Suppose the Union Pacific threw a party at Promontory Point, Utah, but nobody came?? That's the way that Dan Robinson, Natalie Hanno, and I felt as we slipped our boats into a low low Potomac at Swains Lock camping ground and headed out into the center of the river to avoid the rocks on the left shore. Turning left, we skimmed past Fairfax's Riverbend Park, then came to the Maryland shore, so as to stay well left of Conn Island, which butts up against the middle of Aqueduct Dam just above Great Falls. Sunny, ca 65 degrees, air almost calm, and at 2.95 feet on the Little Falls gauge, only mild current.
Taking out 100 yards above the Dam, we relaunched into the brimming-full Canal just across from the big white Tavern. But not before checking in with a 19th C. lassie who was showing off a couple of mules - the Canal Barge was about to be locked up for a brief run up Level 20 - its last voyage of the year with proper locomotion. For the young muleteer told us that earlier in the season people had to draw the barge.
We seal-launched and headed up the 2.3 miles of impounded water with only one very shallow part and a downed tree to thread through. Otherwise the Canal was in perfect condition for small craft like ours. Speaking of which, in addition to Natalie's and my kayaks, Dan was test driving his newest small (10-feet) self built rowboat. We took pictures of our red-white-and-blue flotilla, hoping to get an honorable mention at least in the upcoming Cruiser.
Turtle count of two was miserable, but the take-out just below the Swains Lock guest house was everything the CCA could ask of the Canal authorities (we shall). In all, this rather lazy-paced round-trip cruise of 4.3 miles took us two and a half hours. We recommend it as a pleasant change from the familiar Sunday Violettes Lock Loop trip.