Almost Home

After leaving Elizabeth City we spent 2 days in Portsmouth walking through the historic homes and up to the Food Lion and taking the ferry across Elizabeth River (only $.75 for seniors)  to a shopping mall as we haven't been in one for at least a year. All our shopping before leaving the states had been at marine stores and boat repair shops. Leaving Norfolk at 6:30 a.m. Monday morning we were surprised at how empty the port was of ships both container and navy. I think all the navy vessels are across the oceans protecting our freedoms and the container ships it turned out were anchored out awaiting pilots to bring them into port on Monday morning since as we began to head out of the port several were coming in to dock. They are huge and are accompanied by tugs that help turn them to go into a dock.

We got a call on our VHF from Water Music a boat that we crossed with from the Bahamas to Charleston. What a great surprise. We motor sailed along with them to an anchorage near Reedville, VA. We spent an evening on their boat sharing tales from the last couple of weeks since we had left them in Charleston. They waited for a later weather window and sailed outside to Beaufort, NC and then inside to Norfolk. It was a nice time.

This morning we were off at 6 a.m heading up the Potomac for Washington, DC. We had a great sail with winds gusting to 28 and then had to turn with the wind on our nose and so we motored the last 20 miles to Colonial Beach where we are now docked for the night after filling up with fuel. It is the last place that we can get diesel with our 6 ft. draft. Actually there is not a marina in DC where we can get diesel so we filled all our cans to have enough to get back down the Potomac to Solomon's Island when we head back to Annapolis.

Tomorrow we are headed up to an anchorage across from the Capital Yacht Club in DC where we will check in with the harbor police and get permission to stay for 2 weeks which is apparently the limit.

Hope to see many of you soon and hope to hear from everyone else about what is going on in your lives.

Elyse and John