D.C.’s Back Door  
Sliding into Washington, D.C., by boat gives you a ringside seat on capital happenings, according to editor-at-large (and one-time D.C. liveaboard) Connie Bond, who takes us to all her favorite downtown spots—each just a short walk from the waterfront.







Civil War on the James  
Writer and Civil War buff David Poyer
sailed his sloop, Frankly Scarlett, up the
James River, once a major thoroughfare
for the armies of the Union and the fledgling
Confederacy as they advanced and retreated
in the bloody cat-and-mouse games of the Civil War.


State of Our Bay  
Five years ago we began preparing this annual report on the leading environmental issues on the Chesapeake Bay. This year, we asked contributing writer Marty LeGrand to look back to see what progress, if any, has been made on the issues we’ve raised over the years—like sediment control and nutrient pollution. Then contributing writer Joel McCord gives us an update on the state of Crassostrea ariakensis, the Asian bivalve that scientists are studying as a possible stand-in for our native oyster.

From the Editor 
Follow Me Not—The bare spot in his backyard was so . . . bare, and it’s really far, far away from the Bay. Surely a little fertilizer wouldn’t hurt.

Off the Charts 
What You Need—Readying Luna for the season’s first cruise, senior contributing writer Wendy Mitman Clarke packs the important stuff.

Nautical Know-How 
Oh Say, Can You See?—Contributing writer Frank Lanier takes a look at binoculars.

Time Tested 
From Sweden with Love—The Albin 31 Tournament Express is tough enough for offshore fishing and sweet enough for a night on the hook.
By David G. Brown

Marina Hopping 
Tender Loving Care—Contributing writer Paul Clancy ran into engine problems with his little Atomic 4, but the folks at Scott’s Creek Marina on the Elizabeth River provided him with a slip, a mechanic and a swimming pool.

Cruise of the Month 
Just Water and Sky—Katherine Brown and her family go for a cruise on the Little Choptank River.

Angler’s Almanac 
The Catching is in the Details—Pay attention the first time, and you can find that great little fishing spot over and over again, says John Page Williams.

Stern Lines 
Lost in Space—Packing up her life and moving onboard a boat left writer Diana Prentice wondering: Just where did I put those shoes?

On the cover: On the cover: Fourth of July fireworks light the Washington, D.C. sky.
Photograph by John Hartman