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| Roni Tails | Sea Tales and Other Stories | Pictures of Doublewide | Mayaca Railroad Bridge |
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| It was a long but pleasant sail down to Hampton, only a small amount of pounding, but the wind was right on the nose all the way - again, no sailing, just motoring. But when I got here it became a little more exciting. The entry to the James River is a very busy commercial and military port. The entry is also fairly narrow and only one large ship at a time can pass thru - this leaves recreational boaters and other small vessels to slip in between large ships. A little nerve wracking when you approach as guessing the speed of one of those vessels from a distance is difficult. Timing your entry into the procession is critical. In addition, there is a 9/11 law that was enacted that has all boats stay at least 500 yards away from any military vessel. Of course you don't want to get that close to one of those huge ships because the wake knocks you around pretty good! Roni and I drifted over the wake of a large steamer that went in ahead of us and it was quite formidable with large 3' rollers, and we were a long ways from that boat! We're ensconced here for a couple of days resting and waiting out a front that is due to move thru. Also I don't want to go thru the Norfolk/Portsmouth channel during the weekend. It is tough enough coping with all the commercial vessels without having to guess which way Joe Speed Boat or Wave Runner Dude is going to go next! The docks here are all new and they are beautiful. Not the usual pressure treated Southern Yellow Pine, these decks are all Ipe, a high end, fine grained gorgeous wood that will last for many years (50?) without rot or split. It is actually better than redwood and it does age to a lovely silver gray. I may use this on our pool deck when I rebuild it someday. It was nice to have the opportunity to see it in action and under heavy traffic. I had dinner at the restaurant there and it was great. Haven't had crab cakes for years and these were prepared nicely. All crab meat, with very little to hold them together. Perfect! I forgive all those crab pots and their omni-present and irritating markers that I am always having to zig zag around! But, as I said, the crabs make them worth the annoyance! While here my friend Ed and I change the oil in our Gemini's - he picked his up and left about the same time that I did. We're both heading South so I am sure that I will see him again along the way. The oil change was easy - using an 'Oil Boy' vacuum pump thru the dipstick hole. Getting the oil filter off was trivial! That's a first! But Monday came and it was time to run the 11 miles across the channel to Portsmouth in preparation to head down the ICW - taking The Great Dismal Swamp Route. RoniRoni isn't as happy here as there isn't a frisbee field, but she is making friends left and right. Becoming quite the Dock Dog. All the new things she has to cope with every day are becoming ho-hum. Well almost ho-hum. Sometimes there is a hesitation in her approach to say a metal ramp that makes noise when doggie toe-nails click on it! Yipes! But she is courageous and goes ahead anyway. I don't much like leaving her alone because I think it stresses her. I have to shop without her as some officious idiots think that doggies shouldn't go into markets! Imagine that?? But she goes with me to the showers (luxury showers at most of these marinas!) and everywhere else, including into the West Marine store! |
 Omni Present Crab Trap Marker 128 KB |
 Vip - Complete With 2 Speedboat Escorts 129 KB |
 Wolf Trap Point Light 102 KB |
 Frigate 108 KB |
 In Line To Enter Hampton Roads River 135 KB |
 Eds Gemini Miracles 121 KB |
 Point Comfort On Entry To Hampton Roads 139 KB |
 Entry To Tunnel At Hampton Roads Entry 139 KB |
 Entry To Bluewater Yachting Center 134 KB |
 Bluewater Pool With Guests 219 KB |
 Doublewide Starboard Including Full Rig 228 KB |
 Chief Pretty Wet Officer 183 KB |
 Doublewide Port 176 KB |
 View Of Hampton Across River 120 KB |
| Getting Ready | The Chesapeake Bay | The Great Dismal Swamp | North Carolina | South Carolina | Georgia | Florida |
| Roni Tails | Sea Tales and Other Stories | Pictures of Doublewide | Mayaca Railroad Bridge |