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.

A Now A Report From The Weather Desk

Great Bridge  

The day began as a nice snapshot of spring. We woke to bright sunshine, warm temperature, and a light but steady breeze on our stern. The flow of air inflated our dinghy cover, making it look much bigger and more impressive than it actually is. We took another walk through the adjacent park. More buds were bursting since yesterday. The trail was deserted and we found it quite warm for our sweatshirts. We were definitely overdressed. Our first big gust of wind came at 11:30. We went out and adjusted our spring lines and fender placement. Light rain began at 1:00 and turned heavy around 1:30. That downpour lasted only 20 minutes or so and gave way to sunshine. One clap of thunder rumbled around 3:30, followed shortly by another heavy downpour. Again, the precipitation quickly cleared. It wasn't until nightfall that the wind truly began to increase. It has shifted to the south and is now blowing Crossroads up against the dock. At 9:30 it is sustained at 22 mph and gusting to 40. It is supposed to increase as the frontal boundary passes over us. Because of early publication deadlines, our outcome will need to be reported on tomorrow. So far, we've escaped the worst of this event. Hoping I can say the same in the morning.    

Hope Springs Eternal

Coinjock to Great Bridge  |  5.3 Hours  |  32 Miles  

With the adage "Hope Springs Eternal" lodged in my head, I settled in last night to watch the ACC Men's Basketball Championship game between Virginia and Duke. Maybe one day. It took a while to fall asleep after 37 minutes of good basketball and another disappointing ending. This morning's alarm came quickly, but we eased off the dock and were underway at 7:30. Before we exited the canal we met up with the tug Robert T. on his morning run south to the Alligator River Bridge construction site. It was nice to see the landmark stump still standing strong. I had wondered if the winter storms might have chipped away at its branches. We were surprised to see a boat full of fishermen inbound from Currituck Sound.

Once we entered further into the Sound, we realized why they were rushing to get into protected waters. To put in bluntly, the conditions on the Sound stunk. Thirty knot winds hit us with a choppy sea on the stern quarter. The stabilizers did their job of keeping from us heeling side to side. They could do nothing about the fish-tailing or wagging motion. The only saving grace was we didn't take much spray on the windshield. The trip was not dangerous, just uncomfortable. We kept searching for a silver lining, but settled for a rainbow that appeared on the helm bench. Thankfully we eventually entered narrower and more protected waters where the trees blocked the wind. We crossed over the NC-VA state line and entered the North Landing River. The only other vessel we saw was a tug/barge combo heading south. There was plenty of room for us to pass each other.

Time and distance calculations began for the 11:30 opening of the North Landing Bridge. We arrived with perfect timing, but ... we had to hold station in the stiff crosswind for an additional stressful five minutes. We finally got the opening and were once again on our way through the quiet and protected waters. An impressive bald eagle nest was easy to spot in the highest branches of the tallest tree. Zooming in revealed it was an active nest. Osprey occupied a majority of day markers.  The Centerville Bridge tender had the span open for us and we passed through without even slowing down. 

We arrived at Chesapeake's free dock and deployed every fender in preparation for tomorrow's severe weather. Extra dock lines were also used to double up for added security. We took an afternoon walk through the adjoining park where the trees blocked the wind and spring blossoms lined the paths. By nightfall, stray showers (not related to THE Front arriving tomorrow) were giving us a good boat wash. Once again, we're hoping that conditions will not be as bad as forecast. 

That Log Has Ears!

Belhaven to Coinjock  |  10.3 Hours  |  76.4 Miles  

The sun had appeared over the tree line when I went on deck to raise the anchor. As always, the thick, black Belhaven mud encased all 75-feet of chain and took a while to clean. What made today a little less miserable was the mild (mid-50s) temperature and low wind. Early morning clouds soon burned off. Sunshine and a bright blue sky greeted us as we entered the Alligator-Pungo Canal. The 21-mile long passage cuts through forests and wetlands. It is arrow-straight and there were no other boats close to us. It was easy to keep our eyes high in the trees. We were rewarded with several bald eagle sightings. The first two occurred close together.

A bit of time passed before the next one was spotted. Later we saw several large birds in a single tree -- uncharacteristic of eagles. Upon closer inspection it was a committee of turkey vultures. Their red heads glowed in the mid-day light. As we neared the end of the canal, our focus shifted down to water level. That's when we spotted an odd-looking log. Wait ... that log has ears. I grabbed my phone, headed to the bow, and discovered the "log" was actually a black bear swimming across the canal.  

Barry slowed Crossroads down to idle and let the bear swim in front of us. He reached the bank and scampered ashore. 

In previous trips we've seen deer and alligators cross our path. This was our first bear. The bear acted like this may have been its first trawler encounter.

Still excited from the bear, the trip down the Alligator River went by fast. Soon we were at the Alligator River Bridge. The bridge tender opened the span as we approached and we passed through without delay. Construction is progressing on the new high-rise bridge that will eventually replace this swing bridge. The project website reports that all 710 piles are in place and crews are ready to start installing columns, caps, and bridge decks. The new bridge is scheduled to open to traffic in the Fall of 2028. The crossing of Albemarle Sound was uneventful. The sun warmed the pilot house to 80-degrees. We bypassed our normal anchorage at Camden Point and decided to put a few more miles behind us. The warmth and the long day made us both drowzey. We tied up in Coinjock just before 6:00. Barry had his tastebuds set on the restaurant's famous prime rib so we took a little walk before stopping in for dinner. The talk of the town is of Monday's upcoming weather event. We'll make a few more miles tomorrow then hold up for a few days before arriving in Deltaville.

Shaking Off The Fog

Beaufort to Belhaven  |  8.8 Hours  |  58.4 Miles  

Today was moving day! We set an early alarm and quickly hit the deck to prepare for departure. During our time in Beaufort, we had utilized every fender and dock line possible to protect Crossroads from Mother Nature and the dock. It took a while to free her, but we cast off right at our target time of 7:30. The warm glow of sunrise still painted the Grayden Paul Bridge. Yesterday's storm was only a memory. Low wind meant glass-smooth water. Even the lower temperature was bearable with the absence of wind chill. 

Dozens of dolphin escorted us north and reminded us of all the wonderful days we've spent on the water. As we neared the mouth of Adams Creek a soft haze was spotted on the horizon. As we got closer, we realized it was fog. The cold air had settled over the warm water to form an unexpected barrier. We throttled down and ventured into the cloud with our navigation lights and radar on. Visibility was about 75 feet. Barry radioed ahead to communicate with oncoming boat traffic. We squeezed by a tug/barge combo that was "parked" on the bank. 

Thankfully the fog lifted within three miles and we were treated to a beautiful day after that. The ICW mile marker revealed that we had 60 miles remaining to reach our destination of Belhaven. We settled in and enjoyed the smooth ride and warm sunshine heating up the pilot house. Even Mom's guardian angel penguin enjoyed the ride in his new home on our helm. 

Our passage up the Neuse River was uneventful. Waves were low, but a little choppy. Our windshield took several good splashes of spray. Once we entered the Hobucken Canal, it was time to go out and clean the windshield. At the same time, I coiled up all the dock lines that were removed in the morning. As we neared our destination, I went out to hook up our anchor bridle. This seemingly easy task, took much longer than anticipated. I fully believe that some gremlin got into our Portuguese bridge locker and held a knot-tying class with the two ears of the bridle. Eventually, everything straightened out and we eased into the familiar anchorage at Belhaven. The sun set as Barry fixed dinner. After Jeopardy! we spent some time reviewing the weather and figuring out how to best avoid the next approaching storm. The long-range plans are still iffy, but tomorrow we will head to Coinjock.  

Springing Forward

I will attempt to summarize the last two months and catch everyone up to where we are on March 12. On January 8, the day following Mom's passing, Barry took the bus/train from Morehead City to Richmond. I picked him up at the train station and we both moved back into our house. We turned on the water and heat, plugged in all the TVs, then I went to sleep for the next day. I woke up to find a gorgeous flower arrangement had been delivered. It sure brought a smile to my face. As an escape I went up to see a UVA women's basketball game. The Hoos did not play very well, but it did not matter because I got to visit with two of my favorite folks. It was a nice and much needed change of scenery. The next week was spent at Mom's house, as we started to sort through 61 years of memories (how long she lived there). There were many pleasant surprises in all the items she had saved. From every nook and cranny we would find a pair of scissors. We accumulated quite a collection. On January 18, Barry and I drove back to Beaufort to check on Crossroads. My flowers were still beautiful and made the trip with us.

It was chilly in Beaufort, but the sun was out and sky was blue. We took several walks around downtown. Some sights don't change -- like the shrimp boats docked across the inlet. The biggest change on Front Street was that sad remnants of the Duncan House which had burned on December 15. The house dated back to the mid-1700s, was on the National Register of Historic Places, and was one of only 11 properties in North Carolina designated as a Statewide Property of Significance. As usual, the wind blew consistently strong and kept the flags stiff. A special treat was spotting wild horses across Taylor Creek on Carrot Island.  

We bundled up in multiple layers and took strolls along Atlantic Beach. The ocean was flat and we both instinctively said it would have been a great day to be on the outside (heading to Florida). Low tide fell conveniently in mid-afternoon. We enjoyed wide open beaches and looking at the piles of shell. The Oceana Pier stood strong against the elements. 

An occasional shell caught our eye and beckoned to be examined. Mainly we just walked and tried to formulate a plan for the next month. A bomb cyclone was to arrive soon. Both the house and the boat needed to be occupied and kept warm. It was decided that I would take the train back to Richmond and Barry would stay on Crossroads. As if ordered, we were treated to the most beautiful sunset on my final evening. Mom would have loved seeing it. I have to believe, however, that she actually did ... and maybe even crafted it for me herself.  

I got home and had a day to get ready for the storm. I found a few rations at the grocery store then hunkered down. The good news is we didn't get the two feet of snow which was predicted. Worse, we got five inches of ice. I did not venture out for days. My sister Lisa had a crew come over and shovel half our driveway, but the cul de sac was so bad I couldn't bring Mom's car down (then back up) the hill. My brother-in-law Robbie came and picked me up in their Jeep just so I could get out of the house. I did a little work at Mom's to make the best use of my time. It was too dang cold. I wore spikes on my shoes to keep upright. I didn't get mail service for two weeks. The only things happy were my Mom's two penguins watching over her house.

Eventually it warmed up a bit and I began shoveling the other half of the driveway. Once finished the ice pile was substantial. On the inside, I was busy working on my Mom's order of service, display of memories, her oral history, and my own "moment of remembrance." All of that, and watching the Olympics, kept me busy.  

Meanwhile, down in the not-so-sunny south, Barry wasn't having much fun either. Beaufort received 22-inches of snow. Worse yet, temperatures stayed below freezing for over three straight days. He tried hard to keep the water lines from freezing and was almost successful. Thankfully, there was no lasting damage. I could check in on him by watching the marina's live webcam. 

Snow covered the exterior steps. The bow was packed full. Snow drifts barricaded the saloon door. Barry eventually dug his way off of Crossroads and drove back home in mid-February. Final plans were put to the test when we set up the fellowship hall on Friday, February 20.

Forty-five days after her passing, we had Mom's Celebration of Life service. It was a warm and sunny day and we were vey pleased at how the day went. It was great seeing so many family members and friends. I held it together for my remembrance. Win. We were also able to meet several of Mom's friends that we had only ever know by name.  

The following day it snowed again. Ugghh. I put in a few more day's at Mom's before Barry and I drove back to Beaufort on February 28. A pretty day greeted us. I brought back another flower arrangement which stayed pretty for another week. While I had been away, Barry had contacted Hoke (who we worked with two years ago on our new bimini) and ordered a new cover for our anchor windlass.  

Barry had also removed all the original Selene rope lighting and installed new LED lighting. Oh, what a difference that made! The boat is so much brighter and cheery. Mother nature welcomed us back with a full moon, low wind/calm water, and sunny days. We have taken several walks along Atlantic Beach -- every one of them different.

We've been treated to a few nice sunsets. The days warmed up and we walked the beach without jackets. The number of birds increased. With days of light winds, shells were scarcer, but just as interesting. I even got to sit out on Fiberglass Beach, read a few books, and attempt to get some color back on my skin.

We met friends David and Sue (Daydreaming) in Fort Fisher for a day at the NC Aquarium. Highlights were a rescued leatherback turtle and seeing how it rested with its flippers folded back upon its shell. Standing in front of the salt water tanks reminded me of snorkeling in The Bahamas. A beautiful eagle resides in the outdoor exhibits. Spring is in the air and the flowers have begun to bloom. 

The sky continued to be clear, but our trips to Atlantic Beach revealed a different ocean. Three days ago, the waves began to pick up. The recently arrived sandpipers didn't seem to mind. 

Clouds rolled in and created a nice sunset. Fast forward to the next day and a heavy fog covered the area. At the beach we could not see the pier. From our bow (in standard sunset position), we could not see the bridge. Yesterday cleared off and we took one last stroll through the historic Beaufort downtown. This morning we woke up to a strong and gusty (up to 30 knots) wind. We braved it to make a final fruit and veggie run to Morehead City. In the time we were gone, the temperature fell over 20 degrees. Tonight as I write this, the wind has laid down. Tomorrow promises to be calm and sunny. We will take advantage of that to cast off from Beaufort and start heading home. Our cruising season is coming to an end, but Spring is just beginning. Would someone please turn on the heat back in Deltaville? It snowed there today.