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| USS Wisconsin |
Norfolk, Virginia
At last count we have gone aground three
times on the shifting sandbars of the Intra-coastal Waterway. The section we
just passed, known affectionately as 'The Dismal Swamp', led us to the mouth of
Chesapeake Bay. Here we arrived at the formidable port and military base of
Norfolk, Virginia, where we rendezvoused with cruiser friends Ronald and Sandra
on SV Sandra Louise. Norfolk is the biggest naval base in the entire world, and
is ringed with dozens of very imposing, and rather sinister looking,
battleships and aircraft carriers, of immense proportions.
We tied up at the 'free' dock on the
Portsmouth side of the harbour and took a paddle-wheeler over to Norfolk to
tour the great battleship, U.S. Wisconsin (also known as The Wisky). At 887
feet long, it can hold over 3000 sailors, and crossed the Panama Canal with only
one foot clearance on either side! With her combat days gratefully behind her,
The Wisky now sits peacefully in Norfolk Harbour, ogled by inquisitive
tourists. Afterwards we investigated the historic old town, including MacArthur
Park, with its' tribute to General MacArthur, and Waterfront Park.
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| SV Sandra Louise and Chantey V at rest | |
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| Georgie please note! |
Back on Chantey V we were enjoying the view
from the cockpit and admiring an adorable puppy on the boat behind us, when the
frisky fellow decided to leap overboard! Being a great lover of our furry
friends, what else could I do but plunge in fully clothed and attempt to rescue
the poor creature? We hauled the soggy mutt to safety, but I somehow managed a trip to emergency with scraped-up toes from oyster shells on the dock! Doctor Daragh quickly
went to work with the first aid kit patching me up, and ready for the next
adventure. A windstorm was brewing so we decided to depart for Deltaville and on to
Solomons Island. We sailed across the border into Maryland with following seas
just in time to feel the winds freshen and snug up to the dock.
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| Blows hard but fast here |
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| Wing on wing Chesapeake Bay |
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