Norfolk

Today is Friday, May 30th are we're leaving Norfolk after relaxing a few days anchored at Hospital Point. We had joined another boat, Aurora and her owners Bob and Lydia. They were on vacation and friends of Denise and Ladd. 

We walked around the old downtown of Portsmith after landing our dingy on one of the free docks. It was such a relaxing walk with lots of old buildings and parks to look at. The roads were not asphalt, they seemed like a stone mix. We met an aspiring magician, Andreas, who proceeded to dazzle us with his slight of hand and card tricks.  At one point he even coughed up our card (literally). He was so sweet and talented.  We all loved that his friends cheered him on and video taped everything. 

One of the hot days we were there we went across from Hospital Point to a marina and paid three dollars to land our dingy so we could visit the new downtown of Norfolk. The highlight was beating the 91 degree heat (89% humidity) in the mall. They had Starbucks and free wifi. We were set. LThe rest of the time we just hung out, did some cleaning projects and had dinner at each other's boats. 

Next stop is Deltaville, VA.  We will anchor a few days and then get a dock to put on the solor panels and wash and wax Quicksilver. We will update you soon. 

Look close next to the welcome sign. A battleship with its guns out front. 

Andreas, our entertainer. What a cool kid

Streets of the old Downtown.  Guess this is considered Portsmith. 

Loved the streets and well maintained homes. 

The old Hotel

The old movie theater.  You can get a burger and beer and watch whatever movie is playing. Next visit, I'm there. 

Lydia, Bob, Ladd, Denise, Marguerite and Jon at Red Baron's Pub. 

Such colorful sails!!!

We watched lots of barges and tugs ce through dag and night. 

     Jon with a mermaid 

      Two mermaids. 

   Just looking

  They have these kind of statues all over

Part of the Naval Museum...USS Wisconsin BB-64

  

Had no idea it would look like this in the front. So narrow. 

Great Bridge, Viriginia

We decided to take the Virginia Cut instead of the Dismal Swamp..mostly because the thought of mosquitoes and no-see-ums but also because our friends Denise and Ladd's boat Blue has a draft of 6' 3".   It was nice to see the other alternative that many of our cruiser friends have taken. 

We saw so many osprey nests that Jon started rating them and saying if they were well made or just a little skimpy. Some of the babies were as big or bigger than the moms and some looked very little. 

We stayed the night at a free dock in between the Great Bridge and the Great Bridge Lock. It was nice and a lot of people took advantage of the canal to fish and crab.  We walked about two blocks up to a wonderful Mexican Restrauant where Denise introduced me to Carnitas. They are chunks of wonderful pork, slow cooked just likey mom would cook with tortias, salsa and guacamole They give  you sides of the best rice and refried beans that I've ever tasted. Jon says we had more Mexican food in the last month then we've had in our whole life.  That's true...but it's so good.  

Next stop Norfolk where will rest a couple of days. 

   Several of the many Osprey nests that we saw akin the Virginia Cut.  

 A home a long the River.,seems like the middle of no where. 

More nests

Turtle sunning himself

There were Geese with their goslings at Great Bridge

So cute

Mom and dad always had a good eye on them. If they stopped walking the goslings all sat down on cue.  

Our dock looking at the canal

Morning looking at the bridge

From the internet, a good pic of bridge 

  Because of the heavy counter weights on each side, it doesn't take much horsepower to open the bridge. 

Flying Through North Carolina

Seems like we just about blew through North Carolina. We are heading for Great Bridge today (it's right before Norfolk, Virginia).  One week for North Carolina. Not bad, not bad at all for intercoastal travelers. Since our last entry we have had an overnight at Morehead City, overnight at Bear Creek (a quick shrimp  shopping trip at the Mayo Fishing Dock...got excellent shrimp from the  Pamelco Sound), a raft up with Blue in the Alligatore River for a Shrimp Feast and our last anchorage in North Carolina on the North River between mile marker 59 and 58. Yep just 58 miles to Norfolk. 

A friend of mine told me once that I was like a kite and Jon was my anchor. He meant it as a compliment, I think. He said I like to take off and do all kinds of things (all of them very important, haha) and I was able to do them because Jon was there keeping me stable and things running smoothly.  (Mostly to keep his sainity). That seems true enough.  He does have the voice of reason or caution. My job is to push things to limit and make things a little uncomfortable.  His job is to say are you sure you want to do that, have you thought about this or that and can we afford it. Now, listen don't think it's easy being the kite. Oh no, I don't just get to go soaring off in the blue sky and Jon fixes things to make it happen.  I have to quantify and calculate, explain and justify.    Jon then researches, plans, studies, draws a map, and ask questions.  Then carefully and cautiously, maybe  then, we move forward to the crazy (only crazy to some--not to the kites in this world) goal or project we take on.  Yeah, that explains us pretty well. I don't mind being the kite and I certainly don't mind having my trusty anchor along with me. 

In the Bougue Sound outside Morehead City. We were motor sailing. It was blowing 15 to 25 knots. 

He really made it look easy...he's the anchor. 

 The water outside Morehead City was really pretty. 

Morehead City is industrial looking

Calm sunset while were rafted to Blue for our shrimp feast. 

Woke up at 1:30am to lightening (I was looking for the metor shower). Buttoned down the canvas. At 4:30am we all woke up to banging. Storm came up and broke off a stop for our middle cleat that was between Blue and Quicksilver. Winds were a steady 23 knots gusting to 28 (not good if your are rafted together). We had to wait for some light to let go of Blue and re anchor. This is the picture of sunrise after we've anchored and it's calmed down to 15 to 20 knot winds. 

   Sunset last night in North Carolina