Norfolk

I fishtailed my way down the bay yesterday. I don't know how I got this boat into port during that storm. I have very little steering and it took very active helmsmanship to get the boat here. My gps shows I did 23 miles, but that's just in forward progress. I'd bet I did 30 or more, with all the side to side action.

Norfolk is quite impressive. There's a long row of aircraft carriers and other military ships which greet you on the way in. Also a few other ships at various piers and dry docks for repairs. I wanted to take some pictures for the blog, but in this day and age, I decided that wasn't wise. On my way in, I was greeted by a Coast Guard vessel which came up quite close to take a look at me and the boat. Also passed several security/police boats.

The guide books say to beware of shipping traffic on your way in. That is an understatement. Having spent years sailing in and around Baltimore, I thought I knew what to expect. When I owned the old Pearson Ariel, it was docked at the mouth of the Patapsco. If you took it out for an afternoon sail, the sail was basically a crisscrossing of the shipping channel. You had to keep a sharp lookout for tugs and barges, and container ships as they were coming into Baltimore. These large ships can come up on you fast. One moment you look out and they are a speck on the horizon. The next, they are breathing down your neck.

Norfolk is much hairier. There is a lot more boat traffic, both small and large (At least this time of year). Also, the channel takes up most of the river. On the Patapsco, there is plenty of water to travel in outside of the channel. Not so here. Then there are the Navy ships and security which you try to steer clear of. The guide book warns that you are to stay at least 500 yards away from the ships. That is impossible. I don't think the river is even 500 yards wide.

Anyway, I'm here. And will be for a few days. Maybe as long as a week. I've finished the first leg of the journey. The boat and myself need some R&R. We need to get ourselves prepared, both physically and mentally, for the next leg of the journey. We spent last night at an anchorage in Norfolk, which I will tell you about in a later post. Today, I will spring for a marina where I can get a shower and do some laundry.

I appreciate the comments I get on the blog. I started the blog because I knew that this would be an interesting journey, and wanted to record it for posterity. I would be writing this journal, even if it was only in a little notebook, and I would likely be the only one to read it, perhaps years later as I reminisced about the trip. I know from the statistics that Google keeps that I have had a lot of visitors to this blog. And the only place I have given any notice about the blog, is on the gemini forums website.

I've gotten a bunch of emails from friends and family about the blog. Keep them coming. I enjoy them. However, if you have something to say about the blog. And it is strictly about the blog. I would appreciate if you left the message in the comments section of the blog. I think your comments make the blog a lot more interesting. Also, if you are a lurker, feel free to leave a comment. Even if it's just, "Hey, loved the blog."

Scott