Just returned from the annual Washington Crossing Re-enactment. We couldn't have asked for better weather considering the time of year. The temperature was in the mid-40's and sunny. The river, however, was fast and high. But they decided to try crossing the Delaware in spite of that. The first Durham boat got off without a hitch. But you could clearly see that the oarsmen were stuggling against the current. For those of you who have not seen this re-enactment, the oarsmen need to row upstream a bit and them let the current power them downstream to the opposite shore. This did not happen today. The current took the boat downstream under the bridge where the river rescue boats were waiting for them. They caught the runaway Durham boat and towed it back upstream to a cheering crowd on the PA side. The boys never made it to the Jersey side of the river. No one was hurt. Needless to say, the other boats did not make the attempt. Watching the Marbleheader re-enactors fight the current gave the crowd a good perspective on what a struggle it must have been for the real Marbleheaders. The present day Marbleheadrs were not experienced oarsmen but conditions their more experienced counterparts endured in 1776 were far worse. We had a new Washington this year and he was way too short! We overheard him say "OK" (once -- nerves must have taken over) in speaking to the men, but his heart was in the right place and he carried himself well. Linda
Linda, I occasionally check the on-line version of my hometown newspaper, The Reading Eagle, and the December 26 issue had a good story on this year's event. A teacher from my old high school participated for the first time this year, and he served as an oarsman on Washington's boat. He said it was one of the very coolest things he's ever done. Evidently, he's wanted to do it for years, but his wife always said no. This time, though, because his own kids were studying the Revolutionary War in school, she said yes. He bought a uniform and all the gear on eBay, and managed to get himself hooked up with the right folks. I'm actually kind of envious of him. As I told Susan on Tuesday, I would love to come and see the event one of these years. Thanks for the report. Eric
It's a fun event! But one of the best kept secrets is the dress rehearsal for the event. The dress rehearsal usually takes place the second week of December and is nowhere near as crowded as the actual event. It's a real "dress rehearsal" in that the partcipants are in Colonial garb. The only drawback is that there is a small fee charged for the dress rehearsal. Go figure! : But the McConkey Ferry Inn and other buildings are open to the public that day, which is nice. Linda
