Day 327, Thursday May 15th

Day 327, Thursday May 15^th

crossing the state border

We wake up after a restful night at the Dismal Swamp visitor centre.  We need to time our departure with the upstream lock which only opens about 4 times a day.  First opening is 8:30 which is too early as it is about 3 hours away.  Luckily the neighbours we are rafted with also want to make the 11:00 opening so we head out at 7:15 knowing we will be a bit early, but the boat beside us wants to get off the dock for 7:30 and we are in their way.  As we go upstream it is absolutely beautiful.  The water is still and once again the sweet smells of flowers are everywhere.  We must have some current as we are scooting along at around 8 knots, which is nice, but means we will get to the lock in 2 hours.  We cut back the engine and try to delay a bit, but still get to the bridge in front of the lock by 10:05.  The bridge will not lift until the lock is ready to take us.  We had hoped we could just tie up inside the lock.  We float around for 5 minutes while the boat ahead of us ties along the seawall.  The guide said there was room for 2 or 3 boats, but looks like room for just one the way the boat tied up.  We asked if we could raft up and they luckily said no problem.  Doug from the other boat, telephoned the lock tender and we found out that we had to wait an hour.  Julie radioed the boats behind us to suggest they slow down a lot so we weren’t all piled up.  A pretty tight area for 5, 40-60 foot boats.  Sadly there was a southbound boat that needed to be locked through first, so it was almost 11:30 by the time we even got through the bridge.  Had we realized we could make the lock in about 2.5 hours we would have tried for the 8:30 as there are storms coming, and as we are waiting the blue sky changed to clouds and the wind started to pick up.

From peaceful to.... (see next photo)

Finally the 5 boats are in the locks and being lowered.  By 12:05 we are pulling out of the locks and speeding along for our destination 3 hours upriver.  Our destination is Hampton which is the town we left the USA from last November 4^th and did our big passage to the Bahamas in 5 nights/6 days.  It just took us a month to get back here by hopping up the coast.

Getting grey out

We finally reach mile zero which is the end of the ICW when heading north, and we transition into the Norfolk basin which is very busy, industrial and a major military base for the navy.  Lots of bridges, and navigational aids.  Lots of work to pay attention and make sure we know where we are going and to get their safely.  We have gone from peaceful to havoc.

The weather continues to deteriorate.  We are able to put up the jib as the winds are behind us.  By 15:00 we have reached the channel that marks the entrance into Hampton and our safe haven for the next 2 nights.  We dock safely in a tight spot, which may be a challenge to get out of.....worry about that later.

Can't get under this bridge, we have to wait

There is not much around this marina and we wonder why we came back... oh well, funny how we find comfort in “knowing”.  That is likely why we chose it without giving it a thought.  We knew where it was, and what the docks looked like etc.

By the time we get stuff put away, go see the dockmaster, Dawson picks up his part, we have a happy hour, it is time for dinner so we treat ourselves to the on-site restaurant which has a fabulous broiled seafood platter.  Julie certainly enjoys her choice of food. 

Back at the boat we continue our banter about whether to sell the boat.  Sadly we don’t see ourselves adventuring for many years on an extended basis so have decided to sell Jazzebelle as it is unfair to leave her in drydock for extended periods and she is too much boat to bring north for weekend sailing, and lastly, next trip we would like to start the trip further south.  It was a very long way bringing the boat all the way from Canada’s great lakes.

Cheers

Julie and Dawson