Sailing Peacefully

Sometimes it’s good to get away and go sailing peacefully. Danielle and Patrick Arens look like newlyweds but in fact have three small boys back in Fredericksburg. They took the weekend off to go to Virginia Beach and go sailing on the York River. They enjoy history and have taken the boys to Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown.

“This is our first time away from all three of them,” Danielle said wistfully. “My mother couldn’t wait. ‘Don’t you need to take a little trip?’ she’d keep asking. I know they’re have a wonderful time.” Patrick added, “They don’t miss us, since Grandma is keeping them full of sugar and things to do.”

Patrick works as an analyst at Dahlgren, a sprawling Naval Support Facility on the Potomac River. I pressed him for details but he demurred. “It’s a nice 45-minute drive from Fredericksburg down Route 3.”

I sent them up to the bow to enjoy the view in peaceful serenity, something they get precious little of with the boys around. We motored much of the way because the winds were light and variable.

Later, Patrick said, “You’ve heard of the Rail Gun at Dahlgren. I can hear it from my office. It’s the Navy’s large cannon that’s operated by electricity instead of by standard pins. It’s larger than cannons and can fire farther and more accurately.”

Let’s Go Sail

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