Goodbye Chesapeake…Hello ICW!

Goodbye Chesapeake…Hello ICW!

After a cloudy, chilly, rainy, and you guessed it…foggy trip from Reedville, VA to Deltaville, VA we spent we spent the next three nights at anchor waiting out a bunch of rain and some heavy winds. On the fourth morning, the winds had died down, so we made our way out of Deltaville in yet more fog. The trip to Portsmouth, VA, and mile marker zero on the Atlantic ICW (Intracoastal Waterway-the link is to a nice little presention giving an overview of the ICW and it’s history) was another rain and fog filled day. Oh joy!

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Radio Waves at anchor in Deltaville, VA

There is a HUGE Navy presence in Norfolk, VA, which we had to pass through on our way to Portsmouth. There were Navy ships of all shapes and sizes, police boats, tour boats, etc. everywhere! I kept expecting to be hailed on the VHF radio by someone telling me we were somewhere we shouldn’t be, but I guess we must not have done anything wrong. Whew! It was pretty nerve wracking.

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Lots and lots of Navy boats!
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Navy boat coming in behind us (don’t you love how colorful I am in the fog?!?)

There are two free docks in Portsmouth (we LOVE free docks!), and we were able to secure a spot for the night at the first of the two. Poor Jim though…when we pulled up to the dock, he jumped off the boat and onto the dock to secure us, but as soon as his feet hit the dock they slid right out from under him and he landed flat on his keister! You’d have thought there was ice on the docks they were so slippery. It was cold out, but not THAT cold! Fortunately he hopped right back up and wasn’t hurt at all…well, except for maybe his pride.

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At one of the free docks in Portsmouth, VA

We were now officially out of the Chesapeake and on the ICW, so to celebrate we headed to the Bier Garden for a celebratory beer after dinner, but not before making a quick stop at the Dollar General to pick up some half priced candy corn…cause every well-stocked cruising boat must have it’s fair share of candy! 🙂

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Not a Navy ship…but the closest thing to a mermaid that we saw! 🙂

 

12 Comments

  • Evan Davila

    November 28, 2015 at 7:18 pm Reply

    Amazing pics of the Navy yard… I’m sure Jims backside and pride will be just fine….he’s a tough guy!

    • Chris

      November 28, 2015 at 7:19 pm Reply

      Thanks! And yup, he’s just fine!

  • Sharon Holbrook

    November 28, 2015 at 7:24 pm Reply

    If I had only known, we stock up on candy corn for the future months…I would have brought you another bag to share!!! <3

    • Chris

      November 28, 2015 at 7:26 pm Reply

      Ha ha! Actually…when we were in Oriental, NC we stopped at another Dollar General and it was now 90% off, so we got more! 🙂

  • Sharon Holbrook

    November 28, 2015 at 7:26 pm Reply

    BTW I dont feel so bad about my ungraceful disembarking after hearing Jim’s story….LOL

    • Chris

      November 28, 2015 at 7:28 pm Reply

      Actually…you were probably one of our more graceful guests!

  • Kathy Mercer Walden

    November 28, 2015 at 10:55 pm Reply

    I can vividly visualize Jim’s fall. Glad his pride was the only thing hurt.

  • Ardys Richards

    November 29, 2015 at 12:25 am Reply

    I’m really enjoying your blog. Great photographs too!

    • Chris

      November 29, 2015 at 12:06 pm Reply

      Thank you!

  • Kathy Mercer Walden

    November 29, 2015 at 10:51 am Reply

    I can vividly visualize Jim slipping, falling, and getting up quickly hoping no one noticed. Glad that only his pride was hurt.

    • Kathy Mercer Walden

      November 29, 2015 at 10:52 am Reply

      Sorry for the double post. The first one never showed up till I tried again. Oh well?

  • Mike Walker

    November 29, 2015 at 3:36 pm Reply

    When will RadioWaves become “Radio Active”????

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