It Turned Into A Beautiful Day

Hampton to Deltaville  |  6 Hours  |  42 Miles  

Brrr ... it was cold this morning. The wind chill only made it worse. We hit the deck a little after 7:00 with dawn's colors still vibrant. The first thing we noticed were small icicles hanging from the upper deck. Not a good start. We unplugged the shore power and readied our docklines for a quick departure. A stiff breeze was blowing us onto the dock, but Barry got us underway with no issues. I put away the lines and fenders as we passed beside the morning traffic already at a standstill on the eastbound HRBT. We turned north into the Chesapeake Bay and passed alongside the Old Point Comfort Lighthouse on the grounds of Fort Monroe. The USS Kearsarge (LHD3) had also just left the dock and was following us on their way out to sea. 

Once into the Bay, we realized the forecast was a bit off. A steady 20 knot wind was on our nose and we were beating into 3-4 foot waves. The ride was quite bouncy and we quickly identified items that were not properly stowed. Inbound was a very interesting vessel. Barry grabbed the binoculars to get a better look at the M80 Stiletto. A quick Google search revealed some interesting facts. The M80 is a prototype naval ship using advanced stealth technologies. It is notable for its innovative pentamaran hull design which enables the craft to achieve a remarkably steady ride at high speed and in rough seas and its advanced carbon fiber composite construction. The vessel that cruises at 40 knots is roughly 90 feet long and19 feet wide, but only draws 2.5 feet. The pilothouse trashcan was very mobile and was given a new home for the day. Al even came out of his corner to watch the waves splashing onto the windshield. 

Mainly we were just watching the spray cover the windshield. We buried the anchor twice. We had to turn on the heat. Crossroads handled it all like a champ, but overall it was just not fun. After 10:00 we noticed the wind clocking around and the waves lessening. By the time we passed Wolf Trap Lighthouse, it seemed like a different day. Conditions had improved to what we had been expecting in the morning.  

The wind had dropped to 5 knots, the waves had calmed substantially, and the sun was even shining. At 12:45 we turned into the Rappahannock River. The sky had cleared enough that the Norris Bridge was visible six miles upriver. We turned into Broad Creek and I went out to prepare for our arrival. Conditions were ideal: it was high tide, sunny, no wind. Barry backed Crossroads right between the pilings and we got her nine lines all set, plugged in the power cord, and turned on the heat. A single icicle remained hanging from the upper deck. I unceremoniously flicked it off into the water. Unfortunately, Crossroads could not get a bath because the marina water is turned off until April 1. I did go out and wash the heavy salt spray off the windows and stainless. We then walked over to get my car out of storage. The Bradford pear trees lining the marina's entrance are almost in full bloom. The evening hours were spent packing up items to take home. Tomorrow morning we drive back to Beaufort to pick up Barry's Escape. After that, we'll get back to work on real life issues ... all the while dreaming of getting back to The Bahamas next year. Tentative departure date is Wednesday, December 30, 2026.

A Sightseeing Cruise On The Elizabeth River

Great Bridge to Hampton  |  4.7 Hours  |  22.4 Miles  

We're happy to report that Crossroads made it through the latest Storm of the Century without issue. The strongest wind gusts of the day occurred last night between 10:00 and 11:00. I easily fell sound asleep, however, oblivious to the cold front passing through. It was a rude awakening to step outside this morning into the 34-degree chill. We eased off the dock at 9:56, cruised right through the 10:00 opening of the Great Bridge bridge, then straight into the Great Bridge lock. We were running ahead of schedule and enjoying the clear and sunny day. Spirits continued to soar as we rounded a turn and saw the notorious No. 7 railroad bridge in the open position. We cruised right through only to hear that the our next bridge, the Old Virginia railroad bridge, was closing. We held station in the large basin for close to half an hour and waited for the opening. Once back underway we entered the scenic part of our cruise up the Elizabeth River. The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower was docked at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, undergoing planned maintenance. 

Navy ships were moored on both banks of the river. The USS Forrest Sherman (DDG-98) and USS Carter Hall (LSD-50) were cozy neighbors. We gave a passing tug/barge plenty of room and got a close-up view of the Hall's anchor. Soon we were up to Norfolk Waterside. 

We joked that we actually got a hint of the Bahamas -- the bulk carrier Bahamas L was docked off our port side. The vibrant Norfolk mural was hiding in the shadows, but welcomed us to very familiar waters. Our final railroad bridge of the day was high and caused no delay. The staging area for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project was still busy. Their website reports the project is over 70% complete. 

We were in no hurry and kept our eyes open. YRBM-L-46 is one of the Navy's non self-propelled Repair, Berthing and Messing Barges. The bow is reinforced for ocean towing. Further down the Post-Panamax cargo ship Ever Mass was preparing for departure. At over 1,200-feet long and 51-feet wide, it dwarfed the two tugboats stationed along its side. The weirdest sight of the day was the USNS Appalachicola (EPF-13) sat alongside three sister ships. Those Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport vessels are designed for high-speed (40 knots), shallow-draft (12.5-feet) logistics. It features autonomous operation, allowing for 30 consecutive days of uncrewed operation. As we neared Hampton Roads, the aircraft carriers USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) and USS George H.W. Bush (CVN- 77) dominated the scene. The Truman recently returned from the Middle East and the Bush is readying for deployment.

The Watson-class vehicle cargo ship USNS Pomeroy (T-AKR-316) was receiving its pilot to exit the harbor. The Stalwart-class auxiliary general ocean surveillance ship Previal (IX-537) was entering the harbor surrounded by half a dozen smaller escort ships. Once we crossed to Hampton, it was a proverbial breath of fresh air to go from increased Naval activity to civilian activities of less world consequence. At the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel construction zone, a crane was caught relocating a porta-potty. We docked at Bluewater Marina and had an hour or so to relax before dinner. I read in the pilothouse as the bright sun shone through the helm windows and warmed the boat. After dinner, I returned to the pilothouse to watch the sun set beyond the trees. We will depart tomorrow on our last travel day of this season to our home port in Deltaville.