Norfolk, Virginia

Scott-Free’s blog
Steve & Chris
Mon 7 Nov 2011 22:29

36:51.13N 76:17.87W

 

Monday 7th November 2011

 

Distance run: 50 nmiles

 

Up with the lark again to head out for Norfolk, some 50 nautical miles south.  Not a breath of wind stirred as we motored out of the bay at 0615 (Eastern Daylight Saving Time ended on Sunday – a week after the UK but apparently they decided to move it so that Trick or Treaters could ply their trade in the daylight!) The upshot of returning to Eastern Standard Time is that it gets light around 0630 and dark again around 1730.  We still have the same number of hours of light, but have to start out an hour earlier to take advantage of them all!  Anyway, the reward of being up this early is that we got to see the sun coming up as we headed out of the bay.  Did Steve remark on the beauty of it?  No, he complained the sun was blinding him and he couldn’t see the buoys in the marked channel!!  This problem was soon solved, but he did look a bit odd all togged up in his oilies, warm hat, scarf and…sunglasses!

 

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The sun peeps over the headland as we leave the bay

 

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Nearly up – the channel marker easily visible                                                                                       Mist hovered over the water but would soon burn off

 

The wind forecast was for 5-10 knots, but unfortunately it hardly made it to 5 the whole trip, so we couldn’t really even motorsail, we just motored.  It was a glorious day, and we soon peeled off the layers of clothes as the temperature hit the 20’s for the first time in ages.

 

As we started to head out of the bay and into the mouth of the Elizabeth River, we said goodbye to Chesapeake Bay rather sadly, and realised we really are on our way south.  We passed all the naval vessels moored here and arrived at our destination around 1500.  We had arranged with Gary & Greta, the OCC port officers for Norfolk, to moor in a slip at their condo, and I was just phoning to ask where we should go when Gary came on the radio, from the dock, directing us into a slip.   We were soon safely tied up and within a couple of hours were enjoying drinks on board a neighbouring boat.