South Bound!

Deltaville to Great Bridge |  9.5 Hours  |  61 Miles 

It was very dark when the 6:00 am alarm sounded, but we got up with a mission to get moving south. To our surprise, the temperature actually rose overnight. Icy decks would not be an issue. We unplugged from shore power at 6:40, then exited our slip and cruised by the Stingray Point Lighthouse at first light. We were in Broad Creek channel at 7:00, right on schedule. Dawn was breaking.

A dozen watermen had already beaten us out into the Rappahannock River, anxious to grab their daily allotment of oysters. My Kat, a 55-foot power catamaran, fell in behind us. After my lines were tidy and stowed, it was time for breakfast. The captain seemed to enjoy his blueberry pancake as we cruised into the sunrise.

Our journey down the Chesapeake Bay was uneventful. High clouds obscured the sun and made for a gray trip. We mentally checked off landmarks from this well-traveled route -- the Piankatank River, Wolftrap Light, Mobjack Bay, York River. We got a boost from the ebb current and before too long we had made the turn into Hampton Roads and crossed over the tunnel. The cloud cover did not make for fine photography, but the scenery is always captivating. The aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush (CVN-77) dominated the view to port. Off to starboard, we saw the grounded sailboat to which the Coast Guard had been alerting boaters. Around the bend was Nauticus and Waterside. The most colorful display of the day was the "Welcome to Norfolk" sign -- always good for a photo op.

Winding down the Elizabeth River at no-wake speed, gave us time to read all the signs. This one for the Intracoastal Waterway is always noteworthy. The water was smooth most of the day making for an easy trip. The stabilizers didn't need to work hard today, but their presence is sure appreciated. The Gilmerton Bridge cast a full reflection. Almost on cue as we entered the Great Bridge Lock, the bottom fell out ensuring that we would end the day wet. 

Once out of the lock, we had a short wait for the bridge to open before reaching our destination at Atlantic Yacht Basin. We took on 250 gallons of diesel before settling in for the night and working on a few small things that showed up after a day-long run. It's a big relief to finally be southbound.