Travel Day 4 - Great Salt Pond, Hampton Bays to Top Rack Marina, Chesapeake, VA

Tuesday, 10/15/19  ~     The plan WAS to catch the Glimerton and the Rail Road Bridge for the 9:30 AM opening.

USCG 125' doing training

     Pete was up and left the dock at Old Salt Pond by 6 AM. It was overcast with light winds and the radio was alive with lots of chatter.  Most of the Naval fleet is heading out to sea.  Before turning off the radio last night, Pete heard one aircraft carrier departing as well as all the cautions and precautions announcements to accompany her.  Today another aircraft carrier left, as well as 2 destroyers.  There was a submarine inbound as well. The sub had to do extensive radio discussion with a large outbound container ship that approached the harbor entrance right after it entered. A 90’ USCG patrol (like the Dolphin) was outbound from Portsmouth, while a 125' USCG ANT black-hull boat was doing racetrack and figure 8’s in channel. Apparently people were being certified for handling the boat, but it was quite unnerving to have it suddenly coming right at our bow!  Two container ships were outbound as well as a tug with two barges - inbound.  Then between Southern Railroad and Tidewater, a ship with 2 tugs tethered came close, so he went to within 20’ from ship dock, right under the 200-foot cranes.  Pete thinks he might have whip-lash from the constant swiveling to check the water way traffic!
     All that traffic made the traveling slow, which was further compounded by having to wait for 2 trains to cross the railroad bridge before it and the Glimerton Bridge could open! In the end, he just missed he 11:30 AM opening of the northern lock on the Dismal Swamp.  He and another boat waited over an hour before the lock master told them that all the dockage in the canal are maxed out and the Duckweed at the southern end is over 6 inches deep! That is taking its toll on many cruiser's engines as it is sucked into the engine intake.
     Now it is 12:45 and Pete is scrambling, making calls.  Atlantic Boat Basin is maxed, the free dock there is also full. A call to another marina before Tidewater was also full and reported that the free dock in Portsmouth is partially under construction leaving only a few slips, which are also occupied. Thankfully, Pete was able to get dockage at Top Rack Marina - and only $1/foot with electricity and WiFi included!  It is open to the channel so faster passing boats will rock PEKABU.  The dock master uses a very loud horn as well as the VHF to scold boats not abiding with the "No-Wake Zone!" Good thing PEKABU is backed into the dock.
     Remember all those spiders who wove their webs in Maryland? Many have hidden themselves and still start weaving their webs around sunset.  Pete had been sitting in the cockpit during the afternoon and left his opened bottle of water in the cup holder by the helm seat. The cap had fallen on the floor and had yet to be retrieved.  Well, when Pete returned from down below and went to take a drink, there was one of our 8-legged hitch hikers was swimming in the bottle!  No more uncapped bottles in the cockpit!
     Pete will be staying here for 2 days.  The heavy rains are due overnight, followed by increasing strong winds. They predict 25-35 mph winds with stronger gusts for tomorrow and possibly Thursday.  I know I feel better with Pete staying put.
    As for Debi, her last round of chemo has been postponed due to the Pneumonia that started last week.  This pushes her treatments back a week. The time delay is frustrating when the end is in site, but the cancer center is looking at what is best for her as a person and not just for the cancer. She is strong, brave, determined, resilient, and positive. She is simply amazing.  This means we can veg and hang out for 5 days in a row! AND I can work on the blog!
     Pete caught up on some projects and read for a while before heading up dinner. It was another night of reading before our good night call.

Extra High Tide at Top Rack

Wednesday, 10/16/19 ~  Pete woke up at 7:30 AM.  He was so glad he did. Around 7:45 the horn blasted at a large boat, which waked he marina.  A second, large boat was not far behind and also received the horn and a scolding. This must be the exodus for large boats to be moved to Florida by paid captains, who only transport and don't care about others. More than 2/3 of the large boats we have encountered in the past, have been very considerate.  It is just the bad ones are the ones that stand out and are easily remembered.
     Apparently, word hasn't spread about the Dismal Swamp, dockage and duckweed.  A number of sailboats and smaller power boats passed the marina after to 9:30 opening of the Glimerton Bridge.  A while later we heard boats trying to get dockage with poor results. 2 came over to Top Rack. The others must have backtracked to Tidewater, a good 1 1/2-2 hours back.
     The heavy rains did come, beginning shortly after 8:30 and stayed for a good part of the day.  It is a fast moving storm, but it continues to intensify on its travel north.  It hit the New Jersey around 5 pm with winds increasing after 10 pm when most of the rains had subsided,
     With no place to go for either one of us, I have been working on the blog so that the current cruise info is posted.  Pete spent a few hours working as well as getting in some reading.  He was able to stream the movie      .
     After the good night call we both called it a day.

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~ P & K