Heading for the Yard

April 29, 2004 (continued)

GREENBRIAR GIRL (a Carver) and SEA WITCH pass us. I hear on the radio about a sailboat named IRON WOLF taking on water in Fleets Bay. A power boat NORTH WIND from RI passes - not a good pass.

Dark blue hulled sailboat LUNA AZUL from Road Harbour (BVI) who is flying a USA courtesy flag, but no country flag (and the boat and dinghy has Maryland numbers) asks us to slow down so he can go by quicker. Bob mutters under his breath but does as he asks. I think LUNA AZUL was anchored in the North River last night, as he wasn't at any of the marinas.

We slow down for power boats in the hope that they will also slow down and won't wake us. But sail boats can fend for themselves. Technically we are the stand on boat (have right of way) and should maintain course and speed, and the boat passing us is the give way boat until they are all the way past.

0826 - I can see a lighthouse (presumably the Currituck Beach light in Corolla) with binoculars. I see more sailboats behind us.

Currituck Light?

0853 - GUSTIE (monohull sailboat with dark hull), throwing a large wake passes (doesn't have to ask us to slow down).

GUSTIE asks the CG on the radio what the Pungo Ferry bridge clearance is, and the Elizabeth City CG says 75 feet. The chart says 60 feet, and the tide boards are gone on the south side of the bridge. According to the tide boards on the north side the clearance is actually 65 feet.

Under the Pungo Ferry fixed bridge

We see him later at the Pungo Ferry Marina tied up, and he leaves the dock just before we get there. The restaurant looks abandoned.

Pungo Ferry Marina

PHOENIX a registered boat with no home port passes.

Phoenix ahead of us

[We are a documented boat - that is registered with the Coast Guard. A documented boat does not have to display registration numbers from the State or Commonwealth that shows that they have paid their registration fees each year, but they do have to have a home port. A registered boat like Phoenix or Luna Azul has to display numbers on their boat. Our dinghies are registered, but the big boat is documented. You have to be documented to go to a different country.]

Red building

We get to the North Landing bridge in time for the 1130 opening.

Approaching the North Landing Bridge

The bridge tells me (I'm the only one of the 4 of us that seems to be able to talk on the radio to the bridges) that he is only going to open one half of the swing bridge because they are having trouble with the bridge and the opening will be only 40 feet wide. That's plenty of room for us. The other 3 boats (GUSTIE particularly) hang back and don't get right up there to the bridge to go through in a timely manner.

Dallying in front of North Landing bridge opening

One side of the North Landing Bridge open

Looking at the road surface of half of North Landing Bridge

But we all get through, and the other three boats rush ahead.

Bob and I have a discussion about whether the next bridge (Centerville Turnpike) is close enough to make it in a half hour. I think not. Bob thinks it is.

[If the bridge is five miles away and we can only do 6 mph, then we would not be able to get to the bridge in half an hour. But some of the bridge distances in this stretch are apparently mis-measured as sometimes we get to a bridge sooner than we should be able to.]

Since we are in a canal (Albemarle Chesapeake) which is straight we can see the bridge. A barge comes through on the noon opening. The sailboats do not go through. The barge came past us.

Barge passing

Tug Pamlico

Eventually we get up to the Centerville Turnpike bridge and the other three boats are there. Bob is muttering about them getting up close to the bridge (there's little current or wind) and I go out on deck to take pictures of the bridge.

Fourth boat in line

LUNA AZUL who is last in line doesn't like our being so close to him - he's backing up from the boat in front and makes a remark about our having more faith in his ability to stop than he does. I don't say anything in response to that, but I think he'd probably do what was required to keep his nice shiny blue topsides away from our anchor.

LUNA AZUL ahead of us

The bridge opens, and we all go through

Danger do not anchor

Road clearance sign on Centerville Turnpike bridge

Sign on Centerville Turnpike Bridge

East side of Centerville Turnpike bridge

No Wake sign and tide board

I hear ANTARES going through the bridges a half an hour behind us.

Always open RR bridge

RR bridge just before Great Bridge

(The railroad bridges stay open unless there is a train) We get to Great Bridge and tie up at the Atlantic Yacht Basin at 1300 after 36.2 sm.

Tied up at Atlantic Yacht Basin

The other sailboats go on through the bridge and lock. I see WILDFLOWER, CAPELLA and another Canadian sailboat at the free docks across the way.

Free docks across the way

Free docks across the waterway

ANTARES and JAVA (trawler) and the other boats with them have to wait for the 1400 Great Bridge Bridge opening.

Bob walking by marina office

I look at my email on their computer and then we walk up to the Great Bridge Bridge. This has changed from a swing bridge to a bascule bridge.

Bridge sidewalk

They are still constructing it, and the walkways are blocked.

Construction blocking the sidewalk

Bob (in blue) way ahead of me walking to dinner

So we can't walk over to the shopping center for dinner. We go the other way (west) and there is an Italian restaurant, a Chinese restaurant, a Dairy Queen, and a Taco Bell/KFC there.

El Toro Loco

We ate at the Toro Loco which was Mexican. On the way back to the boat we watched the 1800 bridge opening - all that machinery put in motion for a little boat about the size of a Grady-White.

Great Bridge Bridge opening for a tiny boat

I wrote up the previous 2 days and then went to the bathroom. Saw CAPELLA on the way back. They have head gasket problems and will be here for 5 days.

Marina boatyard

Sunset

April 30, 2004 - Leaving Great Bridge

I took some photos early before anyone disturbed the water surface.

Early morning still

Morning reflection

We cast off in a flurry. [Bob got off the boat to untie the dock lines]

Leaving Atlantic Boat Basin

I pulled the bow in so Bob could get on as he thought he'd have to back out. That got the dinghy into the pilings, but eventually we made it. A power boat also came out from the marina.

Future Home of the Visitor's Center

Great Bridge Bridge tender's house - Bridge raised

Three power boats came up from Centerville Turnpike plus one dark hulled sailboat from NJ. We went through the Great Bridge Bridge at 0900 (we were the last in line.)

West shore after the Great Bridge bridge

Construction around the Great Bridge Bridge

Looking back at the Great Bridge bridge

Bulkhead north of Great Bridge Bridge

Playground at the lock

Then the three power boats went onto the starboard side of the lock, and the other power boat, and the sailboat and us were on the port side.

Entering Great Bridge lock

Power boats lined up in Great Bridge lock

Waterway distances sign in Great Bridge lock

Power boat in Great Bridge lock

The sailboat had a line trailing on his port quarter, but he said he knew it was there, and that it was OK because he had a skeg rudder (which means that he won't get the line between the rudder and the keel) . I had some problems with the cleat. [We tie off to cleats on the side of the lock to keep the boat from being moved around in the lock by the water currents as they fill or empty the lock. One person on the bow and one on the stern holds the lines steady as the boat goes up or down in the lock]

Bob in the Great Bridge Lock

Great Bridge Lockmaster

Leaving the Great Bridge Lock

Got to the steel bridge a little after 1000 and they waited for us to get there before they opened.

Steel Bridge

The three power boats went through earlier of course.

Steel Bridge

Sign on the Steel Bridge

Steel Bridge closing

The place where there used to be some Navy boats in earth cradles is gone. We got to the intersection of the Dismal Swamp Canal - we usually go south in the Dismal Swamp instead of going through Great Bridge.

DIrection sign for the Dismal Swamp Canal

I-64 Highway Bridge which we don't need opened

Going under I-64 Highway bridge

I-64 Highway bridge Notice of opening

We went through the many bridges in Norfolk,

Gilmerton bridges

End of railway bridge next to Gilmerton highway bridge

Railroad bridges are usually left open unless there is a train

Looking back on Gilmerton bridges

Up to this point in this narrative, we have gone through three of the five types of bridges. One type (Pontoon Bridge) longer has an example on the ICW - this is a bridge which floats on the water on pontoons and has to be pulled aside in order to open. The three we have seen so far are:
Fixed Bridges (which do not open)
Swing Bridges (which swing from side to side around a central pivot point)
Bascule Bridges- single or double (where the bridge raises one or two 'leaves' into the air from one point on the side of the bridge)

In Norfolk, we see the fifth type of bridge, the Lift Bridge

Railway lift bridge all the way up

In a lift bridge the span rises vertically while remaining parallel with the deck. Most vertical-lift bridges use towers, each equipped with counterweights. The vertical lift offers several benefits over other movable bridges such as the bascule and swing-span bridge. Generally speaking they cost less to build for longer moveable spans. The counterweights in a vertical lift are only required to be equal to the weight of the deck, whereas bascule bridge counterweights must weigh several times as much as the span being lifted. As a result, heavier materials can be used in the deck, and so this type of bridge is especially suited for heavy railroad use.

Looking up at a lift bridge

Railroad lift bridge

Going under a lift bridge

Jordan Lift bridge - lifted just enough for us to go under - this bridge has been replaced by a fixed bridge

The lift bridge is controlled from the little house in the middle of the bridge.

Our mast going under a lift bridge

Side of the RR lift bridge as we go through

Sailboat following us through the lift bridge

Barge going under the railroad lift bridge

and saw various barges and other traffic

Scenes in Norfolk harbor

Docks and cranes

Drydock

and got to Waterside marina in Norfolk after a trip of 11.2 miles at an average speed of 6.9 mph

RosalieAnn in Waterside marina, Norfolk

After I did email at the dockmaster's office, and downloaded and added pictures from Great Bridge to Norfolk (there is a wireless network in the marina), we went up to eat. We'd never tried Joe's Crab Shack before so we thought we'd eat lunch there.

Hooters

But they said it would be a 20 minute wait, and I am against waiting, so we went to Hooters. I had the Philly special and Bob had a hamburger. The bill was $19+ and he left $22.50. I gave him all the quarters I had.

Then we went to Portsmouth for the afternoon. We walked over to the ferry,

Norfolk mermaid

Elizabeth Ferry dock

Sign on the Norfolk side

but Bob had no $1.00 bills and it is 50 cents for seniors (which we are) and $1.00 for everyone else and exact change only. So he used up 4 quarters.

Paddlewheel of the Elizabeth River Ferry

We found that the ferry goes to two different docks in Portsmouth. We went to the South Dock first.

Docking the ferry

Ferry dock in Portsmouth

The South Dock visitor's Center is closed and the Light Ship is still closed because of damage from Isabel.

Portsmouth Light Ship

Lightship Portsmouth

Lightship Portsmouth information

The trolley tours only run in the summer. I would think this was summer (it is May) but they mean like in June.

Canon

The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Musuem IS open however, so we walk over there. Portsmouth has been a ship building town from its founding in 1752. The Norfolk Naval Shipyard (which is here and not in Norfolk at all) was begun here in 1767, and it's repair record extends from nuclear powered submarines to the Confederate ironclad Merrimac. The first drydock built here in 1831 in still in use. Container ships regularly visit the docks between Pinner and Love Points.

Canon in front of Naval shipyard museum

They have a lot of very interesting exhibits.

Scale model of the shipyard

scale model of the shipyard floor

Part of the shipyard scale model

Diorama of Portsmouth

model sailing ship

Diver's helmet

Ship wheel

USS Langley - CV-1 (first aircraft carrier)

Silver tankard

Attack carrier model

Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth

Note: The reason that the Portsmouth shipyard is called the Norfolk Naval Shipyard and not the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is so that it is not confused with the shipyard in Portsmouth New Hampshire

Spanish American War Memorial on the Green dedicated to the conflicts between 1898 and 1902, to include in Cuba, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico

Then we walk over toward the North Ferry dock, and a little ways into Old Towne.

Bob walking down the street

Patriot Inn

c 1820

Grice-Neely house plaque (Francis Grice 1789-1895)

Hill House

Hill House is only open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday when the boat comes over from Crisfield. My original plan was to eat dinner over here. But I am tired now, and don't want to wait until dinner time over here. It is only 1500 now.

Portsmouth mermaid

American Rover sailing cruises from Portsmouth

So we go back to the North Dock and use the Visitor's Center bathrooms and wait for the ferry back to Norfolk.

North harbor ferry stop

Water taxi

Water taxi

Elizabeth River ferry coming in to North dock

Ferry coming in to North dock

Ferry prices

Paddlewheel

American Rover at the dock from the ferry

Statues at Waterside

Mermaid

Mermaid and coin-op binoculars

Instructions for dog owners

We ate back at Waterside.

May 1, 2004

I feel really nauseated this morning. It is probably tension.

We cast off about 0630 OK, but when I pulled the bow around so Bob could back up into the marina by hooking the boat hook onto a dock cleat, I got the boat hook jammed and couldn't get it out. I had to let go of it. Bob wasn't pleased to lose his new boat hook.

Leaving the dock

Then the radar detector had a fault and wouldn't start. Bob pulled out the main and jib and tightened the radar connections and it worked again. I changed the computer and GPS to nautical miles. (The statute miles on the ICW end at mile 0 - Hospital Point)

Hospital Point

Advertisement for fuel on a sailboat anchored in the harbor

Looking back at Norfolk

I took a photo of Navy ship 203 at Craney Island. While we were passing the Navy base the trawler SUNSHINE from Jupiter FL passed us. Another one NJORD passed near carrier #3 - they were in Waterside last night.

Navy ships

Formerly Chamberlain hotel in Hampton

Bob at the wheel (auto pilot engaged)

Morning light

WANDERER II (a headboat) passed us heading into the harbor. At 0817 - A big power boat passed and also NORTH WIND.

I think part of the reason for my nausea this morning is that I am nervous about the weather because thunderstorms are predicted this afternoon. And Bob does not want to go in anywhere to stop early - he is anxious to get home. So am I - otherwise I will run out of some of my prescriptions. We are very late returning this year.

Old Point Comfort

Wolf Trap or Thimble Shoals Lighthouse in the distance

Three masted ship

Tug and barge

1134 New Point Comfort light is abeam in the mist. I've been to the bathroom several times, and put on my winter coat. Bob is sitting on the sunny side and it is warm with the curtains down. We are motor sailing with all the sails up and have done about 31 nm

We are making good time, and we might be able to get to Indian Creek after all.

Last Stop in Kilmarnock

We HAVE managed to get all the way to Indian Creek.

1629 We tie up at the Chesapeake Bay Boat Basin quite late (they've waited for us) after a longish trip of 59.2 nm with an average speed of 6.1 knots. (This would be about 70 miles at a speed of 7 mph)

Chesapeake Bay Boat Basin

Previously when we have been here, there has been an email/phone line in the boater's lounge. No longer there - when they remodeled after Hurricane Isabel they put the line in the new office (which used to be next door and is across the road now) and did not reinstall this line. So I go up to the office just before closing and semi-straightened out email.

In the past, CBB has taken us out to a restaurant for dinner. I was looking forward to this because we have almost no provisions left and both of us are tired and don't feel like cooking. But it is not to be. The restaurant that they usually took us to is closed.

George at the marina brings me a phone book. The options are Paul's Pub, Pizza Hut, Lees or Sals. Pauls Pub has an answering machine on their phone. Sal's doesn't deliver, and I don't think I can walk to Lees as it is over a mile. So I order a meatball sub and lasgna from Sal's ($13.02) and George runs Bob into town to get it. The food isn't very good.

Half of Meatball Sub

Later that night, I walked up to the bathroom and in the dark I stepped off a concrete step that I didn't see and fell heavily. It knocked the wind out of me, and I skinned my right knee through my pants. My knee was sore for six weeks.

I did get FOX news and watched the local weather for tomorrow.

May 2, 2004

Pushed away from the pier at about 0720. This time I didn't run aground going out of the creek (although I understand George did with his boat after he took Bob up to Sal's)

Leaving Indian Creek 7:40

The sun is coming weakly through the clouds. We pass Smith Point at 1019 and I don't even take any pictures of it.

Schieble's headboat

At 1254 we are coming into Smith Creek heading for the marina. I take my last picture before getting down to the business of coming in to the dock.

1320 - We are HOME after a total trip up from Marathon of 1125 nm.
We have to reinstall all the lines on the boat and get it settled in the slip. I can't get the lady who said she would give us a ride home on the phone, and my mom doesn't answer either. But Bob gets the Lynx that we left at the marina started, and so we get back to the house.

After we got back, we put the boat up in the yard, and then since we won't be sailing south this coming winter, we decided to put her back in the water and sail some this summer

See PERIPATETIC SUMMER for our next sailing and non-sailing adventures