AGLCA Rendezvous in Norfolk

Check-in for our conference did not begin until 1:00 on Monday. Even though temps started out in the upper 30s, Barry and I took advantage of our free morning to get in a good walk. I have done three 5Ks and two half marathons that started/finished here at Waterside. These courses through town have expanded my knowledge of the area and wanted to show Barry some new places. The Oriental Garden is a favorite spot just beyond Nauticus. The azaleas and bamboo did not disappoint.

The AGLCA Rendezvous is a gathering of boaters who have done, are doing, or are thinking about doing the Great Loop. Many seminars focus on route planning from the Chesapeake Bay to the Gulf of Mexico. A big highlight was the Parks Canada presentation on the Trent-Severn Waterway and its 44 locks (Peterborough Lift Lock, the world's highest hydraulic lift lock, is pictured on the screen below). We also got to tour other boats and meet folks who will be on the journey with us, including two other couples with sister boats to our Selene 43. We are looking forward to catching up with Doug, Dana, Jeff and Terri many more times along the way.

Our proximity to the Naval shipyards provided for several good shows. Two mornings we awoke to passing vessels and viewed their progress right from our cockpit. We were a bit late to the session on Wednesday because we stayed back to watch five tugs position the massive USS Mesa Verde into a floating drydock. Quite an orchestration.

The last seminar finished up today (Thursday) at 3:30. True to form, the Virginia weather did a complete flip-flop in less than a week and temperatures topped out near 90. Our afternoon walk was close to 50 degrees warmer than our first. After four days in frigid conference rooms, it felt good to not be cold.

We had dinner on board and did one last walk around Town Point Park as the sun set. We'll be up at the crack of dawn to head back up to our home port of Deltaville. We have two weeks to get all loose ends tied up and lists checked off before we head north up the Chesapeake and begin our adventure.