Tuesday, June 4: Slam, Bam, Thank You Ma'am

Date:                           June 4, 2013

Day on the Cruise:      50

From:                          Portsmouth, VA                                                                  

To:                              Deltaville, VA

Statute Miles:               59.9

Time:                           6.0 Hrs

Cumulative Miles:       1,293.0 SM

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

Tonight We are at Deltaville, VA

Last night Susan checked the ears on our dog Maggie, and found that she had an infection in one ear. This sparked a conversation about what to do regarding our trip to Deltaville today.

We woke very early this morning. A check of the weather showed wind gusts to 25 mph on the water. Waves were 5'. All this was forecasted to get better after 11 AM. Susan talked to our vet in Alabama and got a generic treatment protocol. She had used the last of the prescription ear cleanser last night.

Susan talked to a very nice lady at Dozier's Regatta Pointe Marina in Deltaville where we will stay tonight, and the lady volunteered to go get the vinegar and alcohol needed for the generic ear cleanser and have it for us when we arrived. So, we decided to leave at 10 AM for the 60 mile trip.

We refueled and got a pump out, then we hit the harbor and the channel out to Chesapeake Bay.

Everything was great for the first mile and a half, then we started hitting big rollers coming into the harbor from the bay. We handled that OK, even though it was pretty rough. The Norfolk Navy Yard is about the last civilization before the bay. The aircraft carrier Enterprise was docked there. The "Big E"! She is going through decommissioning as the ship is being retired from the fleet. I was amazed at the size of that ship. Pictures and videos do not do justice to the size of this boat. Much longer than I ever imagined at almost 1,200 feet! Very cool.

Hospital Ship at Norfolk Navy Yard

Big Navy Hospital Ship

The Big "E"! What do you do with a De-commisioned Nuclear Aircraft Carrier?

The "Big "E". Sorry for the Pic THrough the Isenglass. You couldn't Walk Back to Get Outside Because it Was Too Rough!!!

As we turned out toward the bay, the swells got worse. A huge freighter fell in behind us-some Asian name that I could not pronounce. It was going faster than we were, so I moved over to the red side of the channel and took a shortcut out to the bay, right over the tunnel from Hampton to Norfolk. Soon, it passed us.

A Navy Hovercraft flew by us as we got out of the channel. Man, those things throw up a lot of spray! We used to watch them in Panama City, FL when they were being developed. Seems like a generation ago!

When we turned North in the bay after getting out of Norfolk, the weather was the roughest we have encountered so far. We got slammed and bammed and we could only say "Thank You Ma'am"!! Susan and I stayed on the Flybridge the entire trip. We were taking waves over the bow. The waves were much bigger than what we saw in Currituck Sound. We were bucking the wind and the tide. Susan and the dog were thrown on the deck of the Flybridge. Everything on the flybridge got tossed around. Lesson learned on this, we must secure everything up there (including dog) when we anticipate rough weather. I had to hold onto the wheel for a hand hold when we crashed down on wave upon wave. Luckily no one got sick. The dog was frantic and was trying to find something to wedge into so she could hold on. Paws don't work so well to gab ahold of something, she found out. All the while, she was panting heavily. This went on for 25 miles until we passed the York River and got to Wolf Trap Light House. It was really rough to take pictures, but this is an iconic mid bay lighthouse that looks to be abandoned.

Its a Terrible Picture of  Beautiful Wolf Trap Light in the Chesapeake Bay 

North of Wolf Trap up to the Rappanhanok River, the wind gradually died down and we got into 2' waves, making the last hour of the trip much smoother. We found the channel into Deltaville and got off the bay.

We are staying at Dozier's Regatta Pointe Marina. It is owned by Jack and his wife Craig Dozier who also publish a number of waterway guides for around the country. We are using their guides on our trip. Craig actually was the one who went to the store and got the vinegar and alcohol for the ear cleanser and had it for Susan when we arrived. Thank you very much for great hospitality!

Tomorrow we head about 25 miles North East across the bay to Tangier Island. Hope the Slammin' and the Bammin' is minimal!!!

Thanks for Reading!