A bit of everything in two days
Coinjock to Atlantic Yacht Basin to Norfolk to Hampton (lots of pictures)
Coinjock to Atlantic Yacht Basin
My Friday started at 5AM again. Wanted to get a jump on potential building winds. We were off the dock at Coinjock at 6:30AM and headed NE up the river. Coinjock marina is basically one long dock along the river with no basin.
During the night the wind and waves on the boat had sounded fairly strong, but I got off the dock easily, and it wasn’t near as strong as the day before.
Today’s run would be slightly sheltered by land, though the wind was being channeled downriver as I head NE and the wind headed SW. I had some apprehension of the wave action to come when we hit some open bay water, but it wasn’t too bad. Occasional 3’ waves for part of the ride, but mostly little 1’ ones. Like the day before, I was taking them on the quarter. First Mate was a bit nervous, but not like previous days.
Nothing like dead trees in the water supporting new trees growing off their trunks.
Some sort of large fuel tanker along the way.
Swing bridge time again! I’ll do two of these, and they open on the half hour. Missed the 2nd one by 6 minutes. 😞
Some 5.25 hours later, we’d arrive at…
Atlantic Yacht Basin
I never know what I find when I arrive somewhere, and this was clearly a surprise! AYB is a true working boat yard with another long riverfront dock like Coinjock.
I had booked an appointment to get my fuel filters changed, and then added the transmission oil change too. Now the boat is fully baselined to my ownership and schedule. Tim did the work, and I learned so I could do it myself if needed next time. Other than being on my knees, neither job is particularly difficult or complex.
I was speaking with another couple this evening about tides, and we were all equally stumped. In some areas of the coast I had experienced 9’ tide swings, in others almost none. Marinas with tide swings need floating docks to adjust accordingly.
An inland river won’t have a tide swing at all, only flood or dry limits. As a result you have fixed height docks. These often have poles as their piers for tying up, with a good sized gap between the boat and the dock deck.
When I started, First Mate Harry was fearful of crossing a few inches of water. Now, not a month later he’s crossing +1’ of space while having to step up about a foot! It’s a big gap!
As we moved into late afternoon, Roger & Anne from Maine were kind enough to loan me a rolling cart, so I hoofed it a few blocks to the local Kroger to get some more dog food, snacks, water, etc. They later would give me some valuable hints for heading up the Chesapeake.
That Friday night I saw something I’d never seen before, a “blue-light special” tug! Does K-Mart do deliveries?
Atlantic Yacht to Norfolk/Hampton
Saturday morning I was up early for no reason, so First Mate Harry & I got out for a walk. Got to chat with a few other water travelers. One was very happy to give Harry attention as he had lost his own dog, a boxer, not long ago. As I had previously had boxers, it was definitely a subject of conversation. After a walk we went back to the boat for a few more hours sleep.
I’d wake later to shower, get back to the boat, only to find out the bridge just upriver of the marina only opens on the hour. 😞 I’d missed it by a few minutes. So more chatting with other boaters, then got the boat prepped, and launched 12 minutes before the hour. Shortly after I’d enter my first locks of this journey. The difference would be a whopping one foot drop!
From this point on there’d be a bunch of river that gradually became more industrialized along the way. I’d again get stuck waiting at another bridge for almost 45 minutes.
This was actually a set of two bridges, one rail, one vehicular. After this I’d be looking at lots of industrial America, and plenty of Naval (and other) ships in port or dry dock.
It almost seemed like the entire navy was parked here, there were so many of them.
It was toward the tail end of all these that cargo ship scared the %@#*! out of me! (I accidentally said it was in the morning but it was in the afternoon).
Once I’d been passed by the container ship we were in bigger water, and I scooted across the bay heading into The Docks at Downtown Hampton. Was brought into a short floating finger pier, and backed it in like a boss again. I’m really starting to get the hang of it. There was one other transient boat next to me. I guess it’s just not warm and sunny enough up here.
First Mate was anxious to go do his business so off we went for a short walk, and then we checked in and got a fob for the bathrooms. Back to the boat for a little bit, then off to dinner!
As of right now, the weather is looking very favorable to head up the Chesapeake with forecast winds out of the SW the next few days. If they shift to N or NE I’ll have to hole up along the way, or get beat up. Pass on the latter.
Unknown where I stop tomorrow.
Great pics.
Best day yet.