As we passed the Norfolk Navy Yard we saw two more aircraft carriers (USS Washington and USS Eisenhower), multiple destroyers and missile launchers, and other gray ships we didn't recognize. We looked a mile ahead and saw four tugs pulling the white Navy hospital ship "Comfort" into the channel from her berth. We snuck around her and later heard her "Securite'" call as she headed out into the Atlantic.
As we exited the James River, crossing over the Hampton Rhodes Bridge Tunnel, the fog got thicker and waves got bigger. My radar (and vision) found a huge target coming at us. We passed very close to a Navy cargo ship and Linda looked it up on her device as she had been doing all morning.
Photo off of the web
What we saw!
We needed to turn northward to reach Salt Ponds about 10 miles away. When we made the turn it put the large waves on our beam, creating a very uncomfortable ride. The Chief Morale Officer starting panting, a sure sign that her morale was sinking.
We had no choice but to gut it out for the next hour. Invictus had no problem with it. We learned that we will try to avoid 3 foot waves on our beam. Here in the mouth of the Chesapeake we were exposed to the Atlantic Ocean to the east. As we get a little further up we will start to get some protection from the Delmarva Peninsula that forms the Eastern shore.
As we pulled into Salt Ponds and tied up it started to rain. We took advantage of a break in the rain later to walk a mile into town for a pizza. Since it is a beach town they have a strong prohibition against glass packaging. Linda had her first "can" of wine (and liked it).
We went home and were watching the local evening news when the National Weather Service issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for our area. At midnight their prediction came true and we got slammed with a wild storm. Olive looked at me from her bed and said with her eyes, "Really? What's next?"
Friday's forecast was not too sporty. Overcast and a high of 56. Just to make Olive's trifecta, I gave her a bath on deck as Linda went running. Then I took her below to nap in front of the heater before we departed at 11:00.
We had planned a late departure because the marine forecast was predicting that the waves would be smaller in the afternoon (1-2 foot) than in the morning (2-3 foot). We wanted to make some northerly progress toward the Tides Inn in Irvington, Virginia where we a planning to meet friends who are driving down from Northern Virginia.
We started out motoring at 10 mph into the waves. We had a fifty mile trip to Irvington, but I had identified some closer stops if the ride was too lumpy. After a few minutes of bouncing into the waves, I said to Linda,"Let's try going faster and see how that feels." She said, "Go for it, because Olive doesn't like this." I punched it up to 20 mph and guess what...it was more comfortable. So we did that for three hours and reached Irvington at 2:00. That's when it's good to have an express cruiser.
The Tides Inn is a real treasure. We are one of two boats in their Marina. They treat us like one of their regular guests of the Inn, with full access to all of the amenities. On Saturday, we played golf on their executive course with clubs borrowed from the Inn. It was a blast! Our friends arrived and we are eating our way through this neck of Virginia.
Selfie on the golf course
Martini by the fire pit at Tides Inn
We like it so much we are going to stay here for three nights, do laundry, play golf, drink cocktails and act like we are on the longest vacation of our lives.
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