Verkennen (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} verkennen) wrote,@ 2009-06-25 15:17:00 |
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We're in the Chesapeake
Hampton Light
Our last 50 miles on the ICW were again a great study in contrasts. For two days we glided along the serene Pasquotank River and Great Dismal Swamp Canal, before popping out into the busy and congested Elizabeth River and Norfolk area. Halfway between the locks on the canal we docked for the night at the Dismal Swamp Visitor's Center. All the cruisers gathered on the shore for a pot-luck and we were unexpectedly serenaded by a bagpiper.
At the Deep Creek Lock the lockmaster also serenaded us, only this time it was with a conch shell. He collects the shells from cruisers returning from the islands. While our boat was slowly descending he gave us some horn blowing lessons.
Soon the quiet, peaceful Dismal Swamp Canal ended and we were near mile '0' on the ICW and the bustling port of Norfolk. At one point, while waiting for a railroad bridge to open, we had 2 tugs and barges, 2 megayachts, 3 powerboats and 7 sailboats circling around each other in front of the bridge for 20 minutes.
From our anchorage in downtown Norfolk we had front row seats for the constant passing of tugs, ferries, tall ships, freighters and Navy ships. Fortunately the channel is wide and it was easy to manuever through all the traffic.
Now we are anchored in a creek off the York River in the Chesapeake enjoying the relative peace. We've traveled over 1200 miles at an average of 6 miles an hour for the past two months - it feels good to be in our destination for the summer. We expect we'll still see contrasts but that only helps keep the cruising interesting.
The official Chesapeake greeter?
Hampton Light
Our last 50 miles on the ICW were again a great study in contrasts. For two days we glided along the serene Pasquotank River and Great Dismal Swamp Canal, before popping out into the busy and congested Elizabeth River and Norfolk area. Halfway between the locks on the canal we docked for the night at the Dismal Swamp Visitor's Center. All the cruisers gathered on the shore for a pot-luck and we were unexpectedly serenaded by a bagpiper.
At the Deep Creek Lock the lockmaster also serenaded us, only this time it was with a conch shell. He collects the shells from cruisers returning from the islands. While our boat was slowly descending he gave us some horn blowing lessons.
Soon the quiet, peaceful Dismal Swamp Canal ended and we were near mile '0' on the ICW and the bustling port of Norfolk. At one point, while waiting for a railroad bridge to open, we had 2 tugs and barges, 2 megayachts, 3 powerboats and 7 sailboats circling around each other in front of the bridge for 20 minutes.
From our anchorage in downtown Norfolk we had front row seats for the constant passing of tugs, ferries, tall ships, freighters and Navy ships. Fortunately the channel is wide and it was easy to manuever through all the traffic.
Now we are anchored in a creek off the York River in the Chesapeake enjoying the relative peace. We've traveled over 1200 miles at an average of 6 miles an hour for the past two months - it feels good to be in our destination for the summer. We expect we'll still see contrasts but that only helps keep the cruising interesting.
The official Chesapeake greeter?
