Once in a Blue Moon: Saving the Best for Last

Date: May 1, 2013

Days on the Cruise: 37

From: Coinjock Marina, Coinjock, NC

To: Atlantic Yacht Basin, Chesapeake, VA

Statute Miles: 36.8

Time: 4.15 Hours

Cumulative Miles: 1,219.2

On Board: Chuck, Susan, Maggie, Trooper, Peanut

We are in Chesapeake, VA tonight. We are about 12 water miles from Norfolk!

We are at the Blue Circle in Chesapeake, VA

Our location at the Blue Circle as relates to the Middle Atlantic States

This morning we got up to cold temps and heavy overcast skies. The wind was blowing a lot harder than forecast last night, so the weather report that we looked at last night was pretty much garbage. We delayed our departure waiting for other boats to leave in order to get off the long face dock where boats were packed in like sardines. Of course all boats left but the one right in front of us and the one right in back of us.

We had planned to be off at 7:30. By 8:00, we decide to get off the dock using a forward spring line that would get our bow out into the canal. This would help us not to be blown back into the sailboat directly behind us, and then not hit the sailboat directly in front of us. The wind was blowing so hard that I did not think my thrusters would push me off the dock.

Why were we leaving this comfortable dock in bad weather anyway? First, I thought that we only had about 5 miles of open water to transit in Currituck Sound, and I thought that once we got past this, we would be in more narrow waterways that were not affected as much by the wind. Second, we wanted to test the rough weather capabilities of the boat and ourselves.

The man in front of us came back to our boat and offered to walk his boat up the dock to give us room to turn off the dock without the spring line. YES!!! The man in back of us offered to help us with our lines. This allowed Susan to get on the boat and take the lines. Just before we cast off, this cruise liner comes under the bridge behind us and approaches the Coinjock Marina. Word is this ship, the "American Glory", was docking to take on fuel. We watched the ship "ghost" past us and then we cast off our lines, and we were underway. It was 8:15 and it started raining fairly hard. And it was cold up on the fly bridge.

"American Glory" coming under the Coinjock Bridge this morning

"American Glory" approaching the Coinjock Marina

This is a big ship on a small canal

"American Glory" coming past "Blue Moon"

So, we traveled to the end of the canal, and we could see the Sound. The sailboat that we had traveled with for the past several days, "Mandolay", had left Coinjock before us. They called us on the radio as we got to the end of the canal and told us that the Sound was very rough and the wind was really blowing. We both talked to another sailboat, "Discovery", that had just finished crossing the Sound. He told us that the wind was very bad and that he had measured winds of 30 mph out on the Sound. Waves were about 3'. I have learned that 3' waves are BIG!

It was raining fairly hard as we left Coinjock and headed down the canal to Currituck Sound

We got into the Sound, and the wind was hitting is on the front right (starboard) quarter. It heeled the boat somewhat, but we steered in the narrow channel. The waves built up to 3' and 4' in the middle of the Sound. We had to make several turns to follow the channel, and we had runs or "reaches" where the wind was broadside to us from the right. The boat from the flybridge heeled maybe 20 to 30 degrees and rolled back and forth. I never felt like we did not have control of the boat. I had increased speed to 10-11 mph to try to get across the open water. We passed "Mandolay" and had to get so far to the edge of the channel that we got into shallow 5' water. We had the same issue passing three other sailboats. The boats were fighting the wind to stay in the narrow channel. Waves were now crashing over our bow, and spray was going over the fly bridge. When spray got that high, It cascaded down the Isenglass windshield and we had no visibility until the water stopped. WOW! Mother Nature really saved her best for last with the crossing of the last big water on Currituck Sound!

The view out the front door this morning

Rocking in the Sound

Visibility was poor

This picture was taken right after spray crashed over the fly bridge. See the water coming off the Isenglass.

Check out this video as we were crossing the Sound

It took us almost two hours to get to protected water. It continued to rain. We passed a German or Norwegian sailboat that had many sails. The Captain spoke broken English. Finally we got to the first of many bridges that we have to go through that have restricted openings. The first two, North Landing and Centerville Turnpike, both open on the hour and half hour. We made both without having to idle around and wait for them to open.

We are getting into Calmer water but the rain is coming down harder

This is the foreign sailboat that we passed

We are out of the Sound and into more of a River

The wind or the waves or both bent our burgee flag pole on the pulpit at the bow of the boat

North landing Swing Bridge

Canal leading to Chesapeake, VA

Centerville Turnpike Swing Bridge

Atlantic Yacht Basin was about 5 miles closer to Coinjock than I anticipated, so we got there sooner than expected. We pulled in to the marina about 12:25. It is another marina with a long face dock that is right on the ICW. The marina is right at the Great Bridge Bridge that we will go through tomorrow on our short 12 mile cruise to Portsmouth. We docked with no problem and enjoyed the afternoon as we settled down from the harrowing trip this morning. And guess who showed up as dusk was falling?