Hospital Point

Here we are in Norfolk, a busy Navy and industrial port.  We’re on anchor on the Portsmouth side of Elizabeth River, tucked away at ICW Mile 0, watching the 24-hour comings and goings of tows/barges and big ships negotiating their way past tourist boats, pleasure craft and fleets of colourful racing dinghies.  Who would be harbour master here?  At night, the city rings with harmonies that seem music to our ears after so long in rural Deltaville. 

Sunset Sailing School

We are here to wait for visitors – another brave couple – so we've been out exploring.  Not a lot has changed.  Luckily, the nearby MacArthur Centre (shopping mall) still has Barnes & Noble, a bookstore with coffee lounge and limited wi-fi (yaay, at least some connection!).  We debated doing a movie but found a table with power outlets so stayed put.  After ordering more cake, a few magazines and several books, naturally...

It seems we’ve arrived at just the right time.  There’s a boat show on this weekend at the Waterside Park.

Huge moon over Norfolk CBD

Off the Hook

On Sunday, 8^th September, we found ourselves free, free at last, heading down Chesapeake Bay to Norfolk with an entourage of flies of all persuasions and of course, our very fat and happy boatyard spider, Herbert.   Both tide and wind were in our favour, so we set a cracking 8kts with the genoa up (and motor on – it is the Chesapeake after all!) for our first and longest (five hour) voyage this season.

Our departure delays up to this point had been many and varied; mostly to do with ongoing maintenance issues – WJ3 is 19 years old after all!  Plans to sail up the Potomac to Washington and eventually, even the one to visit Tangier Island from Reedville, one day’s sail away, were crossed off the list.  Power problems our trusty Cap’n had thought he’d tamed, surfaced yet again.  We had been living off solar power alone – very noble of course, but not sufficient to recharge needy gadgets.  GS continued her daily visits to the Sailor’s Lounge with its plentiful supply of electricity, aircon and not-so-cranky company.   

Of course, there were other diversions.  Out sailing with Bill on Aeolus.

A spanking new alternator arrived and the Cap’n with text book diligence, fitted it in place.  All seemed to work well, only we were just short of Labor Day weekend, a three-day salute to the end of summer, school holidays and usually a boating frenzy.  We decided to sit it out, with our anchor well dug into muddy Jackson Creek, rather than tempt fate in other popular locations.  It all came to naught however with Dorian, a hulking hurricane monster moving painfully slowly in our direction.

The Lounge TV was locked on the Weather Channel, reports of the massive damage to the Bahamas unfolded and predictions, most scientific and others quite irrational, were made.  Friday (6^th) was forecast as our day to meet Dorian, although with less damaging winds (down from 85 to 60mph**) and high tides/flooding.  Like most other boaters, we took down sails and canvas and prepared our boat.  On Thursday we moved into a floating dock on the Marina (with 20 ft piles) and strapped WJ3 and Bruce (the dinghy) down for the big blow.  Yes, we were edgy.

**1mph=1.6km/h; I'm too lazy to convert

And even more excuses
We can't go now.  A crab has taken up residence on our anchor chain...

Obstructions to the right (starboard) of us.
 Thimble Shoal Lighthouse

Fortunately, at Cape Hatteras, Dorian moved further out to sea and we were spared the worst.  In our safe spot protected by surrounding pine forests, winds gusted to high 40’s.  A couple of the fixed docks went underwater with higher than normal tides.  A day of rain helped wash off the boat (the Cap’n was happy) and plugged into Marina power, GS was happy.  Even the boatyard spider survived (and was happy).

So, it was in a state of cheerfulness that Cap’n and crew finally set forth on this season’s “maiden” run down the Bay.  Although, we had promised Dock Master Dennis to be back in a week! 

And Traffic to the left (port) of us