We rather outfoxed ourselves this Sunday morning. We set the alarm to get an early start, but felt a little foolish listening to the weather forecast at 5:45 am when we were sure we had set the alarm for 6:45 am. We totally missed the return to standard time!
We figured out how to get a close-up view of a Navy helicopter, though. You simply depart Hampton Roads at the same time as an aircraft carrier, in this case Warship 69. We were subject to very close scrutiny by the helicopter pictured flying just above the carrier. We sat very still and altered our course wide to starboard.
Shortly after Norfolk/Portsmouth there is a lock which equalizes the water level between Hampton Roads and the Intracoastal Waterway. The lock operates hourly, and so on busy days, a number of boats lock through at once. On Sunday, eleven boats were packed into the lock with us for the 12:30 passage. This makes for quite a flotilla as the lock empties and everyone continues on their way.The return to standard time has changed our evening schedule as well – mainly there is no evening. We were quite thankful for this after a long day when we tried to make our way into Blackwater Creek, twice, and got hung up on a shoal each time. We ended up anchoring in the mouth of the creek with one other boat, who I’m thinking met the same fate as us. Just before turning in, I went above to check things out, just in time to see a tug and barge pass not far off our bow.
Monday morning we were up to get an early start as well, this time on purpose, and in our haste, and fog, passed the green daymarker on the starboard side. You shouldn’t do that. Drat! Stuck again. Brother Doug says there are only two kinds of sailors, those who have been aground, and liars.
After that ignominious start, we had a great day. We passed through Currituck Sound and then on to Albemarle Sound in the afternoon. It was pretty breezy, which led to a spectacular sail across a sound that has a reputation of being at times rather difficult. Once again, the day passes too quickly, and evening approaches in another beautiful anchorage.
