Thursday, November 4, 2004
Norfolk, VA
Nereus Crew Touring D.C.
We’re out of Washington, D.C. Actually, we are long gone out of D.C. We are beginning our next phase of our southward sail. The weather and water are slowly getting warmer.
We had a great week in D.C. There is a lot to see there. So much, we weren’t able to fit it all in. We finished off with the National Zoo on Saturday (10/30) and promptly left that afternoon on the slacking tide and cruised under the Woodrow Wilson Bridge – with head room to spare this time. Safely out of D.C. before election day, we had our sights set on getting down to Norfolk, VA and entering the Intercoastal Waterway. We are ready for warmer weather. Chad and Marsha, from Rebel Rouser, called us yesterday from Beaufort, NC. They are wearing shorts and tank tops. We’re hurrying to get down there!
Potomac’s Fall Foliage in Full Color
After leaving D.C., we traveled for two days down the Potomac, stopping for a day at a marina to do laundry, pump-out, fuel up, and enjoy the fall foliage. Then Tuesday (10/2), we pushed on out of the Potomac and back into the Chesapeake, right into head winds from the south and big seas. It was hard going that day and the 45 nautical miles we had to go were hard won miles. But it proved easy compared to what we would get the following day.
Yesterday (Weds. 10/3), we had a long 55 nautical miles to get down to Norfolk and the start of the ICW. We left our anchorage early, encouraged by forecast winds from of the north at 10 – 15 knots with 1 foot seas — nice! Or so we thought. What we found out on the water were winds 15 – 25 knots and four foot seas that would built up to 10 feet! With hard wind blowing directly down the whole length of the shallow Chesapeake, the seas built up — it was pretty rough. Luckily we have a boat designed to take it. Check out some of the video we took that day. It is pretty interesting — a fun sail!
Warships at Norfolk,VA
It was a long day. We arrived in Norfolk, exhausted, only to find we had to motor all the way through the U.S. Naval Shipyards to get to our planned stop. We counted twenty-one ships standing at the ready. There were twice as many getting fit (or refit) up the Elizabeth River. Battleship grey was everywhere. Finally getting past it all, we took a slip at Tidewater Yacht Agency, just off “Red 36,” the navigational buoy that marks the start of the ICW – a.k.a., “Mile Zero.” We’d made it.
Mile Zero of the ICW
The Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway is a series of connected rivers and canals, allowing boaters to travel the entire 1089 statute miles from Norfolk to Miami, FL with out ever going outside into the Atlantic. We do not plan on taking the ICW the whole way down, as we will journey out into the open ocean where our boat can sail in its natural surroundings, saving us time and mileage. But, we will use it regularly for provisioning, shelter, and sign-seeing. Mile Zero is a major milestone; we traveled more than halfway to our target destination. This is the road to the end of our trip.
For the record, I looked up some statistics. The GPS tells me we have traveled about 2,300 nautical miles to date. That’s 2,645 statute miles for those who don’t travel by water. This Sunday (11/7), marks the start of our sixth month on the water. I estimate we have two more to go. Not bad.
The anchorage here only has a handful of boats in it, yet Marsha on Rebel Rouser reports there are boats everywhere down with them. I figure we are about a solid week behind the rest of the fleet heading south. It is a nice place to be. Let all the maniacs go fast and far, leaving all the anchorages empty for us. As soon as the weather and water get warmer, maybe we’ll slow down even more. Maybe we’ll extend our trip, although I doubt it. The cruising kitty is beginning to get thin. We’re just taking it one day at a time.
 Capitol Binga |
 The Lincoln Memorial |
 Ford’s Theater where Lincoln was Assasinated |
 Binga at FDR Memorial |
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 Veterans at the WWII Memorial |
 WWII Memorial |
 The Viet Nam War Memorial – “The Wall” |
 Elephant Exibit at National Zoo |
 Binga’s Pink Flamingo with Real Flamingos |
 Merry-Go-‘Round on the National Mall |
 The Smithsonian’s Museum of American History – Chairs from All In the Family |
– Steve