In Portsmouth

Alcedo
David Batten
Wed 4 Nov 2015 00:25
Sunday, 1 November 2015.  36 49.90N  76 17.75W
 
After being promised a fine day, with the wind needless to say on the nose,
we got up at 06.30 summer time, 05.30 current time as the clocks changed
this weekend, to a really dull, grey rainy day, with very little wind.  This
was lucky, as we set off at first light with one of the stern lines from the
seaward side of the boat still attached, having been sneakily hiding
somewhere out of sight and forgotten about when the other lines were
removed.  A quick release meant that we got away without mishap, but then
had to go back to our pew to retrieve it without going aground and without
hitting the boat we had been moored behind.  Alcedo was a real lady in the
very light winds and allowed us to retrieve it after lots of manoeuvring and
turning the boat round in the relatively tight space without touching
anything.
 
visasmallIMG_3384david
 
We motored out through the very narrow and at this stage of the tide,
shallow entrance to Deltaville and then hoisted the mainsail (no problems
with the sorted ropes this time) and genoa and had about half an hour of
good sailing hard on the wind down the bay. Then it was motor-sailing as the
wind dropped and eventually motoring from the Thimble Shoal Channel into the
Hampton River and then into the Elizabeth River.  We had plenty of company
throughout the journey and it did not rain until after we had tied up in
Ocean Marina in Portsmouth, so we considered
ourselves lucky.  We arrived at about 15.30 and were welcomed by ARC and
marina staff and ended the day by meeting a few of the other 1500
participants over a drink a two, followed by an early bed.  We are
definitely getting too old to burn the candle at both ends!
 
visasmallIMG_3383david
 
 
 
Monday 2 November 2015.  A dismal day of rain, rain, rain but at least it is
not cold.  Skipper's wife spent the morning visiting Patient's First in
Chesapeake, an excellent medical facility for anyone not registered with a
doctor in America, in order to get some antibiotics for a non serious but
seriously irritating problem.  Meanwhile, the boat had her ARC safety check,
passed without issues and it has been a good day for laundry, catching up
with the blog and other "indoor" pursuits.  It is now 16.30 and getting
dark, so we are tidying up (again) and getting ready for the next party.
 
Alcedo