Statute Mile Zero

Norfolk is an amazing city to see from the water.  Everything seems massive.  Aircraft Carriers are the first things you see when entering the harbor.  The work being done along this waterfront is impressive.

How cool is this?

There are a hundred different types of cranes (I didn’t count). Who doesn’t love this stuff?

We anchored directly across from the Norfolk cruise ship terminal.  There was a cruise ship docked when we arrived, and just as we were relaxing on the bow with a glass of wine things started heating up on the ship.  Loud music and a ‘DJ/Announcer’ screaming in German had us very concerned that our peace and tranquility were gone.  However, the ship quickly got underway, and it was a treat to watch them turn that ship around (without the help of tugs) in this small basin.

We didn’t take a picture of the ship, but the next morning we were greeted with this beautiful sunrise for the begining of our trip south on the ICW (Intracostal Waterway). Norfolk is where the ICW begins...Statute Mile 0 

We are definitely part of the great migration!  There are so many boats heading south that 17 boats passed through the Great Bridge Lock at one time.  The lockmasters there didn’t waist a foot of space.  Keith and I were very happy to pass through a ‘real’ lock that functioned as we expected👍

Eddie and Gail joined us for dinner and route planning, and captured this great shot of Right Hand anchored on the North River. The spot we selected to anchor offered good protection from the north wind and would have received a 5 star rating if not for the Mayfly swarm we experienced.  As dinner progressed we quickly realized that open windows would not be an option.  However, the scene quickly turned ‘horror movie’ish’ when the glass was completely covered with flies and they were working their way into the boat through cracks and gaps.  I had to grab a roll of painters tape to seal all entry points while Keith got the vacuum to rid the interior of unwelcome guests.  The next morning the boat was covered with both dead and live flies and millions (we didn’t count them) of dark green poop specks.  I had first helm shift that morning so Keith spent the first two hours power washing the boat. Rivers of green ran down the gunwales.

Say hello to our little friends!  This picture does not represent the swarm we experienced. These are a few stragglers left behind after the exorcism of their brethren.  On a happy note, the internet says that Mayfly swarms are a good indication of a healthy ecosystem😁

Once we crossed Albemarle Sound the characteristics of the ICW (also called the ditch) shine through.  The waterway is a narrow meandering trail that leads through marshes, forests, towns, and larger bodies of water like rivers and sounds.

Many areas have characteristics of old swamps.

I love seeing the turtles lined up on logs!

We have been taking our time and slowly moving south when weather/winds are favorable, and for the most part we have experienced very calm conditions.  However, on the day we entered Pamlico Sound we had fairly strong winds blowing from the north building waves in the Sound.  That particular day happened to be a laundry day, and as we were beating into the waves I became concerned that the spray coming up from the bow might get salt water on the clean laundry...so...since I was on helm duty, I asked Keith to bring the clothes in from the line.

The movement of the boat from the wave action required him to hold on with one hand while scooting around on his butt to get the clothes.  Every time the bow dropped off the top of a wave he briefly became ‘airborne’ until he dropped down to rejoin the deck.  He did manage to save all of the clothes from salt spray! However, watching this scene from the bridge resulted in sore ribs and sore cheeks on my part. 

I haven’t laughed that hard in a very very long time!

Follow Those Geese

On Saturday, October 19 at 7:35 a.m. we weighed anchor from Eagle Cove (behind Gibson Island on the Magothy River) to start our southern migration. The geese were happy to lead the way! After being anchored here for 28 days the chain required extra pressure washer attention. I am sooo lucky, because it was Keith’s turn at anchor duty😁. Keith and I are both excited to get moving again.  We have already embraced the nomad lifestyle and felt anxious to get moving, but we had quite a long ‘to do’ list before we could leave.  One of the important items on the list was the purchase of an offshore life raft from the Annapolis Sailboat Show.

Hopefully we’ll never need it, but this is the new life raft we ordered.  We are scheduled to pick it up from the company sometime in January when we are passing through Miami. The people at Datrex were fabulous, and they have promised a tour of the facility when we visit.  I am very excited to have the opportunity to see how these life rafts are tested and packed.  If they let me take pictures I will be able to share the experience with you.  We have a long way to travel before we reach Miami.

Goodbye Chesapeake Bay Bridge, we probably won’t pass under you again for a long time!  Our plan is to travel down the Bay in three 50-60 mile legs.  The first was to Solomon’s then onto Deltaville (where I am writing this post) tomorrow we will travel to Norfolk, where we will pick up our new shaft couplers (another purchase from our boat show list). 

Luckily, our friends Eddie and Gail on Seaquel are also heading south, so we get to ‘buddy boat’ down the Bay...fun!!

We will miss some of the landmarks of our ‘home waters’.  Thomas Point Lighthouse, National Historic Landmark and icon of the Chesapeake Bay. This screw-pile design allows the lighthouse to stand on piles that are screwed into a sandy or muddy bottom.

What a difference 60 miles makes.  Smith Point Lighthouse welcomes us to Virginia.

Pelicans!!!!!  I love pelicans, but they seem to taunt me. I want so badly to capture one of those glorious pictures of the pelican gliding a few feet above the bow of the boat, but never have the camera ready.  I won’t give up...one day I will get the picture!

And this was our welcoming committee to Solomon’s Island.  We felt very privileged!

Full Circle

On September 24 at 1401 (2:01 p.m.) we dropped anchor in Eagle Cove, behind Gibson Island on the Magothy River.  This is the place we consider to be our ‘home’ anchorage.  This is the spot we left on July 10 (76 days earlier) to start the first leg of our cruising adventure. Our goal was to travel north to Bar Harbor, Maine and explore the northeast coast of the US on our slow journey back. During this time we traveled a total of 1875 miles, and visited nine states.  

This is our Garmin InReach tracker showing all 1875 miles.  Other stats from our journey include...

• Burned 820 gallons of diesel fuel at average of $2.95/gallon = $2,419 (not bad for two and a half months of travel in a 58,000 lb boat)
• Used 630 gallons of water (I am very proud that we can make 400 gallons last 30 days, when the average American uses 80-100 gallons per day!)
• Anchored a total of 38 times and took two mooring balls. Total cost for ‘lodging’ = $0.00 yes, zero dollars.
• Stayed in marinas zero nights!
• Saw marine life we have never personally experienced in our home waters...whales, sunfish, harbor porpoises, lobsters, seals...etc.
• Met amazing people along the way!

Our plan was to be back in the Annapolis area in time to attend the Sailboat Show.  We have a few ‘big ticket’ items we would like to purchase to complete the outfitting of Right Hand for Caribbean cruising.  So we plan to be in the area until mid October.

I had an opportunity to fly to Charleston (then drive to Fernandina Beach) for some much needed grand daughter time (and I was able to slip in some much needed beach time).

Lucy’s and Maggie’s elementary school hosted a “Grits & Gravy for Grandparents” breakfast😁

After breakfast, I had a chance to visit classrooms

The next day happened to be Lucy’s 6th birthday so I was able to attend her party at the park

Yes, it was a hot day...yippeee!

I drove to Fernandina Beach to spend a few days with Anna.

We had a great beach day!

Then back to Charleston before flying home.

I was blessed with the wonderful opportunity to celebrate an ‘end of summer’ beach day on Folly Beach with Nicole (my daughter), and Lucy and Maggie (my grand daughters). The four of us had a fabulous day, and Maggie kept her chair parked right next to mine.

Keith decided to stay with the boat.  The girls couldn’t understand why Pop didn’t come with me. I told them that he had to stay with the boat to make sure it was safe, but they asked ‘why’ a million times.  Keith was very productive while I was gone.  He rearranged the four solar panels, mounted to the hard top above the bridge, to make room for a fifth.  Thankfully, I got home in time to help him lift the new panel into place.

Nice job! We now have the ability to produce 350-500 amps of power on an average sunny day.  This is one of the upgrades that will ensure the freedom we desire.  As you know, we prefer to anchor out and be totally self sustaining.  We are currently set up to have 30 days of ‘freedom’ without the need to visit a dock for fuel, water, or a pump out.  We have also purchased a 12 volt water maker, which will extend that ‘freedom’ since water is currently our biggest constraint.  This lifestyle has introduced simple pleasures that I never realized could have such an impact.  I never thought 400 gallons of water and an empty holding tank would make me feel so content! It’s a wonderful feeling to know you have 30 days of absolute freedom, and just wait until I get my hydroponic garden going...we may never touch land again👍