Story + Photography by David D'Agostino
The Alexandria Seaport Foundation hosted the 5th Annual Anything that Floats Race on the Potomac River as hundreds of spectators cheered on the participants. Lou Novak and David Petrie rowed away with the first-place prize, while Harry Watters Jr. floated to victory for the most creative entry.
The first-place team assembled their impressive craft, “Lady Jeannette,” from pool tubes, plastic sheeting, wooden rods, and duct tape. Harry’s vessel, the “U.S.S. Tupperware,” was built mostly with storage containers, milk jugs, and duct tape – lots and lots of duct tape!
The Alexandria Seaport Foundation teaches woodworking and traditional boat building to provide life-changing opportunities for local at-risk youth. Program apprentices learn career and life skills through project-based learning and personal mentoring. You can stop by the McIlhenny Seaport Center on the Old Town waterfront to learn more about the foundation and meet some of the apprentices.