on the number and weight of the crew, but please don't overload your boat.  The heavier the crew, the slower you go but, this is a social sail, so speed isn't important.  But safety is, so ensure you can still handle the boat when it is loaded, and make sure everyone is wearing PFDs.

SCHEDULE: 

--Leave marina—11:30 am

--Arrive anchorage area—12:45

Note: the anchor area is 4 1/2 miles from the marina based on center channel distance.  At about 1½ miles south of the Wilson Bridge, look for red channel mark #90; turn due east to the anchorage area, which is about 600 feet from the mark.  Stay south of a little stream which empties into the Potomac.  Beware the wood pilings about 50 feet west of this stream; they only show at low tide.  These pilings are the remnants of an old wood wharf.  It’s best to drop sails about 150’ off shore and paddle in.

--At Picnic Area from 12:45 until about 4:00.

--Leave anchorage area at 4:00 pm.  Arrive at marina at 5:15-5:30 pm  

- Note High tide 7:24 AM; low tide 2:41 PM; we'll be headed downriver with an outgoing tide and returning on an incoming tide.

WHAT TO BRING:

 -- One anchor for the bow and either a stern anchor, or 40-50’ of line to tie off the stern.  There are many logs on the shore and nearby trees to tie to.  The bottom is soft sand—no mud or rocks.  It is best to take the anchor by hand, walk it out and dig it in.

 -- Bring sneakers for the walk up the path, it contains a lot of small slippery rocks.  Also stay on path since the sides have some poison ivy.

 -- Bring water and other refreshments with you since there is no water at the site; there is a Port-a-John at the site and permanent restrooms a 3 minute walk up the road.

 -- Bring all food needed for people in each boat.  Each skipper should co-ordinate the food with people in his or her boat.  The fleet will provide charcoal for small grills, paper plates and utensils.               

THE FORT

Two 15-inch cannons are a three-minute walk from the picnic site.  There is a path around part of the original fort.  Along the path are pictorial diagrams of the fort the way it looked in 1864.