Solomons to Norfolk

Man, I hate this internet service down here. Even though I have 4 bars here I still can’t get onto an internet connection. So I guess I’ll just have to load this onto a stick drive and find a library somewhere,

The trip down from Solomons to Deltaville was very easy but it was a long day. We saw our first pelicans of the trip…. About half a dozen of them and are they ever funny when they crash land in the water. They open up their mouth a bit and try to skim the surface but every single time the water catches them and they go head over heals into the water……. Really clumsy. They really do remind me of the pelican in Nemo.

As we made our approach to Deltaville we were greeted by two “flipper” type dolphins right at our bow as they jumped out of the water. They didn’t return to play in our bow wave.

The approach to Deltaville is extremely narrow but rather well marked and with the help of Dozier’s Waterway Guide which also shows aerial photos we made it in very easily.

We anchored just off Deltaville Marina and it was a very peaceful place. I thought I might walk up into the boat yard to check out the boat that Pat & Ted are looking at but couldn’t find it. There were about 50 boats neatly aligned in rows. I asked a guy why they were all hauled out of the water ane he told me that NO locals owned them. It was all people from around the great lakes, etc. They leave them there for the summer then return in Mid October, launch them and head south for the winter. He told me that in three weeks the place would be empty of boats……..

Sept 27th - Deltaville
That’s right folks, We’re in Norfolk now…land of the US Navy. Everything here is Navy right from the massive Naval Dockyard at the approach to the James River all the way to the entrance to the Elizabeth River and the Inter Coastal Waterway at Mile ZERO. We got fuel at Tidewater Marine right across from downtown Norfolk then went out of the marina to an anchorage with about 12 other boats swinging from the hook. As we approached our anchorage spot we saw that there was another identical boat to ours.
It belongs to Mike and Francie from Chicago who are also making the trip to the Bahamas.

Just after dropping the anchor and pouring our celebratory drink to cheer the weather Gods a couple pulled up in their tender and quickly announced that they were Ken and Merydie on Quick Sticks, a Bristol 29 out of Lahave River Yacht Club. We knew a lot of the same people. The name on their tender was “the twig”. How cute.


Well, all 4 came over for the evening and we had a great time.
This morning we’re going over to inspect the other Gulfstar 45.

See what I mean……. Nearly identical.

Like I said folks, Norfolk is all Navy. Here’s a few shots of some of the ships here.

USS ENTERPRISE – Doesn’t look like the one in Startrek

These two were in dry-dock.

Oh yeah…. And Garrett, you’ll love this one. As we were coming up the harbour we were met by this HUGE steel Transformer. He looked like he just wanted to bend down and scoop us up…. Hahaha

So, the Norfolk waterfront is rather pretty at night and Jan & I had a relaxing evening with new found friends. I don’t know how Jan is coping with all the stress

We’re staying here today to do a little sightseeing and some $4 appetizers at the marina, then heading out tomorrow morning.