Day 20: Norfolk, VA, to Reedville, VA

W're off the dock around 0750, and head out into Norfolk Harbour, closely tailed by an outbound container vessel. Preston says, "He'll go faster than us. I'll let him go by and cross his wake." The Norfolk pilot on board talks to an inbound warship, also with a Norfolk pilot and the two of them discuss how they're going to do the cross (the warship waits for the box-ship to pass). We're soon clear of the harbour, and with Newport News away to our left, we're soon crossing above the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnels, where a construction project is installing a further two tubes.

By 0900 we're pointing out into the vast Chesapeake Bay, and soon thereafter we turn left and start a long traverse north up the bay, destination Ingram Bay then Reedville on Cockrell Creek. Preston has decided, due to forecast winds later in the evening, that we'll be better off docking rather than anchoring out, which we were going to do. Reedville is a convenient 'jumping off' point for our two-day voyage up the Potomac to Washington DC.

Apart from the house-fly-sized black flies (you can't see how they manage to be away out here over the water) who are enjoying the benign conditions of our following breeze, we see a couple of distant bLoopers going our way and numerous ocean-going ships heading up or down, presumably to or from Baltimore. We follow the bay coastline, around 4 or 5 miles off to our port side, but off to starboard there is nothing but the horizon.

Eventually, we're able to turn left and motor into Ingram Bay then Cockrell Creek and finally into the Fairport Marina, across the creek from Reedville. Reedville is and has been (since 1874) a fish-oil processing port, processing an oily fish called 'menhaden'. There used to be several processing plants but now only one remains. The town was even known, during one early era, as the wealthiest town per-capita in the US.

We dock, have a beer and a shower, and make our way off the jetty to the rustic little restaurant nearby.

To say this was a 'downhome' country America experience would be an understatement. We made friends with the staff and had an enjoyable and relaxing evening until eventually we were the only patrons left..

Tonight, there may be a storm out on the bay, but it shouldn't affect us in our sheltered mooring. Tomorrow, we commence our voyage up the Potomac to Washington DC.もっと詳しく