Good morning, DMV*! It’s Wednesday, April 15.
I love running into and meeting people in their various niche clubs. My family and I once spotted kayakers while out on the C&O Canal, so we took a side jaunt to watch a kayakers’ slalom race and learned about the DMV’s world of competitive kayaking.
Today, I tell you about the rowers.
David Seletyn, 53, of Ashburn, Virginia, sent me this photo he took on April 12 of the Occoquan River as seen from Sandy Run Regional Park — which, I learned when I searched it up, is a park dedicated to rowing. Further upriver on the Occaquan is Fountainhead, which is also administered by NOVA Parks and has adventures for cyclists, kayakers and hikers.
(David Seletyn)
I was intrigued by this park dedicated to rowers and asked David to tell me more.
“I love to talk about rowing! … I learned to row 14 years ago in Norfolk, VA. Soon after, I moved to this area and joined the Northern Virginia Rowing Club (NVRC). We are a masters rowing program, which means adults. Our members range in age from 25 to 72,” he told me in an email.
“We are a coached program and utilize both adult coxswains and high school scholastic coxswains. We compete in local regattas and travel to places like Philadelphia, Boston, and even London … We have people who row for all sorts of reasons: to be among like minded people, to be outdoors, for fitness, to compete, to learn something new.”
Sandy Run is open from February to November, according to the park website. It has three boathouses and a 2,000 meter racecourse. Here is its list of upcoming regattas.
“It is mobbed with high school rowing programs from February to May. Our club holds our Open House day in April, a Learn to Row program in May, and our regular season from June through November,” said David, who took the photo above Sunday during the open house.
“This view will become a regular for me in the summer, looking down the hill and seeing the river open up between the trees. Soon enough, I will be back on the water.”
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📰 News around the DMV
GSA looks to automate a million work hours, after losing nearly 40 percent of its workforce (Federal News Network)
Space Force’s STARCOM to hire more than 400 civilians amid push to expand the force (Federal News Network)
Inside the many faiths of Maryland’s “Highway to Heaven” (Washingtonian)
🌼 Things to do
I’m going to my first D.C. Sing-Along on Saturday at Seekers Church in Takoma Park, Maryland. I can’t wait — I definitely need more singing in my life. Come join. (And do say hello if you spot me!) 😊
* In case you’re wondering: The DMV is how residents here call the D.C. region, which includes Maryland and Virginia. Readers often ask. Now you know.
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