Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Norfolk to Hampton, VA

2.9 nm
Wind: calm to S 5 knots
Latitude: 37°01.03’N
Longitude: 076°20.43’W

I guess I didn’t have much time yesterday, in our mammoth all-day run, to do anything except write and think and do the dishes. It was a glorious day, and I swear, as soon as we passed the Virginia line, which, was pretty close to being below 38° latitude, the sun broke free of the clouds, the temperature hit seventy degrees, and we started stripping off our layers like peeling an onion.

Everyone said that happened when you got to Virginia, and I didn’t quite believe it, but I guess it’s true. Either that, or we just got lucky, and we’re hitting some beautiful weather. I think the latter is more likely the case.

But we made it. Coming through all the crazy warships into Norfolk at night was pretty insane, but our trusty GPS (knock on wood) faithfully told us exactly where we were, and we made it right into Skipper Bob’s anchorage, with the beacon of the McDonald’s glowing temptingly off our bow. We didn’t risk it, thank goodness, because today when we came to the nearby town of Hampton we saw that it was actually on the other side of the highway.

Coming over this morning too, we saw crazy experimental naval vessels, shaped like gray stealth bombers in the water, with watertight hatches and all triangular planes. It looked like something out of Tron. I snuck a picture on the digital camera and then ran back down into the boat so I wouldn’t get shot.

But the best news of the day was when we pulled into Hampton and saw Sea Belle berthed at the marina! It was like being reunited with a long-lost relative. We hugged, we traded stories, we stayed up until three in the morning—it was like old times. They fed us steak from the grill and made us drink wine. It was awesome. It feels like coming home.

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